Three Democrats, including liberal Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, recognized that Reid will rue this day and voted to keep the Senate the Senate. Speaking on the Senate floor, Levin even quoted the late ultra-liberal "Lion of the Senate," Teddy Kennedy: "Neither the Constitution, nor Senate rules, nor Senate precedents, nor American history provide any justification for selectively nullifying the use of the filibuster."

Then he quoted Joe Biden from when he was a senator in 2005 and said what Reid just did "abandons America's sense of fair play. It's the one thing this country stands for: not tilting the playing field on the side of those who control and own the field."
Reid And Democrats Destroy 'Democracy's Finest Show' In Power Grab - Investors.com (http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/112113-680266-senate-democrats-destroy-two-centuries-old-right-to-filibuster.htm)

Levin warned that the next step could be destroying filibusters on legislation. "We need to change the rules, but to change it in the way we changed it today means there are no rules except as the majority wants them,”.... “This precedent is going to be used, I fear, to change the rules on consideration of legislation, and down the road — we don’t know how far down the road; we never know that in a democracy ... " .
And indeed Sen Tom Harkin is calling for an end to legislative filibusters .

“This has been escalating for a long period of time and it was time to stop it and that’s what we did this morning,” Harkin said. “Now we need to take it a step farther and change the filibuster rules on legislation.”
Harkin calls for more rule changes | TheHill (http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/191086-harkin-calls-for-more-rule-changes)

on a related note ...
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro exercised new emergency powers for the first time Thursday, signing decrees limiting business profit margins and tightening regulation of imports.

He acted as part of a so-called "economic war" against a crisis for which he blames the opposition "bourgeoisie" and imperialism.

Under new powers granted to Maduro on Tuesday, the two new laws aim to control prices and profits in the business sector and closely monitor imports and exports and hard currency that comes in from oil sales, Venezuela's main source of revenue.
Venezuelan president tries out new emergency powers (http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelan-president-tries-emergency-powers-071959194.html)
That would be emergency powers granted to the dictator by his flunkies in the legislature.

But first you have to control the press...
WASHINGTON: White House blocks access to Obama events, news groups say | White House | McClatchy DC (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/11/21/209352/white-house-blocks-access-to-obama.html)

Hello again, tom:
Three Democrats, including liberal Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, recognized that Reid will rue this day It's true. You should be creaming in your jeans.

Although it'll feel good in the short run, It'll come back to bite the Democrats. They changed the filibuster rules ONLY to allow judicial nominations and executive appointments to go through on a simple majority. They LEFT the filibuster in place for ordinary legislation...

If the Republicans win the Senate, which is a VERY REAL possibility, I believe they TOO will change the filibuster rules. This time to allow LEGISLATION to pass on a simple majority vote.

Even IF Hillary wins, and vetoes EVERYTHING they throw at her, they'll OVERRIDE, and have their way with us. A right wing agenda WILL become law. Say goodby to Roe, Obamacare, Medicare, and Social Security.. Any help for the poor (I mean moochers) is over, and welcome to the era of the millionaire.

excon

even if it's just judicial.... there are plenty of conservative judges who sat in limbo during the Bush years and deserved seating .Get ready for the next generation of Scalia and Thomas judges .

Hello again, tom:

Get ready for the next generation of Scalia and Thomas judges .Only if the old farts can hang on for 3 more years... Isn't the swine flu going around DC?

excon

Isn't the swine flu going around DC?


been a epedimic for years

Why were repubs blocking Mel Watt, for FHA and a judicial appointment that had argued before the Supreme Court 32 times?

Obama's Appeals Court Nominee Blocked by GOP - HispanicBusiness.com (http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/11/13/obamas_appeals_court_nominee_blocked_by.htm)

If you were saving appointments for Mitt, you failed, if you thought you could save the appointments for 2016, you failed. If the caseloads don't justify 11 justices, then change it. Oh that's right, you don't have the votes for that either, because you failed in the last election, but you still have hopes for the next one.

Mel Watt ? Besides the fact that he helped create the financial and subprime crisis as a Congressman by pushing for home ownership for those who could not afford the homes ,I can't think of any reason ...
See “Pathways to Homeownership” ....a program he pushed that targeted low-income individuals with subprime loans.

As far as Pillard's nomination ;I think the issue is that the emperor tried to fast track it and they have not had enough time to review the nomination. Remember some of the examples I listed ... Estrada ...his was 505 days until he withdrew his nomination. Roberts Circuit court nomination was 630 days .
Also ,Pillard appears to be a complete ideologue ...the type who would be opposed regardless of their bench and academic accomplishments.

The banks made those sub prime loans toxic. The banks changed their own rules and cleared people to houses above their income levels beyond their means. The banks resorted to hidden tricks and traps to NOT refinance fairly. The backlog of nominees waiting for approval is crazy,

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/11/13/obamas_appeals_court_nominee_blocked_by.htm

The banks changed their own rules and cleared people to houses above their income levels beyond their means

Again , the gvt forced the banks to change policy and then you blame them when they do and the inevitable negative outcome occurs. And Watt wants to continue the madness! Not only that ;but Watt also favors spending more taxpayer money on bailouts to the tune of another $ trillion for delinquent homeowners.
We need a restructuring of the whole public -private funding mechanism for housing that includes the end of Fannie and Freddie ,and a rethink of the FHA . Watt is not up to that task .He is too wedded in the past failures.

The program you named Pathways to Homeownership has been around since 1994. So please supply links please.

The banks were forced to do nothing, and many are facing court, both civil and criminal cases for their actions.