Staff Reports
Senate Republicans have decided to serve a hearty side of resistance to President Biden’s judicial nominees as his presidency winds down, treating what should be routine procedural matters like they’re the Super Bowl of Senate votes. Instead of the usual quick decisions laid down by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Senate floor became an arena of delays late Monday night, dragging into the early hours of Tuesday with a staggering number of roll-call votes—almost 20 of them—on nine nominees no one asked for.
Senate Democrats were pawing at the clock, desperate to confirm as many of Biden’s nominees as possible before the Republicans take control come January. But the GOP had other plans, willing to turn what usually becomes a snooze fest of unanimous agreements into a marathon of procedural warfare. It was like watching a slow-motion train wreck, with the Democrats clutching their proposals and frantically trying to beat the clock.
Republicans jam up Senate Democrats on Biden judicial nominees https://t.co/fG622cm8Ay via @dcexaminer
— Vicki 🇺🇲 (@NoWarningShot_) November 19, 2024
The irony is thick, as the Democrats should technically have the votes to cruise through these nominations with a simple majority. Yet, the Senate is notorious for its ability to stretch what should be a straightforward affair into a drawn-out ordeal. What should take 15 minutes often turns into an hour-long debate filled with the sounds of crickets and the occasional yawn—a true democratic spectacle of inefficiency.
Instead of rolling past motions that would normally be passed without breaking a sweat, Republicans shifted gears and forced a vote on every tiny procedural step. It’s almost impressive in its sheer stubbornness. The GOP made the most out of their remaining influence, turning motions to proceed to legislative sessions or file cloture into lengthy votes that would make even the most devoted C-SPAN viewers reconsider their life choices.
So, as the Senate grappled with this drawn-out process, it became plain that the GOP is determined to make Democrats earn every last confirmation. Instead of zipping through appointments on autopilot, the Senate has turned into a slow dance of legislative limbo—how low can they go before the clock runs out on Biden’s administration? In a game where the stakes are lifetime appointments, it’s a strategy that both baffles and entertains, leaving onlookers to wonder just how many procedural tricks the GOP has up its sleeve.
