Power Grab

In 2009, Congressional Democrats, flush with power and celebrating their clear majority in both houses, rammed through Obamacare without a single GOP vote—major legislation affecting nearly every American was forced to passage (recall the Cornhusker kickback) without a single opposition vote—not one. Today, this legislative monstrosity has become a true train wreck, serving no one's needs except those of a hyperpartisam president and his shrinking band of ideological supporters.

The Democrats, apparently learning nothing from their first foray into hyperpartisanism, have decided to ram through Obama's judicial and cabinet nominees by violating over 200 years of Congressional precedent and invoking the "nuclear option." In short, a simple majority of the senate can approve high level nominees of the president. This has never been done before, not for Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan, Bush-1, not for Clinton or Bush-2. But this president's nominees are so ideological that it's the only way that extreme nominees can be passed. Progressives think this is a great victory, the flexing of progressive muscle. Heh.

A high-level politician commenting on the nuclear option said,

“The nuclear option abandons America’s sense of fair play . . . tilting the playing field on the side of those who control and own the field. I say to my friends on the [other] side: You may own the field right now, but you won’t own it forever."

The politician was Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States, and the occasion occurred back in 2005 when Republicans foolishly considered the same option and had the very good sense to abandon it. Binden gets plenty wrong, but he was absolutely right in his words on this subject.

It's sad, actually. The Democrats have become so extreme and so ideological that they think that forcing both legislation and extreme nominees on this country will serve them and the country well. After all, progressives believe they hold the moral high ground -- they know what's best and will brook no other opinions -- and when given the chance, they will force their will on anyone who opposes them.

And they've decided to do this after their Obamacare debacle, learning absolutely nothing along the way. Obamacare has tarnished the Democrat brand, and this latest legislative power grab will come back to haunt them as sure as Obamacare now haunts people who have lost the health insurance this president promised they could keep. Period.

Power is fleeting and when it's gone, there will be a price to be paid. The Democrats will pay it, and if they don't, the country surely will.