And we call filibuster elimination what today??

The carpetbagger Report offers an interesting list of the various things the Republicans have called eliminating the filibuster as they rifle through the deepest, darkest and most distant detritus of focus groups for a term that makes their crap smell sweet - conceals their nefarious motives - offers a publicly acceptable title for what they are doing. This is the set of terms they have tried so far:

• Nuclear Option


• Constitutional Option (See My previous blog "Let's Eliminate the Filibuster along with Advice and Consent ")


• Byrd Option


• Filibuster Reform


• Fairness Option


• Majority Rules Option

The Carpetbagger report explains where each name came from.

This is a power grab by the Republicans as they continue centralizing power in the US government in the White House. It means that the Senate is ceasing to be an independent body in appointments as the Constitution intends.

The Republican Senators are handing off the Senate's Advice and Consent power to the President so that his nominations become unreviewed appointments. Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist No 76 explains why this is NOT what the writer's of the Constitution intended.

(My previous blog "Let's Eliminate the Filibuster along with Advice and Consent" explains how this fits the current situation.)

All of this is leading us into the Supreme Court appointment that is expected this Summer.

Thanks to Josh Marshall for directing me to The Carpetbagger Report.