During the Bush administration, Democrats relied on filibusters to block certain judicial nominations. Republicans denounced the tactic as implicitly unconstitutional, saying nominees to the federal courts deserved up or down votes. They moved to change Senate rules to accomplish that. The GOP threatened to resort to the so-called nuclear option. The party spoke not of mere procedures but of lofty principles.
The bipartisan Gang of 14 reached a compromise that blocked the GOP's moves. Ideologues railed against John McCain and others for joining the group.
That was then.
The other day Republicans defeated Goodwin Liu's nomination to a federal appeals court. Liu did not lose the floor vote Republicans used to say all nominees deserved. A GOP filibuster doomed his prospects.
Liu's temperament disqualified him; Democratic Sen. Jim Webb spoke eloquently against his confirmation. Still, the GOP's abandonment of its previous stand invites scorn. Regarding process generally, neither party stakes a legitimate claim to the citizenry's loyalty.
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