I suppose this post is a bit after the fact but I was reminded of this after reading a recent interview with Barney Frank in the latest issue of New York magazine where he stated that the one parliamentary procedure he would change is the filibuster.
In May of 2011, Goodwin Liu lost his fight for nomination to the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals as Republicans successfully filibustered his nomination when they rejected Senator Reid's cloture motion. Liu was subsequently confirmed to the California Supreme Court in September, 2011.
How does a nationally recognized constitutional scholar, a law professor with a stellar academic record not get an up or down vote in the Senate?? Regardless of what you think of his left leaning bent, give the guy who grew up with the "American Dream" an outcome [a vote, yay or nay] worthy of that dream. I guess it was to be expected. Republicans are notoriously scornful of the 9th circuit - Newt Gingrich wants to do away with it or at the very least impeach a select handful of justices - and certainly it falls within their procedural rights. The Democrats seemed to have the votes to confirm him but not to overcome the filibuster.
Hail to the almighty filibuster!!
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