Harry Reid and the "nuclear option"

 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) used the "nuclear option" to eliminate the free and open debate of judicial nominations. Harry Reid did this because he knows Republican Leader Mitch McConnell will let him get away with it. The only way to deter a nuclear attack is to make it clear that the response will be equally devastating. Unfortunately, weakness is the only message McConnell has sent the Democrats on this issue. He's been so ineffective that even his allies in the mainstream media are mocking him with political cartoons like the one shown here from Politico. In 2011, Harry Reid used the threat of the "nuclear option" to prevent senators from forcing the public reading of legislation. Mitch McConnell supported the change while conservatives like Jim DeMint (R-SC) opposed it. In January of this year, Harry Reid used the threat of the "nuclear option" again to shorten debate on legislation and to limit the number of amendments that can be offered by senators. Mitch McConnell supported this change too while conservatives like Ted Cruz (R-TX) opposed it. Then in July, Harry Reid used the threat of the "nuclear option" a third time to confirm President Obama's radical nominees. Mitch McConnell backed down yet again, allowing every single nominee through, including Richard Cordray for the new Dodd-Frank agency, Gina McCarthy to head the EPA, Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor, two people of Obama's choosing to fill the vacant slots at the National Labor Relations Board, and Todd Jones to head ATF even though he was at the scene of the "Fast and Furious" scandal Each time Mitch McConnell capitulated, he said it would save the filibuster, but each time it encouraged Harry Reid to go even further. Now radical judicial nominees will sail through on a simple majority vote. When asked by reporters yesterday what he would do to respond, Mitch McConnell said it wasn't time for "reprisal" but instead time to "be sad." That's it? Republicans are just sad? If the roles were reversed, Harry Reid and the Democrats would have shut down the Senate by blocking all legislation and by objecting to all procedural requests.