Hypocrites, stimulus and the nuclear option

Back in 2005, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the Senate Republicans considered confirmation of some of George W. Bush's ill-considered judicial nominees so important that they threatened Democrats with the "nuclear option." The threat was to abolish the centuries old Senate tactic of filibustering, so small majorities -- and that's all the Republicans had, small majorities -- could ram partisan preferences through the Senate.

Back then the issue was partisan advantage. Today, the issue is the nation's economic health ... and the nation's economy is very, very sick. The country is entering a frightening recession and hovers on the brink of another Great Depression. We have a President (not Mr. AWOL, but the guy who will be sworn in just nine days from now) who is proposing a massive stimulus package to pull us back from the brink.

And the tables are turned now. Democrats control the Senate with a large majority, almost but not quite large enough to invoke cloture. However, the current Republican leaders of the Senate are threatening to stall (read: filibuster) the stimulus package because it includes too much red ink.

Yes, these are the same folks who didn't blink an eye when their party controlled both Congress and the White House. They didn't stall for a moment when the Bush administration started pouring red ink and red blood into the Iraqi desert.

But wasting a trillion is okay to them, apparently, as long as it's wasted in the Middle East. Using a trillion to help America is beyond the pale, however.

Okay, to be honest, it isn't just their concern about red ink. They also want tax breaks for corporate America and for America's wealthy. Never mind that these tax breaks won't do anything to pull us out of the recession or forestall a real depression. They will help the Republicans' key constituency, and that's all that matters.

In 2005 all that was at risk was partisan advantage. In 2009, it's America's economy, America's jobs, America's people, America's very well-being. Yet the Republicans are threatening a filibuster.

It's time for Senator Reid to revive Bill Frist's threat. Bring back the "nuclear option." No filibustering the stimulus package. The issue is far, far more important than the petty squabble of 2005, and if the Republicans don't like it, Senator Reid can send them each a dictionary so they can look up the word "hypocrite."

The time to enact a real economic stimulus package is now. The Republicans can either support the effort, or be shoved out of the way.

Note: this was originally posted on ketches, yaks & hawks 11 January 2009