The ‘Nuclear Option’ Won’t Dramatically Change the Senate
A rules change to confirm Supreme Court nominations would mark just the latest, incremental step toward intensifying partisanship in Congress.
The Senate is headed toward a showdown when President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee comes up for a final confirmation vote.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to invoke the so-called “nuclear option,” changing Senate rules so that Republicans can approve the nomination of Neil Gorsuch by a simple majority vote. The looming clash is the latest evidence that Congress has become along party lines, and threatens to pave the way for presidents to nominate ever-more partisan judges to the Supreme Court. Even so, implementing the tactic
