Trending
The plan by Senate Democrats to filibuster the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court is a shortsighted mistake.
The desire to strike back at Republicans for denying a vote on President Barack Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, is understandable -- but Republicans have threatened to go nuclear and change Senate rules getting rid of the filibuster in confirmation proceedings for all future Supreme Court nominees.
It will also clear the way for Gorsuch's confirmation later this week.
There are a lot of reasons for the Democrats to forego this filibuster:
1. They are not going to prevail.
2. Gorsuch is the most mainstream of all the nominees on President Donald Trump's list of 21 potential Supreme Court picks.
3. The age of sitting Supreme Court justices means Trump will probably have one more and perhaps two more picks in his first term.
4. Without the filibuster as a weapon, there is a lot more chance that extremists will be put on the court. Moderate Republicans may join Democrats in opposing ideologues. Without the 60-vote rule to end a filibuster, that will become a moot point.
Democrats should step back and look at the next potential picks to the Supreme Court. There are a lot of worse choices than Neil Gorsuch.
If the filibuster is taken out of the Supreme Court selection process, a lot of those worse choices are going to end up in the most coveted robes in the country.
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.