Obama and the Democrats in Congress expressed their intention to utilize the “Nuclear Option”, the requirement for a mere simple majority vote in the U.S. Senate to pass their healthcare plan that the overwhelming majority of the American people oppose.  Instead of calling it the “Nuclear

Option” as they did when the Republicans sought to continue use of a simple majority for U.S. Supreme Court confirmation instead of permitting an unprecedented filibuster and sixty-vote requirement for cloture in confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roberts, the Democrats and the media now refer to elimination of the filibuster that has applied to legislation in the U.S. Senate since 1805 more euphemistically as “Reconciliation” or a “simple majority vote.”  The process of reconciliation is one reserved only for bills that have fully passed the legislative process and has only been used for budget bills, since Congress’s main responsibility is to fund the Federal Government.   The following are 2005 statements by the Democrats condemning the use of less than sixty votes in the U.S. Senate:

President Barack Obama (When Senator): “And what I worry about would be you essentially still have two chambers – the House and the Senate – but you have simply majoritarian [sic], absolute power on either side. And that’s just not what the Founders intended.” (April 25, 2005).  This appears to be the only instance where Barack Obama has ever been concerned with the Founders’ intentions.

Vice President Joe Biden (When Senator): “This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power. It is a fundamental power grab….I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don’t make the kind of naked power grab you are doing.” (May 23, 2005)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “The right to extended debate is never more important than when one party controls Congress and the White House. In these cases a filibuster serves as a check on power and preserves our limited government.” (May 18, 2005)

Senator Dianne Feinstein: “The Senate becomes ipso facto the House of Representatives, where the majority rules supreme and the party in power can dominate, and control the agenda with absolute power.” (May 15, 2005)

For video of these comments and many more similar ones made by Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Chris Dodd and others, Click here

Recall at the time Democrats made these statements, it had NEVER been customary in the U.S. Senate to filibuster judicial nominations, with confirmation always requiring a mere simple majority.  In the recent case, the Democrats are actually attempting to ELIMINATE the customary filibuster option for passage of legislation in the U.S. Senate.  Democrats continually prove themselves to be the party of projection—they accuse others of behavior that they themselves engage in when given the opportunity.  One must question whether Vice President Biden recognizes how chilling the recent naked power grab by Democrats has become, unmasking their party of coveters and demagogues as the most blatant hypocrites in modern world history.