I think there’s a lot to be said for Mr. Will’s thoughts. I’d like to see the Senate reinstitute the traditional filibuster rules where no recess was permitted. In this 24x7 news cycle, let’s get them, as Mr. Will says, "talking around the clock, the obstructionists and their opponents sleeping on cots in the Capitol".

Heh, Hillary, Teddy and Johnny on cots...live in your living room.

Why is it considered "shock and awe" to actually give nominees a floor vote? Every discussion on this topic has it backwards. The default is that the President chooses his nominees, and if they are qualified they get through. The default is not, as the media is now pretending, that the party with ten less Senators imposes its will by using antiquated, anti-democratic procedural rules to subvert the democratic process.

If one takes George Will’s comments to the extreme, it would permit a filibuster at any time, in any committee, at any step of the process, for any reason ..... the historic use of the filibuster is on the floor of the Senate during the confirmation process, not to obstruct an up or down vote in committee. The minority has two opportunities to block an appointment ...... in committee, during an up/down vote or on the floor using a filibuster if they don’t have the votes to block. It is a slippery slope NOT to limit the filibuster to its’ hisorical role.