North Star Politics

Kos has an interesting point regarding the use of the nuclear option: Republicans may soon be in the minority. The idea that the GOP might eventually be in the minority and thus need the protection of the filibuster has always been around, but when this debate last occurred, it looked like a much longer-term problem. Now, of course, Republicans are on the ropes, and it's looking like there's a chance that the Senate will be controlled by Democrats after 2006. It's an interesting question as to whether they'll be willing to forfeit a rule that they may need in the near future. In addition, with the public's recent disapproval of Republican politics, pulling the nuclear trigger may be much worse for them politically than it might have been this summer.

Will they do it if things do come to a filibuster? Probably. Republicans are often willing to trade away the future for short-term gain.