The Nuclear Option Why One Senator Is Daring Republicans To Break The Unwritten Rules Of Washington Forever

The nation’s attention is focused on the Capitol as the clock is ticking down to a possible budget confrontation. The SAVE America Act has evolved into a vehicle for a broader debate over the nature of power in the twenty-first century. Is Washington still governed by the “gentlemen’s rules” of the past, or has it turned into a battleground where only the most vicious people survive? Senator Kennedy’s challenge is a proclamation that the days of courteous dissent are past, not merely a recommendation for procedure. He is pressuring his peers to enter the fray and demonstrate that they are prepared for a battle that will probably define the rest of the parliamentary year.

Ultimately, more than just the fate of a single bill will depend on how this battle turns out. For the foreseeable future, it will define the Republican Party’s identity. They will have accomplished two goals if they continue and make it through the Byrd bath: