That's what the Democrats did to Republicans in 2006 and 2008.
The Democrats would offer up amendments that would force Republicans to vote against the amendments. The amendments would be worded in a way that makes the Republicans look like they're against an issue when they're really not. Then the Democrats would go back to their districts and say the Republicans were against this or that because they voted against amendment A or B.
So now the Democrats are trying to take that weapon away from the Republicans.
-PJ
Jim DeMint tweeted afterward, “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body now doesn’t allow minority amendments unless we get majority’s permission.”
And a few minutes later, “Dems rammed through Obamacare, stimulus and now rammed through rules to gag minority rights.” I’m 99 percent sure Reid’s going to relent on this once he gets his caucus together and figures out how to handle Obama’s bill, not because he’s a swell guy but because the GOP’s highly likely to take back the Senate next year and will merrily bludgeon the Democrats with this precedent unless they revoke it pronto.
Let’s see how long Reid holds out. I’d be surprised if he lasts more than a couple of days. Exit quotation: “Am I 100 percent confident that I’m right? No. But I feel pretty comfortable with what we’ve done.”