I don't know why it didn't occur to me before. It's so obvious! There had to be a reason why the Democrats in the Senate were being so obstructive over the Gorsuch nomination. The media thought it was simply bitterness over the Republicans' not allowing Obama's nominee to even be questioned. But, they had to know they couldn't accomplish anything by filibustering to obstruct a confirmation vote. They knew the Republicans would vote the "Nuclear Option" to end the filibuster, and they could be counted on to apply the same to the vote to confirm Gorsuch, with a "simple majority", rather than a "bipartisan" 60 votes.
They couldn't care less about Gorsuch's seemingly inevitable appointment. I think they wanted to force the Republicans to vote to apply the "Nuclear Option" to a Supreme Court nominee, so they can use it against them when they regain a majority in the Senate, and blame it on the Republicans, for "creating the precedent". This has to be the real reason that the Republicans were so reluctant to do so. They could see the strategy all along. With the likelihood of another one, maybe two, Justice vacancies in the near future, I'll bet the Democrats are positioning themselves to use the same "Nuclear Option" against the Republicans, which they hope to be able to do after the 2018 Congressional Elections.
All they have to do is try to inhibit the Trump administration, and the Republican Congress, from enacting any truly effective reforms, like replacing "Obamacare", or restoring businesses' ability to make a profitable living while paying American Taxes. So, if they can befuddle Trump's plans to reform the mess that Obama created, they can hope to win a majority in Congress, in 2018, (by claiming the Trump administration to be a "do-nothing administration") and then the two future appointments will be available for them, and a semi-permanent liberal majority on the Supreme Court, as well! With a Liberal Court, you can bet that everything Trump would try to do after that would be met with a lawsuit, for one bogus reason , or another. Then, in 2020, they'll really pour it on, saying that Trump's whole Presidency was a failure, because he couldn't get anything done!
The only way for Trump to defeat this strategy is to make sure he gets something done, and quick!!! He is working on a Tax reform plan that will hopefully bring relief to the business world, so big companies can profit, and still pay American Taxes, and small companies as well, and they will all be able to afford to hire American workers to their newly created jobs. Then, if he can live up to his business reputation for being a great deal maker, he can find a way to compromise with the Conservative Caucus, in the House, to actually "repeal and replace" Obamacare with an effective insurance plan.
If the economy has time to make a robust recovery from the years of Democratic taxation, and obstructive regulation, and "Obamacare" is dumped, to be replaced with something that works, I don't see how the Democrats could keep Trump from being re-elected, or even win a majority in the Senate by 2018. But he's got to get something effective done fast, so it will have time to work, before 2018!
UPDATE: 4/10/2017:
The only concern I have, for defeating this strategy, is not with the Democrats, now that I suspect their plans are exposed. The very real concern is that the bitterness between the Establishment Republicans, or the Leaders of the Senate, will also tempt them to try and undermine any potentially effective Republican-sponsored legislation, which will have the same effect as if it were stymied by the Democrats. Any residual bitterness towards Trump, especially by those who lost to him in the Primaries, might continue to be directed at his legislation, for personal reasons, having the long-term destructive effect of making his re-election less likely. Worse, it would have the short-term effect of giving the Senate majority back to the Democrats, in 2018. Any Establishment Republicans who side with the Democrats, for the rest of this term, should be resoundingly defeated by their constituents, and replaced with more trust-worthy conservative Republican candidates. If that happens, it will be great for the country, as a whole! If their constituents vote to re-elect them, in 2018, it's all over for Trump, his administration, and probably for any real restoration of America's "greatness"!!!
I have long suspected that these self-serving "Establishment" Republicans are more at home with a Democratic majority in the Senate, than giving any credibility to the conservative branch of the Senate, so long as they can preserve their own precious jobs! These traitors place their own greedy, self preservation ahead the country's national interests!!! And I mean that literally!!!
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