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Now that the judicial filibuster in the U.S. Senate has been nuked, its time to look at the political fallout going forward. And for Democrats, the news is all bad. Here are three reasons why Democrats just made a dumb mistake by filibustering Neil Gorsuch.

The argument for years as to why Republicans needed stealth Supreme Court candidates like David Souter, Anthony Kennedy, and John Roberts (who have all gone on to be disappointments to varying degrees) was the filibuster.

Since it only requires a simple majority now, the GOP can freely confirm real heirs to Antonin Scalia. Where this could be a real benefit is throughout the federal circuit and district courts, which need an overhaul after decades of stockpiling progressives.

Theres literally no tradeoff here for Democrats, because we all know Republicans werent gonna have the stones to partisan filibuster in the future anyway. The GOP is the party that actually nominates for president the people who support and vote for the Democrats most progressive judicial nominees after all (see John McCain).

So this isnt a case of what goes around comes around that benefits Democrats in the future; this is being too smart by half, and negotiating against yourself. In other words, this is a case of Democrats tactically acting like Republicans for once. They needlessly cornered the GOP into a position that forced them to actually draw a line in the sand, which isnt exactly the GOPs thing. (They aint called the surrender caucus for nothing.)

By doing so, Democrats helped set a precedent that will only benefit Republicans from here. For they gave Republicans leverage they never wouldve asserted on their own, while at the same time Democrats gave away leverage theyve had all along.

Even if you think the Stand with Rand and Make DC Listen filibusters by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, respectively, were publicity stunts doomed to fail, at the very least both of those events inspired the GOP grassroots and elevated the national profiles of two of the partys emerging stars.

Unfortunately for Democrats, the Gorsuch filibuster didnt even do that. For example, the lackluster attempt by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., at filibustering this week didnt generate nearly the attention Paul and Cruzs did, even from a more-than-sympathetic media.

At the very least, if youre going to contrive political theater, have someone who excites your base and could be your future standard-bearer as the face of it. Instead, Democrats came out of a fake fight without any real stars to rally behind. A missed opportunity, especially with the country already seeming to start to tire of President Trump.

In short, the Democrats Gorsuch filibuster accomplished more for Republicans than it did for Democrats, because it accomplished nothing for the latter. If this is what the resistance looks like, its going to have to try a lot harder.

Steve Deace is broadcast nationally each weeknight on CRTV. He is the author of the book A Nefarious Plot.

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3 reasons Democrats just made a dumb mistake - Conservative Review