re: Harry Reid's nuclear option to appoint Federal judges pays off.

What does the phrase advice and consent mean? The Constitution grants the Senate that role for judicial appointments. How consent is given is a matter of Senate rules. The Constitution gives the Senate the power to make its own rules.

Harry Reid's forcing a change to the Senate rules to change how consent is given was perfectly legal. He has established the precedent that the minority party will have zero say in consent of Presidential appointments. That will cause many problems for the country when the President and Senate majorities are from different parties as vacancies can be left unfilled for extended periods. And it gives incredible influence to a President who comes from the same party as a Senate majority. There will be occasions when consent is an all or none process.