People often ask how bad is the Senate confirmation process? It is not that different from the past they say.  Yesterday, a prime example happened of how wrong and how ridiculous the Senate Democrat obstruction has become.  As Senator James Lankford (R-OK) stated on the Senate Floor (emphasis ours):

For the next few hours we should vote on. We just finish a cloture vote to actually start 30 hours of debate, which in the past, we wouldn't have had 30 hours of debate for a district court nominee, especially a district court nominee like this. This would have been something that would have been done by consent.  We would have a vote on this individual rather than burning up 30 hours of time on debate on a single individual that just passed a cloture vote 79 to 18. . . . This is not a controversial nominee. 

Let me introduce you a little bit to Scott Palk.  He's been pending since June the 15th to get a vote on this floor because of the ongoing delays for each nominee as we go through the process. Why do I say Scott Palk is not a controversial nominee?  It is not just the fact that he just passed this cloture vote 79 to 18. Scott Palk, if you remember his name in this body, was also a nominee of President Obama for the Western [District] Court of Oklahoma. He's now a nominee from President Trump as a nominee for the Western District Court of Oklahoma. There may be five things total that President Obama and President Trump agree on. Scott Palk is one of those five. . . . 

No one understands why someone that President Obama nominated and President Trump nominated has to take up 30 hours of time on the floor on debate. -- When no one will really even debate him. And it's certain what the outcome will be.

This is not an election year where the Leahy “Rule” to obstruct nominees is potentially relevant.  This is the FIRST year of President Trump’s administration. 

Leader Mitch McConnell is putting his foot down against Senate Democrat Obstruction:

Despite Democrats making the #Senate waste time on procedural cloture votes for @POTUS' judicial nominees, we will confirm them.

— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) October 26, 2017

The nominees that McConnell has called for a vote next week include Allison Eid for the 10th Circuit, Stephanos Bibas for the 3rd Circuit, Joan Larsen for the 6th Circuit, and Amy Coney Barrett for the 7th Circuit. 

Leader McConnell’s complete remarks are here.  Thank you Senator Lankford, Leader McConnell, and Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley for standing up to Democrat obstruction.