Courts

Before 2003 no judge nominated by a president had ever been filibustered in the senate. When Bush 43 became president, democrats were concerned that he would appoint too many conservatives. Democratic Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York said that the White House was "trying to create the most ideological bench in the history of the nation When the republicans took control of the senate the democrats for the first time in history used the filibuster to stop the appointment of Miguel Estrada and later nine other Bush appointees were filibustered. In 2013 after republicans had blocked three judge appointments the democrats changed rules allowing judges to be confirmed by a simple majority exempting Supreme Court judges. In 2017 after democrats filibustered the appointment of Neil Gorsuch the republicans changed the rules to allow approval of Supreme Court nominees. The next appointment by Trump will require only a simple majority for approval.