Changing Senate filibuster rules to allow the "nuclear option, a procedure passed Thursday by Democrats, is shortsighted with long-term consequences, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer claimed Friday.
"For them, this is a short-term gain, and it's a huge long-term risk," Krauthammer told "Fox & Friends."
"The Democrats are right now in a kind of a swoon. They're likely to lose the Senate next year. I think they're also likely to lose the White House in 2016. If the Republicans have control of the White House and the Congress, they will be able to push through their nominees," he added.
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Senate Democrats passed the measure allowing a simple majority to approve executive branch and lower-court nominees. Krauthammer said Democrats would regret the decision when they are in the minority and a Supreme Court nominee comes before the Senate for confirmation.
"The Democrats will rue the day," he said. "(Iowa Republican Sen.) Charles Grassley said yesterday in the debate . . . 'When we get into power, we're going to include Supreme Court nominees.'
"And, that will allow the Republicans to put in a conservative with great ease, and no support from Democrats," he said.
Krauthammer maintained Democrats are looking for any way to distract from the problems of Obamacare.
"They're desperate. They're in such trouble with Obamacare. And, it is a rolling story they can't escape, that it's really going to hurt them over the next year. They're looking for anything short-term . . . to distract . . . and . . . as a way to gain something, something on their agenda to satisfy the base," he said.
He predicted Democrats, not Republicans, would lead the charge to repeal or amend Obamacare.
"You've got 15 Democrats in the Senate who have to be re-elected, who are scared to death. And, the defections are going to begin. And I think the move to either repeal it or amend it, in ways that are completely going to undermine it, will come from Democrats," he said.
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