What you should know about the filibuster debate

I've been quietly observing the showdown in the Senate, and felt a little spent during my spurt of filibuster entries, but this list of filibuster myths from Media Matters is too important not to spread:

1. Democrats' filibuster of Bush nominees is "unprecedented"
2. Bush's filibustered nominees have all been rated well-qualified by the ABA; blocking such highly rated nominees is unprecedented
3. Democratic obstructionism has led to far more judicial vacancies during Republican administrations than Democratic administrations
4. "Nuclear Option" is a Democratic term
5. Democrats oppose Bush nominees because of their faith, race, ethnicity, gender, stance on abortion, stance on parental notification ...
6. Public opinion polling shows clear opposition to judicial filibusters, support for "nuclear option"
7. Filibustering judicial nominees is unconstitutional
8. Clinton's appellate confirmation rate was far better than Bush's rate
9. Sen. Byrd's alterations to filibuster rules set precedent for "nuclear option"
10. Democrats have opposed "all" or "most" of Bush's judicial nominees

The article goes indepth against what I feel is the habit of perpetuating and glossing over mistruths that has been the bread and butter GOP politics lately (Iraq, Medicare, Social Security, War on Terror...)