Posted on 05/23/2005 9:19:07 PM PDT by watsonfellow
Here's the Deal
By The Prowler
Published 5/24/2005 12:09:38 AM
"There is no way this agreement that breaks Democratic obstruction can be spun any way other than as a victory for Republicans and the Bush Administration," said a Republican Senate leadership aide late Monday night, regarding the agreement reached by 14 senators to avert a showdown vote on the so-called nuclear option that would have ended Democratic filibustering of Bush judicial nominees.
The parameters of the deal insure that six of eight obstructed Bush nominees to the federal judiciary will receive an up or down confirmation vote in the Senate. The three most opposed Bush nominees to the court, Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor, will not have their nominations blocked any longer; also, three other Bush nominees will eventually receive an up or down confirmation vote as well; the only two nominees who still may be filibustered are Michigan judge Henry Saad and William Myers.
Also as part of the compromise, the Democrat moderates promise to prevent any future filibuster of Bush appeals court and Supreme Court nominees. While Democrats were able to have their "exceptional circumstances" clause inserted in the deal, no one anticipates that such a situation will arise, assuming Democrats keep their promise. And it appears, that a number of promises were being tossed around the negotiation room on Monday afternoon.
Several Republican senators involved in negotiations swore that not only will the six Bush nominees be given an up or down vote, but that Democrats in the room were aware that Republicans involved in the negotiations had agreed to vote cloture on Myers as well, and that Democratic negotiators had agreed that such a move could take place, thus also allowing Myers an up or down vote in the Senate. "Assuming that our guys hold themselves to that promise," says another Republican staffer working on the Judiciary committee, "then we're looking at a clean sweep for confirmations."
That said, Republican Judiciary Committee staffers said it would have been difficult to clear Saad for confirmation, regardless of the Democrats' unethical behavior in his case. Democratic Judiciary Committee staff and Senate Democratic leadership coordinated an attack against Saad by providing and then sending Sen. Harry Reid a memo detailing uncorroborated raw interview notes from Saad's confidential FBI background check.
"Saad has served on the bench in Michigan, he has been a public figure for years, he has had close associations with several Senate and House members from the state of Michigan," says a Washington lobbyist who has met with Saad on occasion. "This is an honorable man whose nomination was badly damaged by Democrats. Any future nominee should be aware of what the Democrats will do to destroy a good conservative."
If there are any potential losers in this deal, it is the moderate Republicans who have put their reputations on the line with not only their Republican colleagues, but also conservative voters. "If Myers doesn't get a vote, if a reasonable Supreme Court nominee does not receive a vote, or has his or her nomination blocked, then those moderate Republicans should be held accountable by not only the caucus but their constituents," said the Republican Judiciary staffer.
HOW TRUE TO THEIR word Democrats will be may become apparent in about a month, when Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist is expected to announce his retirement. Already in Washington rumors are swirling that current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales may be under serious consideration for the empty slot left vacant after one of the sitting justices is elevated to fill Rehnquist's role.. "You look at what he hasn't done in his few months at Justice," says a former White House staffer, "and it makes you think he's really been looking ahead and trying to keep as clear from controversy as he can."
Gonzales has managed to sidestep taking a position on the Terri Schiavo legal battle, and beyond stating his basic support for the eight judicial nominees in limbo, he has avoided being embroiled in this current debate. As well, he has made very few public appearances where anything remotely controversial could have been uttered.
"Everything points to a Gonzales nomination," says a lobbyist aware of the White House thinking on prospective judicial nominees.
One school of thought related to the threat of a constitutional "nuclear" option was that it would ensure the Bush White House an easier time in putting forward a solid conservative as the president's first nomination to the Supreme Court. But Gonzales would be unacceptable to just about every conservative group in Washington and beyond.
"I don't know of any conservative who worked to reelect this president who would be satisfied with a Gonzales nomination," says a Senate Judiciary staffer. "This president was reelected because conservatives want to see a conservative on the Court. If the president has a second opportunity, then perhaps there is room for Gonzales. But only after the president fulfills his promise to voters."
Owens, Brown, and Pryor will be confirmed this week.
Let's see what happens to the others.
Even if the nuclear option had been pulled, the other nominations wouldn't have been voted on for weeks.
Let's hold our fire here and not act like crazy liberals.
I think this deal is better than we initially thought.
I think you're right.
I certainly hope you're right.
But I want to see the votes, and soon.
This is what the DUers are saying also. Sorry, but I say B.S.
IF dems really agreed not to filibuster in the future, they wouldn't have insisted on doing it now.
Exceptional circumstances will be anyone who is pro life, supports conservative views including the NRA, etc.
Those nominees deserved an up or down vote anyway. And no one believes the Democrats when they promise anything.
"...assuming Democrats keep their promise."
"...regardless of the Democrats' unethical behavior in his case."
Not to put too fine a point on it, but do ya'll need someone to draw a map for you? The entire premise that this works for us is based on the Democrats keeping their promise. The same writer who mentions that, mentions UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR.
It does seem logical to judge this so-called "deal" by the actual vote results, doesn't it?
I am with you not a penny more and all nominess from here on out should pass a litness test before they get an up or down vote for a republican Senate nomination.
Romans 5:3 -- We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they are good for us -- they help us learn to endure.
This sounds a lot better than some around here seem to think. By the way, where is old Hillary in all this? I thought she was trying to re-invent herself as a moderate? Not a very inspiring thing, to be completely sidestepped in the most dramatic Senate confrontation in years. It is on issues like this where you can see the real underlying liberal radicalism of Hillary Clinton, she would never agree to a deal like this.
ROFL. Sure they will!
Every two years the Republican Party begs for my money, my support and my vote. We have faithfully given each for decades but with this traitorous "deal" to end the filibuster they have "screwed the pooch". They will not get my money, my support OR my vote, until they act like men and vote and support the conservative values regarding illegal aliens, social security and the conservative judicial nominees, etc..., that my family and I believe in and the conservative promises on which they ran their campaigns.
Now that they have been reelected they have promptly forgotten the people and values that placed them into power. Well, I for one am no longer their pawn. Count me out, this country will get the kind of "leadership" it deserves; liberal, socialist/communist and corrupt. From now on, all I care about is my family and their well-being, the country can go to hell for all I care.
I have had it, I just sent the following to
Chairman@gop.com
May 23, 2005
Dear Sir,
My family and I have been faithful supporters and active members of the Republican Party here in New Hampshire for years. The last Democrat I voted for was Jimmy carter in the 70’s. Due to the extreme cowardice and near treasonous disregard for the Constitution of the United States shown by the Republican members of the Senate of the United States, who decided to cave in to unreasonable demands from the Democrat side of the aisle, I will cease to provide contributions to the Republican National Committee. Until this party remembers who voted for it and behaves in a manner consistent with what its base believes in, you will not receive so much as one penny from me again.
Please remove my name from all of your mailing list, and my telephone number from your calling lists.
Mr. & Mrs. XXXXX XXXXXXX
XX XXXXXX XXXX
XXXXXXXXX NH
How do you know they'll be confirmed?
Even The Prowler is assuming Dems "promises" mean something.
So now we have the Majority Leader's edited opinion, which is actually fairly positive. Will the media report it fairly? Can pigs fly?
While the agreement doesn't say that a filibuster won't occur for more than 3 of the 7, the statement here implies that there may be a side deal where the 7 Democrats will vote for cloture and let the votes fall where they may. But there may be some secret side deal where a number of the Pubbies will vote against a nominee in the up-or-down vote. What tangled webs the politicians weave.
Well said, and not to stir the pot or anything but... "ping"
Finally, someone gets it. You are right. I'd trade every one of these RINO traitors anytime. I want real control of the Senate, not feel-good control, which is really no control, as this silly compromise shows.
Does anyone think the "exceptional circumstances" clause will not be abused again and again by the Demorats?
This "deal" will work until a conservative is appointed to the USSC. Then this deal will be as used toilet paper.
NEVER trust a demonrat.
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