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THE SENATE'S COLD WAR over judicial nominations is at a crossroads. With a newly minted chamber taking office January 4, and a new minority leader already designated, the time seems ripe for a fresh start. The Republican majority wants an end to all active Democratic filibusters of appellate court nominees and the cession of such tactics in the future. Will the opposition comply?The answer hinges on two unknowns: first, what lessons Senate Democrats draw from the 2004 election; second, the tone set by their new leader, Nevada senator Harry Reid. Retiring senator Bob Graham has predicted "less willingness" among Democrats...

Dear Friends in New York, Wouldn't it be great to defeat Senator Schumer this year. I know it's a longshot but how many of you picked Birdstone to beat Smarty Jones at the Belmont and deprive him of the Triple Crown? Below is an important email from my friend Tom Mulligan about the Senate candidacy of Dr. Marilyn O'Grady http://voteogrady.com/ . Even if she doesn't win their are important reasons why a vote for Dr. O'Grady will advance the cause of life. I hope you will give Dr. Grady your support. Sincerely, Fr. Peter West The Senate race in New...

<p>Senate Democrats don't have the votes to filibuster the Medicare prescription-drug bill, and some of them are inclined to support the measure.</p> <p>"I would support a filibuster, but I don't know the numbers are there yet," Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said yesterday as he left the Senate Democrats weekly luncheon, where the Medicare bill was discussed. He is lobbying colleagues to filibuster or vote against the bill.</p>

Two Senate Republicans are considering filing a lawsuit aimed at putting an end to delaying tactics by Democrats trying to block President Bush's nominations to the federal bench. Freshman Sens. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Wednesday they have their staffs as well as outside experts looking at whether such a suit -- filed, in essence, against the Senate itself -- would be feasible. Their announcement comes in the midst of the debate over nominees Miguel Estrada, a Washington lawyer, and Priscilla Owen, a Texas Supreme Court justice. Democrats charge both are too conservative for...

This is purely a vanity post but I'm relying on the wise ones here at Free Republic to help me out. Next sememster I will have to write a paper on some "Special Problem" in history. This paper will rely very heavily on primary source documents. One of the issue I am considering for the paper is the history of judicial appointments in the last 40 years. So my question is this: Where can I find original source documents on the confirmation of judicial nominees in the Senate since 1964? Is there an online resource for this information? I live...

<p>WASHINGTON — House Democrats have declared war on the Republican leadership, vowing to gum up the legislative process in retaliation for what they say is systematic and unfair treatment by the majority.</p> <p>“Our bag of tricks is somewhat small, but we will continue to use it,” said Stacey Farnen, spokeswoman for House Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (search), D-Md. “There are some more dramatic ways we can express ourselves.”</p>

I have the misfortune, and opportunity, to have Harry Reid as one of my senators. Misfortune because he truly DOES NOT represent me more than 2% of the time. Opportunity, because he maintains an office only a few miles away. This morning I learned that he is allowing the liberal ***'****'s of his party to "filibuster" yet another of Pres. Bush's judicail nominees. This time they are out to block the confirmation of Bill Pryor. My respnse was to call Harry Reid's office and tell them that if the "filibuster" blocking Bush's appointments is still in place on the fourth...

I've never been an "orginizer" and I'm not one now. But I had an idea which I want to throw out and perhaps one of the highly motivated orginizers behind a hundred other FReep campaigns can run with it. I, like many of you, am beyond disgusted at the ongoing fillibuster of Miguel Estrada. There seems to be, on the whole, little public protest or awareness of the situation so the Democrats feel little public pressure to knock it off. Here is what I propose: that right thinking Americans keep at least one phone line in every Senators home office...

Perhaps they are just isolated incidents. But if the aren't, Democrats ought to seriously consider the long-term damage they may be doing to our political system with their ends-justify-the-means mentality. I'm talking about Democrats in the U.S. Senate using a parliamentary device to block confirmation of federal judges who have the number of votes needed for confirmation, and the laughable -- if it weren't so serious -- decision by Texas House members to flee the state to stop the Legislature from doing its business.

Orin Hatch stated tonight that by the end of the week, the Democrats will be forced to a standard 24/7 fillibuster.

Washington - Wisconsin Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold defended the decision by Democrats to delay a quick vote on the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the federal bench, saying Tuesday that Estrada's failure to answer repeated questions about his philosophy undermined the Senate's advise and consent role. "To thumb his nose and say, 'Look, I won't tell you anything about me, what my judicial philosophy is, but I want your vote,' seems to me and to us unfair," Kohl said. Kohl said Senate Democrats were "sending a message" to the White House that while the GOP controls the executive...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of a prominent abortion rights organization on Thursday predicted a Senate filibuster if President Bush seeks to fill a future Supreme Court vacancy with a nominee who does not clearly support the court's 1973 ruling on the issue. "The burden of proof is on any nominee," said Kate Michelman, the head of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "It's the burden of that nominee to address constitutional freedoms and whether they indeed believe the court was right in recognizing a woman's right to choose." "I fully expect that pro-choice senators will conduct a filibuster against any Supreme Court...