CT & IG:
I'll have you know, that these posts of yours regarding "Rule 21" and other such delaying tactics are very disturbing to me.
(I also recommend CTs post in a different thread that approaches this in a somewhat different way:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1513922/posts?page=55#55
and I'll also mention my own post#66 that thread ...)
I was pretty fat, dumb, and happy in my very simple knowledge that the Senate Demodogs had some pretty impressive parliamentary options to slow or shut down the Senate. Now that you've gone done and educated me more specifically about that weaponry, I'm more disturbed, and yea - even depressed, about this situation than I've ever been in the past.
Thanks, FRiends ...
Really - thanks - - - even though my sleep quotent is likely to suffer.
I wrote many times last week I hope we don't regret what we did to Miers - for exactly this type of reason. Too many conservatives really overestimate their strength in this country, and especially with the Senate.
I'm so glad about Alito's nomination, but anyone who is giddy about the situation now, and who is taking odds that he will be easily confirmed, instead of being really fearful don't have the least concept of what is going on. I don't care if they are some of the most level-headed posters on FR, or what national radio show or column they have - this is a very tenuous situation.
We'll have a better idea after the Gang of 14 meets and word trickles out as to whether they will allow a filibuster or not, but this situation is very close, and even without a filibuster, it is very early to predict how the voting is going to go.
I'm on pins and needles now, and NOT looking forward to the fight the way so many other conservatives are.
Both parties had conservatives. Both parties had liberals and eveyone tried to get along.
The realignment of parties has put all liberals in the Democratic Party and mostly conservatives in the Republican party. Some liberal Republicans have not departed as yet.. But they will soon enough.
The senate has gone from an exculsive club to a place where all must carry a club for self defense. That is a massive change.
What I did last spring was download the Senate rules and read them. My object was to think of as many ways for Democrats to block court nominees and the Presidents agenda as I could. One of the first ways that occured to me was hijacking the Senate with Rule 21. I feared it could be used to effect a new brand of filibuster.
I tried to think of a way to stop or prevent it. I as not as good at that part of the game. I tend to be a lot better at offense than defense.
What struck me about the rules is they are very much like the rules of an exclusive Gentlemens club where all gentlemen are of the PROPER CLASS... They appear to me to assume that all members will behave like gentlemen..
Ried ain't no gentleman. The days of gentlemen and gentelwoman senators are gone.
Perhaps I am wrong. When Ried pulled the stunt yesterday my first thought was Ried was doing a dress rehearsal of occured to me last spring. But perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps yesterday was just a stunt as Frist said.
I hope I am wrong. I often am.