Posted on 04/29/2005 5:20:56 AM PDT by JBW
Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate leader, calls Majority Leader Bill Frist's proposed compromise on judicial appointments a "big wet kiss to the far right".
Certainly this is one of the more uncomfortable non-sequiturs uttered in public in a long time. Does it suggest that that the Majority leader is "enamored" of the far right or that he is merely unhygienic. I can't tell.
In any event, is this any way for a Democratic Party leader to talk about the procedure of federal judicial appointments? Has the world's greatest deliberative body sunk this low?
The Majority Leader's proffered compromise was both sincere and meaningful. In exchange for agreeing not to filibuster appointments to the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals, the majority would agree to permit a full one hundred hours of debate on each nominee before a full vote.
Before 2003, the Senate had never filibustered a nominee to the Court of Appeals and had only filibustered a Supreme Court nominee once.
Frist's proposal would still permit the minority part to engage in precedent-breaking filibusters of district court nominees.
In response, Ralph Neas of People for the American Way proclaimed, "Sen. Frist is playing games with the Senate and the American people, and he should be ashamed of himself."
***
The filibuster has traditionally been a tool of last resort, used rarely and sparingly and it has been used to filibuster a judicial nominee only once. Senate Democrats are the ones who are violating Senate tradition with an unprecedented use of the filibuster.
This debate has gone far enough. Senate Republicans should insist on an up/down vote on all judicial appointments, through cloture when available or through a rules change if necessary.
(Excerpt) Read more at jonathanbwilson.com ...
Hairy A. Reid can give a big wet kiss to my butt.
No. You post your entire article, and maybe I would give your site a hit.
FM
I've contacted both my senators (both dems) and told them to stop being big fat babies and just vote, yeah or nay - but VOTE.
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