GOP Plans Marathon Senate Session

Fox News ^ | November 07, 2003 | Peter Brownfeld

[eeman]

WASHINGTON — Weary of Senate Democrats' continued efforts to block President Bush's judicial nominees, Republicans have planned a 30-hour, all-night session Wednesday to force a marathon debate about Democratic stalling tactics that have left several nominations in limbo.

The talkathon, supported by the entire 51-member GOP caucus, would freeze the business of the Senate, preventing further work on the nine unfinished fiscal year 2004 spending bills, a comprehensive energy measure and Medicare legislation. It also endangers the target recess date of Nov. 21.

"The objective is to get an up or a down vote. These nominees deserve their day in court," said Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., architect of the GOP strategy.

"We want to let the American people know how pitiful this process has become," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

GOP senators are enraged that Democrats have blocked four Bush judicial nominees by threatening a tactical procedure known as a filibuster. Two other nominees — California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown and California State Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl — have not yet been blocked by Democrats, but Democrats say they would try to prevent confirmation votes on the two.

A filibuster is any attempt to block or delay a Senate action by debating it at length, offering procedural motions or employing any other delaying or obstructive tactic. Democrats have not actually filibustered any judicial nominees, but the threat to do so has prevented votes from taking place.

Republicans plan to debate throughout Wednesday night and possibly Thursday, and if a window opens in which all 51 GOP senators are present but no Democrat is available to object to a unanimous consent motion, Brown, Kuhl and Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen could be confirmed.

"One of the reasons you do it at night is you may have a situation where someone doesn’t drink enough coffee and you have the opportunity to put a vote and if we have that opportunity, we're going to take it," Santorum said.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Senate Republicans are ready for the marathon. They have already prepared to have cots and food present. GOP senators even joked about making it more comfortable for lawmakers to sleep by dividing up the room between members who snore and those who don't.

[eeman]

I cannot believe I am the first to post this but I did search it. I don't know what to think of this. All the Rats have to do is hold out for 30 hours and then it is over. Therefore, I do not know how effective it will be. I think the GOP is throwing a bone to conservatives in order to inspire them to take out their wallets before the 2004 election cycle

[Consort]

Here

[SwinneySwitch]

HALLELUJAH!

[metalboy]

The jackass party...If it`s republican nominee the jackass party will oppose it, it doesn`t matter how much integrity (like that ever mattered to the jackass party), how much smarts a nominee has. Over and over and over and over. Hee Haw it`s a republican! no no no! Here these idiots are screaming over Schwarzenegger for that reason alone while the guy is basically one of them. If republicans want to get anything done for this country, want to get good judges on the bench instead of psycho radicals, maybe they should start exposing the jackass party for what it is; a group whose only intention is to gain power while putting the interests of the people second at all costs. Why-is-that-so-hard-to-do? The jackass party does not represent the people. PERIOD. Enough said! Let the ads begin! The evidence is overwhelming!

[bjcintennessee]

Thank you for posting this. Articles come and go so fast on FReepers that unless you live here, it's easy to miss a lot.

Looks like the DemoncRATS' treasonous memo may have awakened our naive Republican politicians to finally go for the jugular.

[eeman]

Your welcome and thank you in return. I disagree though that the GOP is going for the jugular. I think this is just another stunt as I alluded to in my first comment....but then again, I am extremely cynical

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

Yesterday's thread was a different article and source so no duplicate.

I agree this is completely half-hearted and probably worthless.
Now if Senator Dirksen were still serving from Illinois (he'd be REAL old). (Sorry! it's late)
Someone like him could do a filibuster the right way. Sad to say, but the GOP doesn't appear have the guts to rock the boat.
A lot rides on how the media covers it. Why do I have a queasy feeling about that?

[nathanbedford]

Even if the public pays little attention, that may not condemn the GOP strategy, said Douglas Koopman, professor of political science at Calvin College (search).

"I think in the long term, actually, it's really not a bad strategy. There's no chance for victory in the short term, but the more instances the Republicans can display the Democrats as obstructionists, over time it will erode the Democratic Party electorally," Koopman said, adding that the strategy's success will not be clear until Election Day 2004.

Oh, how much more effective this strategy could have been if it had been employed on behalf of the Hispanic (Estrada) rather than on behalf of the Black (Brown)!

This is because the Hispanic vote is and will be the swing vote for perhaps a generation. It is a vote where republicans have at least of chance of untipping the balance. Without a significant majority share of the Hispanic vote the Democrats cannot prevail nationally. A realistic threat by the GOP to capture 30 to 40% of this block might even force the Democrats to abandon their filibuster. We have absolutely no leverage against the Democrats with Afro - Americans, their plantation mentality has only hardened, so we cannot hope to break the filibuster or pick up points for the election.

Can you imagine the real power of this threat if the attempt to break the filibuster had combined with an extensive radio campaign on behalf of Estrada in Spanish on Spanish radio stations? The GOP has the money for this, and to spare. Dick Morris pre- won the '96 election for Slick before the Republicans even knew he was on the air in fly-over country. That is why Slick sold the Lincoln bedroom and our secrets to china, to fund these ads on radio. Slick understood the dynamics of framing the issue on your own terms while the opposition sleeps. If the Dems wanted to dispute their position on Estrada let them fight the election in the Hispanic community on our terms, where we have the right and the money. Instead, the feckless Senate Republicans fight the war at the wrong time when it will pass largely unnoticed, on behalf of the wrong nominee, who is doomed to fail and all without hope of real collateral election gains.

One can only wonder if this cynical show is purely a slab of red meat for the base.

What an opportunity lost!

[Let's Roll]

I did hear that a goal - perhaps the major one - was to publicize the dim obstructionism. This will get a lot of play bringing it to the attention of the majority of Americans who don't follow politics the way we do.

They should do it again next fall, right before the elections.

[WhiteGuy]

Lip service...............

The majority party can bring the entire government to a screeching halt if they wish to.

Business as usual after the 30 hour publicity stunt.

[Let's Roll]

I did hear that a goal - perhaps the major one - was to publiciZe the dim obstructionism. This will get a lot of play bringing it to the attention of the majority of Americans who don't follow politics the way we do.

They should do it again next fall, right before the elections.

[eeman]

The only benefit I see from this is: that it hopefully delays the Senate agenda long enough that they can't present a medicare drug bill to the president

[EternalVigilance]

Perhaps. But what a fine time to apply maximum fire under the butts of the entire Senate, eh?

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

Before I go nuts searching - your tagline - Horace Mann?

[Dogbert41]

They are going to have to do one hell of a lot more than this token crap to win back my vote and membership.

[EternalVigilance]

Actually, there may be more going on here than has yet met your eye.

Don't dimiss the possibilities that are open to us over the course of this week out of hand.

[zeugma]

Business as usual after the 30 hour publicity stunt.

[eeman]

My sentiments exactly. I can just hear the next fundraising phone call I get..."Our party is working very hard in the senate to get those Judicial nominees. However, we need to get that 60 vote majority in 2004. So, if you just give us 10,000 dollars...."

[EternalVigilance]

If y'all let your quite understandable cynicism rule the day, we will get nothing out of this opportunity but more defeat.

Be thankful they are finally DOING something, and get in and help push.

[EternalVigilance]

Who knows, maybe if they get a taste of blood, they'll learn to like it....