GOP Plans Marathon Senate Session

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,102534,00.html ^

[submarinerswife]

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.

Republican leaders have told the minority that they will not be permitted any time to speak during the session. But now that Democrats are well aware of the 30-hour plan, the likelihood that none would be present during the session is very small.

"We are going to set up our action room just off the Senate floor as we have done on other good debates such as this. We'll have a presence on the floor for the full 30 hours," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

Calling the Republican effort a "carnival," Daschle also complained about the timing of the debate.

"This is a critical envelope of time, you've got two weeks that we were told the Senate would make its best effort to finish all its work and you know there are a lot of other bills out there. It's a misuse of time," Daschle said.

Republicans say they are taking the time because Democratic efforts to undermine the president's nominees are "unprecedented" and intolerable.

"It can't be tolerated. It won't be tolerated. The goal is to break these partisan filibusters," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

Filibusters, made famous in the film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," are rarely employed.

[submarinerswife]

Am I alone in thinking that the Republicans are a day short on this one? This entire fiasco should have been squashed with the Pickering nomination 2 years ago. If the Libs what a fillibuster then give them one A REAL ONE!

[DoctorMichael]

These guys need their beauty rest, don'tcha know. Can't have messed, uncoiffured hair or a rumpled tie for the media can we.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.

[agitator]

ping

[Snuffington]

About time.

[jaime1959]

About f-ing time!

[Scannall]

Better late than never. By the time the election cycle is in full swing our guys can use these nominees as a really big club. Show America who the party of racists really is.

Dan

[avital2]

aren't we supposed to make the Dems stay up all night, day and night? EEK! Repubs just aren't good at going for the jugular.

[Vigilanteman]

The longest and perhaps most memorable filibuster was conducted in 1957 by the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (search), R-S.C.

It needs to be pointed out the Sen. Thurmond was a Democrat at the time. He didn't make the switch until seven years later.

[WorkingClassFilth]

You're not alone.

[TatieBug]

Hopefully this will keep the issue front and center along with the leaked Memo from the "intelligence" committee. Can be used as a campaign issue if people actually "know" it's happening. So far, most Americans don't even know Bush's judges have been blocked...they will now!

[I still care]

Politically, this may be a very good time for this. The American public (courtesy fox news) is finally starting to be aware, to some small extent, that the Democrats are attempting regal rule through the judiciary.

The pledge flap is going to hit soon. Also partial birth abortion - people are against it strongly, and it is being rammed down our throat by liberal judges. I heard Napolitano talking about this just yesterday.

The pubbies need to educate the public that they can vote for anything they want, but if they judges keep reading any meaning they want into the constitution, they can change any law they want.

We need to teach the electorate that judges need to stick to the Constitution, no matter what their preference.

[PISANO]

Another LAME attempt by the GOP to counter the filabuster of GW's judicial nominees. I will BET anything and everything I have that when the day comes and the situation is "REVERSED" the gimmies will NOT stand for the obstruction and end it with the so called, "nuclear option", with NO HESITATION whatsoever. The GOP is clueless on how to be a majority. They worry more about what the NY TIMES and the WASHINGTON POST says about them then they do in getting the job done.

[mikeb704]

Too much talk and not enough action

[demkicker]

Well said!

[meenie]

Thirty hours of debate divided between 51 senators equals 35 minutes apiece. A supreme sacrifice on their part, NOT. These pantywaists need to hold a real filibuster.

[DustyMoment]

I have to go along with the majority, here. All I think that will occur from all of this is that the Senate will stay in session longer to accomplish the same nothing that they accomplish during the regular session.

The 'Pubbies have got to get those stiff spine implants and start taking the same hard line against the Dems that the Dems have taken in the past to railroad the 'Pubbies. Being the good guys in the white hats and always turning the other cheek is wearing a bit thin these days. If they are the majority party, they need to act like and stop letting the Dems run the show.

And MAKE THE SORRY BAS****S ACTUALLY HOLD A REAL FILIBUSTER show the 'Pubbies can point them out to the minorities that Dems claim to represent!!! This is just STOOPID!

[Timm]

No, you're not alone. It's about time the G.O.P. got serious here. (No coincidence it's on the heels of good economic news, either.)

[NYC GOP Chick]

These pantywaists need to hold a real filibuster.

Maybe I've got it all wrong, but I thought that the ones who are supposed to be forced into holding a *real* filibuster are the 'rats -- they're the ones preventing the judges from getting an up or down vote on the floor.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Make Chappaquidick Ted stand up there all night reading from the Bahston phone book, until he gets the shakes and has to leave to have a drink. Then, for the next judge, make Sheets Byrd stand up there and read lame-ass poems about his dog, Billy, while he shakes, rattles and rolls throughout the night.

For the next night, make the socialist bitch in the crusty pantsuit stand there and hector us about something or other, until she has to go to drink more blood, thereby allowing a vote on yet another judge. And so on and so on, until every judge gets a fair vote.

[ntnychik]

Do you think this will get more mainstream press coverage than the Intelligence Committee Memo? If it is covered at all, the story will be Republicans shut down government: starve children and elderly.