Posted on 11/05/2004 10:22:33 PM PST by MplsSteve
Friday, November 5, 2004
Posted at 10:30 PM, EST
After a late-night flight from the west coast, and a day spent interviewing would-be law professors, I have had a chance to catch up on the news, and I see that there is a blog swarm forming around the expected assumption of the chairmanship of the Senate's Committee on the Judiciary by Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter. The opposition to Specter seems headquartered at The Corner. Many friends post at The Corner, so I paused, considered their arguments, and thought it through. On reflection, it seems to me a very bad idea to try and topple Senator Specter from what in the ordinary course of events would be his Chairmanship. I hope my colleagues on the center-right that embrace pro-life politics will reconsider.
I understand that Senator Specter voted against Robert Bork, and that Senator Specter is not a friend of the pro-life movement. But genuine progress in the fight to return American public opinion to an affirmation of life before birth cannot be made through strong-armed tactics and almost certainly will not be lasting if it is accomplished through a putsch. Institutions that are destabilized for expediency's sake do not regain stability after a convenient alteration. That was the lesson of the Roman Revolution, where a series of departures from settled precedent in the name of urgent expediency eventually brought down the entire structure. For the past four years Republicans have complained bitterly of Democratic obstructionism that upended the traditions of the Senate. Should the GOP begin its new period of dominance with a convenient abandonment of the very rules they have charged Dems with violating repeatedly?
In 1986 the Democrats won control of the Senate from the Republicans with a margin of 55 Democrats and 45 Republicans. The Republicans now enjoy an even greater edge of 55 to 44 (Jeffords is an Independent). The Judiciary Committee of 1986 had 14 members. I cannot find the exact breakdown, but the allocation of seats was at least 8 to 6 for the Democrats, and may have been 9 to 5. Regardless of the exact split, the GOP in 2005, with a Judiciary Committee of 19 members ought to enjoy at least an 11 to 8 majority, and possibly a 12 to 7 split. The Chairmanship will have great power, of course, but what matters far more than the name of the Chair is resolve in insisting that the GOP majority be reflected in the Committee make-up, and that Senator Frist appoint serious pro-life members to the new vacancies.
What also matters is a transparent debate and vote on the rules governing the nominations by the president to the courts. A great deal of extra-constitutional nonsense has grown up in the traditions of the Senate. The GOP majority ought to insist on a rule that assures that every nominee that gains a majority vote of the Judiciary Committee be brought to the floor. This is a long overdue reform of reactionary practices such as "blue slip" holds and filibusters of judicial nominees. Conservatives are not demanding the right reforms when they aim at Senator Specter. They should be insisting on a rebalancing of the processes employed by the Senate according to constitutional norms.
Senator Specter has supported every judicial nominee sent forward by President Bush. More important than that, he won first the primary and then the general election in Pennsylvania, and is a man of the party and the party needs to welcome its members who hold minority views, not punish them. The prospect that Senator Specter might oppose a Bush nominee is not a happy one, but neither is it inevitable nor, given the appropriate committee make-up, fatal to the nominee's prospects. Conservatives ought to be focused on demanding the right allocation of seats and the right names for the new members, not on their fears about Senator Specter's reliability. Recall that Specter did a fine job defending Justice Thomas. Given Senator Specter's reputation for moderation, his support of future Bush nominees could prove hugely valuable.
So, fellow pro-life conservatives, we should keep our focus on the key issues: The split of the seats, the names of the new members, and reform of the rules governing judicial nominees.
but it cannot be. I guess Snowe, Chafee, Collins and Lugar should join Specter because of their SENIORITY.
Sheesh.
If Trent Lott could get demoted then anyone else can...this position is the most important chairmanship within the senate from a Conservatives point of view.
HE CANNOT HAVE IT.
BUMP! I even emailed Hugh, although whether he can read it while traveling is another question.
They did not see a 3-5 seat margin discussed in the article.
Thoughtful words that make the case for a strong total change of direction.
The Libs are under seige and have retreated all the way to the castle keep. Their last citadel which offers the only hope for survival of their policies is The Court. There can be no "selling" to the left of any nominee who will change the status quo on the Court. They are at their Atlantic wall in 1944 and they know it. They will not compromise, they will not surrender. They cannot, their very existence is at stake.
We have fought and won an election that surpasses in importance any American election since 1864 (and perhaps since 1860 and certainly since 1980) animiated by the certain knowledge that the soul of our culture and our democracy were threatened domestically by enemies within who are more subtle and more dangerous in their own way than international terrorists who would kill our bodies as well as our soul. The principle fruit of that victory is the right to nominate Justices who will put stop to the Court's political manipulations. We also have the naked political power to assure confirmation up to but not including a filibuster. The fillibuster is Omaha Beach. Here is where the Libs' Atlantic Wall must finally be breeched.
Those of us old enough to remember the Bork and Thomas hearings know how this will be played out. Television will rivet the entire nation. The pundits will distort the issues to favor the left. The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee must be able to lead the assualt on the very existence of the Left.
Senator Specter has regretably revealed himself in his latest remarks to be uncommitted to the battle. Are we to sustain another halocaust against the unborn because we suffered the wrong man to sell out the victory so dearly won at the ballot box? How many more partial birth abortions must we condone?
The Libs are not without allies in the defense of their last redoubt. The whole of the Mainstream Media know that their ability to shape our culture at the ballot box is gone for a season. The whole of the Academic Legal establishment know that their very respectability and power are at stake. The cultural secularists know that their ability to drive God from the schoolhouse, the courthouse and the town commons will be crippled. The homosexual agenda will be derailed, and they know it. Feminists fear that rationality will finally be brought to bear on laws affecting gender relations. They fear the family might be saved in takt. In short, every desciple of The Frankfurt School knows that everything they have agitatied for leading to the undermining of the American experiment in representative, republican government will be frustrated for at least a generation. All of these institutions and many more will rush to the defense of the filibuster and no restraint in the name of decency can be expected from them. Such fastidiousness such as respect for the traditions of the Senate will encumber only Conservatives in this fight to the death.
We need a Paladin but Specter is not our man.
marker
Great stuff!
Thank you, I appreciate it.
I used to like Hugh. Now I think he's a member of the world's oldest profession and his john is the RNC.
Spectre will pass EVERY nominee bush sends him out of committee to a floor vote. EVERY one.
The problem will be breaking the fillibusters.
Arlen could have done himself a favor and kept his mouth shut earlier this week.
He has been corrected...
will say he is pro choice...
and send straight constructionist nominees, right to the floor for a vote.
IF he does not THEN we deal with his mutiny in a fifteen minute up or down realignment. It will be done, and he knows this.
I think hewitt may be onto something. Heaven knows our calls have been heeded at the highest levels on this.
We need to backroom the details on how this new balance of power will work... not good to fight in front of the dems.
If country-club Republicans believe they can win in 2006 or 2008 or beyond without the social conservatives
Hugh speaks the truth.
To come across as thugs at a time like this historic time would be a mistake. Let the dims be seen as the thugs.
..and then apologized for it.
Dan
So he loses Judiciary and gets something lesser. If he isn't an ass.. we don't revisit him for 6 years. Otherwise, more pain at sometime in the future. It just has to be. We don't want another Jeffords. But Specter knows better than play that game. Thats just worse.. if you want power in a 55 Rep senate.
I have read over and over that we have hit the High watermark for expanding the Republican base espousing values like truth, patriotism, moral values, mom and apple pie.. but I think this is dead wrong and now is the time.. to put a fire to all of the lies told about Reps this last few by saying what we will do and doing what we say.
Hugh Hewitt is talking the Henry Kissinger "real politic" of tolerating tin pot dictators because they are "our" dictators. This just created the situation we have in the world now were we have to prove that we are not the masters of the evil dictators that oppressed people by the Billion.
I believe that the Latino, Black and Multitude of Pacific Rim communities could all yield at least 50% toward the Red when they come to believe that the Reps are who represent their hearts and aspirations. This can be done without pealing off the current base because these folks are going to be attracted by the same spirit that brought out the Amish and Evangelicals and Veterans and Moms and Dads and Patriots.. all together.. It was a mix not just the passion of any one faith but the passion of people who believe in a vision of America as a force for good in the world and in our own lives.
In a recent story which I can't find even though I read it here .. because the search tools on Free Republic yack.. the reporter (who is a Black American) talks about listening to the cleaning people talking in Kerry's campaign headquarters.. and recognizes that they share more values with Bush.. not Kerry.. this is passed over.. but it is there. They heart of Catholic and Black America is crying out to be taken seriously. And GWB's vision of education that works is part of the strategy of seeing 50% of the Black vote turn red. But its the values thing.. that turns the trick for the Latinos and the Black community. They have paid the price for the insane experiments of the 60's and 70's dreamed up my elite liberals based on now discredited socialist dogma.. its time for us to move on.
In the spirit of "Lead, Follow or get the Heck out of the way" Specter has put himself in the "get out of the way camp" he can join follow or lead if he likes, but not until after he has paid a bit of a price.
Specter
Posted by guitarist
On News/Activism 11/05/2004 7:41:13 PM PST · 80 replies · 1,183+ views
HughHewitt.com ^ | 11/5/04 | Hugh HewittHugh Hewitt's Take on Arlen Specter
Posted by MplsSteve
On News/Activism 11/05/2004 10:22:33 PM PST · 54 replies · 904+ views
Hugh Hewitt ^
I would bet Specter has gottent the message. Also, Hewitt is right. Specter is powerless if there is an 11-8 split on the Judiciary Committee, with new members conservatives. They can override him.
Right you are.
I don't think anyone should take a chance on MacSpector! There's too much for the nation to lose.
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