Posted on 11/28/2004 2:36:14 PM PST by NeoCaveman
Senate Republicans, boldly confident after their Nov. 2 electoral success, are preparing to end months of frustrating delays over President Bush's judicial picks by hitting Democrats with Republican's ultimate legislative weapon.
But the Republican threat to neuter long-cherished filibuster rules by steamrolling Democrats is risky — so potentially destructive that Capitol Hill calls it the "nuclear option." Democratic retaliation would be swift and long-lasting, raising the prospect of escalating clashes in a body that prides itself on gentility and cool judgment.
Even so, Republican leaders are signaling their intent to go nuclear in word and deed.
"We're going to use every tool we possibly can," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who also unveiled a kinder, gentler phrase for the potential rules change: the "constitutional option."
"Republicans are loaded for bear, spoiling for a confrontation with Senate Democrats on judicial appointments," said Norm Ornstein, an expert on Congress for the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. "For a lot of conservatives, this has really become an issue that leaves them passionate."
(Excerpt) Read more at timesargus.com ...
Jaun Williams is a DNC sock puppet. He doesn't exist from the waist down.
AMEN
It's about damn time!
Do unto the Dem liberals as they have done unto us-IN SPADES!!!!
Since 1994, the GOP has had so many opportunites to shine. But it hasn't done so yet. With so many RINO's, it's hard to say what can and/or will happen. As a life long resident of Kansas, which has not elected a RAT senator for nearly 60 years, it still elects RINO's. I hope the Senate and House Republicans seize the moment........it's long overdue.
Nor from the neck up.
Voted "Best Description of Juan Williams in 2004."
The Democrats killed that silly notion 15 years ago when they first unveiled the tactic now known as "Borking". The Democrats have since refined and further developed their "art of the smear" through the Clarence Thomas hearings ("a high-tech lynching"), and have now taken the unprecedented path of filibustering TEN lower-level court appointments.
I am delighted to see that the Republicans have finally realized that the Democrats went "nuclear" long, long ago.
Bull hockey. Why is it "going nuclear" for Republicans to work the rules to their own advantage, but not when the other party does so? The dems had already "gone nuclear" by using the filibuster against judicial nominees for the first time in history.
I'll believe it when I see it.
BTTT
Recess appointments are next to worthless.
I didn't know that, how come?
His head is full of sawdust and he has little googly eyes.
I'd keep the cork in, too, because I'll believe this show of spine from the Senate GOP when I see it. Not a moment before, since they don't exactly have a record of standing up for anything.
MM
Frankly, we've heard this foofoodust before--about 4 years ago.
And where are we now?
DO IT!
The nation will never have another chance to jerk the pendulum back to center. If not now, then lookout. The left will dismantle the country to get their way. Pubs better come out swinging.. We the voters have done what we could to clear the deck.. now it's time to get down to business.
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