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 ...
Same threat from June, 2003.
When Frist finally DOES something besides whine and threaten, maybe he will be deserving of respect. Until Frist finally DOES something, this is just more empty threat served with more whine and cheese.
Well in 2000 there were 50 Republican Senators with 5 RINO's for a net 45.
In 2002 there were 51 Republican Senators with 5 RINO's for a net 46.
Now there are 55 Republican Senators with 5 RINO's and the head RINO has been castrated.
So now there is cause for some optomism.
True. But the Senate math looks a lot better than it does 2 years ago.
As 55 R's is better than 51.
Unless a senator from the state of the chosen candidate approves, the candidate does not advance. That too must go.
Harry Reid just had a hold on many appointees, but released his hold only when his guy got appointed to the EPA so that the Nuclear Waste issue in Yucca Mt. would have an opponent.
Blackmail, the democrat way. So, it doesn't matter if your party loses, so long as appointments must have home-state senate approval.
'bout time would be the best comment.
Recess appointments expire at the end of any Congressional session. So any such appointments may be useful in the short term, but they are certainly no substitute for the normal lifetime appointments that come as the result of Senate confirmation.
Regards,
LH
how?
Why would he say that? Obviously, if that was the case, then no "nuclear option" would exist at all and there wouldn't even be any discussion. Fortunately, it only takes 51 votes to change the rule.
Frist or one of his aides must have been reading up on this in the forum.
The phrase "nuclear option" is stupid PR. The Republicans who first used it handed a valuable propaganda tool to the enemy. Stupid. We should simply say, as Frist is saying, that the Republicans are following the constitution and that the Democrats are violating it by not letting judicial appointments come to a vote in the Senate.
It's not a euphemism, it's the truth.
Big Dick screwing the RAT senators would be too delicious....I hope it happens before Rather retires so he has to report it. Doubly delicious...
He did it with Pickering, and Pickering's term is already just about over.
Mitch McConnell said it takes 67 votes to change a rule on Cal Thomas last night.
And they don't understand the difference between a rule and the Constitution.
Actually I found on their site that they do know the difference. From a post over there:
His head may be partially filled with sawdust, but I am almost certain that the sawdust was first used on the floors of animal exibits at some state fair.
Not when 4 are RINOs. Snowe, Chaffee, McCain, Spector, who now control judiciary.
What body would that be?
Certainly not the US Senate.
Not with the likes of soon-to-be-ex Sen "Lil" Tommy Dashole blocking anything and everything. Not with the 'Rats screaming about changing the rules on committee memebership ratios.
They need to give the 'Rats ONE chance on the first nomination.
Then slice 'em and dice 'em.
LVM
My sentiments exactly. I won't believe it until they do it.
Hmmmm. You seem to have forgotten RINOs Collins, DeWine, and Voinovich...and I may have forgotten a couple, too.
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