Just Do It
Posted on 01/31/2005 3:41:25 PM PST by RWR8189
During President Bush's first term, 10 of his judicial nominees were filibustered by Senate Democrats. This month, when the 109th Congress convened, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist finally declared war. Calling the filibusters an "unfortunate break with more than 200 years of Senate tradition," he made the Democrats an offer he hopes they can't refuse. "Right now," he said ominously, "we cannot be certain judicial filibusters will cease. So I reserve the right to propose changes to Senate Rule XXII and do not acquiesce to carrying over all the rules from the last Congress."
In other words, if Democrats don't play ball, Frist reserves the right to invoke the "nuclear option": a parliamentary ruling that eliminates judicial filibusters by fiat, without a vote of the Senate.
But the majority leader protests too much. Not only have filibusters been attempted against judicial nominees in the past, but Frist himself has even voted for one. In 2000, after Senate conservatives had held up Bill Clinton's nomination of Richard Paez to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit for four years, Frist joined in an unsuccessful attempt to filibuster Paez -- a judge who was favored by a clear majority of the Senate and who won confirmation after the filibuster was broken by a vote of 59 to 39.
Still, Frist has a point. Senate Democrats have relied on filibusters to block judicial nominees far more often than have minority parties in previous
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
FOR GOODNESS SAKE FRIST, JUST DO IT!! Use the nuclear option.. let's roll for Crissakes.
Filibusters as a primary tactic to stop the functioning of the government are unprecedented, period. What the Democrats are doing is called sedition, and this is highly punishable - especially in wartime - if only someone had the guts to punish it.
It would be wrong to invoke the nuclear option without first making the obstructionists stage a real-live filibuster. Backing down to the threat of a filibuster is silly.
Do you or do you not, Mr (Mz) Senator, believe in the constitution, as you swore to uphold it when you took office ?"
Sir? ....Hello ?? Ma'am? .... We're waiting for an answer....
The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.
Eggggggggggggggg Zacaly!!
Please go ahead and institute this rule. It would be an act of kindness to the put the Dums out of their misery.
Thank You
FrPR,
Perhaps you can enlighten me to those you name and why?? Just trying to learn something new... :)
I think that the Alien and Sedition acts expired in March. March of 1800 that is, when Jefferson was inaugurated.
"Calling the filibusters an "unfortunate break with more than 200 years of Senate tradition," "
The list is long - as to the number of 'firsts' that democrats have pulled over the past 12+ years.
They leave 'decorum' to the republicans while they bulldog their agenda through time and time again.
Establish an offense - just do it!
Geez, like he talking to a bunch of kids. "I'll count to three and then..."
He's been threatening "Nuclear Option" for 3 years. Either use it or lose it, Frist.
Just Do It
Double Down..
May I say this without getting this post pulled????
Scaaaaaaarooooooooo the meeeee-dia.. :)
LOVE the CHECK!! Just DO IT!
Hopefully there will be some nominees that Sen. Frist can bring to the floor to find out how the democrats are going to react this session....
Tomorrow after morning business the nomination of Alberto Gonzales will be brought to the floor to begin debate on his confirmation to be Attorney General... It will be interesting to see how many hours they will agree upon for debate.
You know......if I see one more powdered wig foxtrot on the floor of the Senate I'm going to puke. We don't have 4 years to get things done; we have little more than 2. Let's rumble.
Filibusters should be totally eliminated. Whoever came up with this moronic concept that somehow the minority should be able to tie the majority in knots whenever they so please should be vilified. The senate is truly a tyranny of the minority.
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