Immediate Action Needed to End Filibusters of President Bush's Judicial Nominees! Alert Senators

National Right to Life ^ | 04.05.05

[Coleus]

Immediate Action Needed to End Filibusters of President Bush's Judicial Nominees!
Urge your senators to support majority rule on confirmations

WASHINGTON (April 5, 2005) – Senate Republican leaders may take bold action in April or May to put an end to Democratic filibusters of President Bush's nominees to federal courts – but a coalition of liberal and pro-abortion pressure groups has launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign in an attempt to block the reform. The outcome is in doubt.

 

The issue boils down to whether a judicial nominee should be able to achieve confirmation if he or she enjoys the support of a simple majority of the Senate –- which is the position supported by pro-life Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tn.) and most Republican senators –- or whether a nominee should be forced to surmount a 60-vote hurdle, which is the position currently backed by Democratic senators.

"The outcome of this fight will depend on whether at least 49 other Republican senators support Senator Frist on declaring filibusters of judicial nominees out of order," said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. "This may very well determine the fate of President Bush's nominations to future vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the future makeup of the powerful federal appeals courts."

Under Senate rules, such a "precedent" is ratified if a simple majority votes to support it. Because it is unlikely that any Democratic senator will back the reform, it can only succeed if it is supported by at least 50 of the 55 Republican senators (with Vice President Cheney voting to break any tie).

"The issue will be decided by the handful of Republican senators who currently are leaning against the majority rule reform, or who are undecided," Johnson explained.

The proposed reform is referred to by terms such as the "majority rule reform" or "the constitutional option" by those who support it, and as the "nuclear option" by its detractors. The news media, for the most part, have adopted the "nuclear" terminology.

The reform advocated by Frist would apply only to filibusters of judicial nominees, not filibusters on bills or amendments to bills.

For a detailed report on the approaching showdown on this issue, click here.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED:

It is vital that all U.S. senators hear this message from constituents: "I urge you to support putting an end to filibusters of nominees to federal judgeships. Filibusters of judicial nominees should be declared out of order. Each of the President's nominee's deserve a fair, up-or-down vote on confirmation. A judge should be confirmed if he or she has the support of a majority of senators."

This message should be conveyed by telephone, fax, and e-mail.

To send an appropriate e-mail message to any senator on this issue, enter your zip code into the "Take Action Now" box above.

The Washington offices of all senators can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. If you do not know the names of your two U.S. senators, the Capitol Switchboard operator will tell you.

Most senators' offices also publish fax numbers, which are provided
on the pages for individual senators, which can be reached by clicking here.

(U.S. mail can also be used, but the issue might be decided before all Senate offices count their U.S. mail. The U.S. mail address is Senator ________, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510.)

NOTE: Please help NRLC's lobbying efforts by sending a copy of any response received from a senator's office to the NRLC Federal Legislation Department at fax number 202-347-3668, e-mail Legfederal@aol.com, or NRLC Federal Legislation, 512-10th Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20004.

[fatima]

Here's a bump Coleus.

[GregB]

PO'ed at Frist bump!!!!

[Salvation]

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You can go directly here to email your Senators and/or Representatives:

U. S. Senate

[St. Johann Tetzel]

This was the primary goal of yesterday's "March For Justice" in Washington DC. I took my family, and we dropped off letters at Senator Santorum's and Senator Specter's offices (they were both out) urging them to help put a stop to this unconstitutional filibustering of Judicial nominees.

Specter's office even gave copies of the US Constitution to my three kids!

After going to Senator Santorum's office, we got off the elevator on the wrong floor, and had to go down a long hallway to exit the senate office building we were in.

We were walking along, and some woman came up behind our group real fast, and said, "Excuse us! Excuse us!"

I looked over my shoulder and saw 3 secret service agents, surrounding Hillary Clinton. Hillary passed by us just a few feet away. We whispered to the kids and told them who she was.

One of the FReepers with our group leaned over to me and said, "She really DOES have a big butt!" (or something quite appropriate like that.) We all followed her down the hall, it was a real laugh.

It was a beautiful day, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The kids met Jim Robinson and we had our picture taken with him. The kids saw the White House, the Capital, the Supreme Court, and the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson monuments while we were driving into and out of DC.

It was good to meet you, Jim. Thank you!

[ex-snook]

Now if the GOP could hold all Republicans and the number of DINOs [make that Democrats in Name only] would equal the number of RINOs, there would be no problem in judicial appointments.

[TomGuy]

Senate Republican leaders may take bold action in April or May

What decade? What year?

It has now been 784 days since the Dems successfully began the filibuster of Miquel Estrada and added some 19 other names to their list of the filibustered.

And the Senate Republican leaders have yet to take bold action in any April or May of 2003, of 2004, and so far, of 2005.

Frist is about as effective against the Dems as Carter was against the Ayatollah of Iran.

[bornacatholic]

Frist is about as effective against the Dems as Carter was against the Ayatollah of Iran.

Consider the possibility Frist really doesn't want an end to the Dems actions. The GOP well knows what its supporters/voters desire re this issue. What benefit could the GOP gather if the Dems "filibuster" was allowed to continue? Does the GOP really desire Judges who will be Constitutional originalists? If the majority of the SCOTUS is composed of originalists will some programs/actions favored by the GOP be brought into peril due to the fact they are UnConstitutional? Does the GOP refusal to just "do it" re this issue suggest to you the political and actual capital gained in this controversy will be put at jeopardy?

There are a lot of things in play here.

[Vicomte13]

"Consider the possibility Frist really doesn't want an end to the Dems actions. The GOP well knows what its supporters/voters desire re this issue. What benefit could the GOP gather if the Dems "filibuster" was allowed to continue? Does the GOP really desire Judges who will be Constitutional originalists? If the majority of the SCOTUS is composed of originalists will some programs/actions favored by the GOP be brought into peril due to the fact they are UnConstitutional? Does the GOP refusal to just "do it" re this issue suggest to you the political and actual capital gained in this controversy will be put at jeopardy?
There are a lot of things in play here."

You bet your sweet bippy there are a lot of things in play here, and truth is, the Republicans were going to be able to play rope-a-dope for a long time.
But the Terri Schiavo issue, coupled with the death of the Pope, focused and crystallized the moral issues for pro-lifers in a way that did not happen before.
And Republican collapse on the Terri Schiavo issue damaged their pro-life base, irretrievably unless they make some important and meaningful action. The only thing in their toolbox left is the Nuclear Option.

If they don't pass it, there are millions of broken hearted pro-lifers who are going to turn away from politics, shake the dust off the soles of their sandals, and walk away.
And when that happens, the Republicans become a minority party again.

So, rope-a-dope worked for a good long time, but the GOP lost control of events with Terri Schiavo, and the roped dopes are awake, aware and angry. They aren't going to fall back asleep. If they GOP does not act, they will leave. Republican strategists who say otherwise are whistling past the graveyard.

[GrannyAnnie]

thanks for voicing my thoughts exactly.

[donbosco74]

I saw a TV short ad (about 5 seconds) urging viewers to urge their congressman to HELP PROTECT THE FILIBUSTER! I take it that means they are afraid they don't have long before the filibuster is stopped, right?

Even 5 seconds of TV costs a few dollars, last time I heard.

[Sun]

Does anyone know EXCATLY how many of President Bush's judicial nominees were filibustered?

I have read that the Republicans filibustered only ONE judicial nominee (back in 1968);

and the liberal Dems (not all Dems) filibustered ten or more of President Bush's judicial nominees in five years for the crime of being strict Constitutionalists.

The Republican Party emerged in 1854, so that's only ONE filibuster in 151 years; BUT the liberal Dems filibustered ten or more judicial nominess in less that 5 years.

Please allow me to reiterate:

DEMS ====> ten or more filibusters in less than 5 years.

REPUBLICANS ====> one filibuster in 151 years.

So that's why I politely say: STOP THE FILIBUSTERS!!

which is what this post is about. :)

[Sun]

P.S. I may have made an honest mistake, because I read an article from Newsmax from 2004, and Newsmax might have made an honest mistake.

I (and Newsmax) said that the Republicans filibustered ONE judicial nominee (Fortas), and it looks like they did not filibuster ANY.

Someone told me: "the debate for Fortas's (Pres. Johnson's pick?) nomination only went on for "several" days. A cloture vote was called to end the debate and proceed to the floor. That first vote failed because more debate was desired and after only a few days FORTAS REQUESTED to be WITHDRAWN.

That is such a stretch to claim it's a fillibuster and just an example of the convenient re-writing of history taking place to excuse the dishonorable behavior going on in the senate surrounding these filibusters."

P.S.S. Sometimes I LIKE being wrong. :)

[bornacatholic]

Amen. This long-time Republican voter thinks he has been bufffaloed and manipulated by nice sounding rhetoric devoid of real intention to act.

If things don't change imediately, I'll sit out the next election

[Coleus]

I think the Senate has the Nuclear Option which can bypass the filibuster

[donbosco74]

Unfortunately, the "nuclear option" is souding more possible all the time. We have sat by passively and allowed the liberals to overrun the judiciary and the Houses. The executive branch cannot stand alone against such legalistic cabalism. Something must be done to stop the madness.

[Sun]

There's something we can do.

First, pray.

Second,

Call or/and or e-mail your U.S. Senators, tell them you want them to vote to end a filibuster by a simple majority as the Constitution requires.

Should the Senate fail to conform to the Constitution's rule of a simple majority, a minority of 40 liberal Senators can use the filibuster to force their agenda on every American. Get your friends to call.

The NEW toll-free number is 1-877-762-8762! If that's busy, you can call this toll number (202-224-3121) or
your U.S. senators at their individual numbers (or contact them by FAX).

Ask to speak with your Senator. When finished leaving your message, call your other Senator.

==>BUT if you don't have much time, and want to end the filibusters for judicial nominees, click here:

http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/issues/alert/?alertid=7354231&type=TA

There is a formula, and I THINK it goes like this:

If you e-mail, it counts it as 10 voters.

If you call, it counts it as 50 voters.

If you write a letter, it counts it as 100 voters.

If you go in person, it counts it as 500 voters.


P.S. However, if mailing, mail direct to your senator in your state - not DC, as the mail getting to them there, because of the continued screening (anthrax) takes up to 2 months (!) to get through. Also, they pay more attention getting mail at their home office, they know it's from the people that vote for them.

[NeoCaveman]

I just updated my blog. Time for the Constitutional Option, Senator Frist