Frist has allowed this issue to go beyond stupid. While i don't like the little runt, tiny tommy allowed nothing to get in the way of ramming the Dems' agenda through the Senate and down the 'Pubbie's throats.
It's time to stop playing nice and either Frist will put up or shut up.
I don't think he will put up.
It will help the dems pick up seats only if our side backs down and gives in to them. It will take a lot of the wind out of conservatives sails. And Harry Reid is a putz.
"The judicial nominations debate has created quite a bit of controversy. Emotions are running high on both sides, and it reveals once again, our country's desperate need for more civility in political life.
All of us who are active in politics -- whether Republican or Democrat -- need to remember the lesson of Ronald Reagan -- that we can disagree without being disagreeable.
Now let me tell you about a disagreement that is going on in our nation's capital.
Never in 214 years, never in the history of the United States Senate had a judicial nominee with majority support been denied an up-or-down vote... until two years ago. In the last Congress, however, a minority of senators denied ten of the President's judicial nominees an up-or-down vote. They wouldn't allow a vote, because they knew the nominations would be approved.
Now we are in a new Congress, and these same senators again threaten to obstruct the vote on judges. And, even worse, if they don't get their way, they threaten to shut down the Senate -- and obstruct government itself.
Americans elect their senators to vote on the people's business. That is a senator's job -- to vote. If these senators are not prepared to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities, then why are they here in the first place?
Right now, there are 46 vacancies on the federal bench. Four of the appeals court vacancies are in the region that serves my home state of Tennessee.
Those four nominees have been waiting a combined thirteen years for a vote on the Senate floor. Thirteen years!
Either confirm the nominees or reject them... but don't leave them hanging. Don't leave our courts hanging. Don't leave our country hanging.
If the nominees are rejected... fine... that's fair. At least, rejection is a vote.
Give those nominees the courtesy and the respect of a vote.
Let me tell you about Priscilla Owen. A Texas Supreme Court Justice for the last ten years -- she has received praise from both parties.
Former Justice Raul Gonzalez, a Democrat, said: "I found her to be apolitical, extremely bright, diligent in her work, and of the highest integrity. I recommend her for confirmation without reservation."
Justice Owen has also been a leader for providing free legal services to the poor. And she has worked to soften the impact of legal proceedings on children of divorcing parents.
On May 9, 2001, President Bush nominated Justice Owen to the fifth circuit Court of Appeals.
To this day, even though a majority of Senators support her, she has been denied an up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate.
Ladies and gentlemen, Justice Owen deserves better. She deserves a vote.
To ensure Justice Owen and other judicial nominees get a vote, I've been trying to work out a compromise that would do just that.
It's not easy. My Democratic counterpart, Senator Reid, calls me a radical Republican.
I don't think it's radical to ask senators to vote.
I don't think it's radical to expect senators to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.
I don't think it's radical to restore precedents that worked so well for 214 years.
Now if Senator Reid continues to obstruct the process, we will consider what opponents call the "nuclear option." Only in the United States Senate could it be considered a devastating option to allow a vote. Most places call that democracy.
But let me make one important point -- this option only addresses the delay of judicial nominees.
In no way will it curb delays on legislation, which is a time-honored senatorial practice. "Mr. Smith" will still be able to go to Washington and take a stand on the Senate floor.
Now some Republicans -- even some conservatives -- don't think we should press the issue on requiring votes on judicial nominees.
They're concerned that in the future Republicans won't be able to use this same device to obstruct Democratic nominees.
Well, that may be true. But if what Democrats are doing is wrong today, it won't be right for Republicans to do the same thing tomorrow.
Ladies and gentlemen, our judiciary must be independent, impartial and fair.
When we think judicial decisions are outside mainstream American values, we will say so. But we must also be clear that the balance of power among all three branches requires respect -- not retaliation. I won't go along with that.
Allow me to close with how you can help.
I hope you'll call your senators and remind them -- whether they're Republican or Democrat -- that they work for you. Tell them to do what's right. Tell them to do what's fair. Tell them to do their job -- give judicial nominees the up-or-down votes they deserve.
Thank you for coming together to study this issue, and thank you for inviting me to be a part of this evening's discussion."
Bill Frist
Sometimes you just punch the bully in the nose!
This is one of those times!
"Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) has urged senators to be open to compromise."
So now we know what all this "compromise" nonsense from Reid is about. He has to fool Arlen. Our "best friend" in the Senate. The man that we just had to renominate in Pennsylvania.
If I count Chafee, McCain, Snowe, and add Warner, Collins, and Arlen, then Frist doesn't have the votes.
If this all comes down to Arlen's vote, I have a feeling that there are going to be some red faces in the party establishment.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)...(predicted) that the issue will help Democrats pick up Senate seats in the 2006 elections.(P)
If this were true, he would be encouraging the repubs. He's not because it isn't.
I suspect this is because most folks either don't know the details or are making the common mistake of assuming this change would apply to ALL legislation.
I sure hope some of Dubya's stratergery folks are helping Frist with this.