Posted on 04/29/2005 4:57:13 PM PDT by DTogo
Dear DTogo,
The proposal Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist sent to his Democrat colleagues yesterday could not have been a fairer compromise to end Democrat obstruction of President Bush's highly qualified judicial nominees.
Leader Frist's proposal would guarantee President Bush's nominees a fair up or down vote on the Senate floor while allowing all Senators an opportunity to have their say through a guaranteed 100 hours of debate.
This is a reasonable resolution to the Democrats' unprecedented use of the filibuster against President Bush's nominees, and will ensure that the filibuster remains intact for use against legislation.
Democrats are obstructing President Bush's nominees because they know that these nominees will strictly interpret the law -- not legislate from the bench. Democrats have even gone so far as to say they will "shut down" the Senate if they do not get their way on judicial nominations.
One of President Bush's nominees, Janice Rogers Brown, grew up as the daughter of Alabama sharecroppers and became the first African American woman to serve on the California Supreme Court. In 1998, Californians reelected her with 76 percent of the vote and the majority of Senators support her nomination for a federal judgeship, but Democrats are standing in the way of her receiving an up or down vote on the Senate floor.
Please visit GOP.com to sign a petition supporting Leader Frist's proposal to ensure President Bush's judicial nominees receive a fair up or down vote. And please also click here to write letters to the editor of your local newspapers.
A fair up or down vote for highly qualified judicial nominees is too important for Republicans to stand by as Democrats sacrifice decades of Senate tradition for partisan gain. I hope I can count on your help to make sure that the President's qualified nominees are given a fair up or down vote.
Sincerely,
Ken Mehlman Chairman, RNC
P.S. Democrats have never before used the filibuster against judicial nominees. Visit GOP.com and tell them to accept Senator Frist's compromise and stop obstructing the Senate from doing the people's business.
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Show them how power rules....majority vote counts. Stop screwing around; it makes you look weak.
I agree.
It is called politics. If you want to stay in power, you can't just ram through whatever you want.
Some of you folks need to really get an education.
That said, there is a limit.
If the Dems reject this compromise, which is something that I support wholeheartedly since it fulfills Frist's pledge that only compromises in which all nominees would get a vote would be considered, then it is time to go nuclear.
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
It's an offer that is known to not be taken. The purpose of the offer is to plant seeds in the mind of the public. At this point, it's all talk. The action is supposed to happen within the next 30 days. I think it's reasonable to give the GOP leadership that much time.
I hear what you are saying, but with these folks anytime you win something as petty as a dog catcher's nomination, even by 51-49, you're "ramming through" a coup that will destroy the galaxy as we know it. I agree with the folks above -- show a spine!
There is a limit, and I am getting frustrated myself.
It isn't like I will sit here and take them dawdling forever.
But, if we go nuclear, it will pretty much end Bush's shot at getting tax reform or anything else passed, at least until after next year's elections. The Dems will use every move in the books to halt legislation. I would rather see us try one more time.
But, if the Dems fail to agree to this, enough is enough. It's go time. Ram in through.
Please, for the sake of sanity, would everyone please read the 'compromise' put forth before being reactionary? It's a brilliant proposal. One the Dems won't accept, but one that compromises nothing on the Constitutional front, guarentees Judicial votes, and puts the Dems in a tough PR crisis.
Judges would not be blocked in committee from a vote on either side.
Guarenteed debate up to 100 hours on each nominee.
At end, a vote must be taken on Supreme and appellate nominees.
It's a good proposal and counters every argument the Dems have had, while giving them no license to choose or obstruct Judicial nominees. It's a GOOD proposal and instead of cheap shots, it should be met with praise. The Republicans have finally stepped up.
Whether they follow through when the Dems (I assume) reject this is still a question mark of course, and I will not contribute until it's done, but for right now this problem finally is moving toward solution.
this party often reminds me of how the UN is run.
The USA public servants (masters) have compromised America from a free country into a half free country.
I'm crafting a response...
Better yet,why "comprise"?
Let the Republicans officially turn control of the Senate back to the Democrats.
The Democrats have controlled it for 5 years now with a Republican majority.
With a 100 hour debate limit for each candidate, the Democrats could easily extent the debate until '08. Because even with only 10 candidates that is 1,000 hours of debate.
This is just another way for the Republicans to surrender.
The way the Republicans are going now they won't have to worry about being the majority party the morning after the'06 elections.
I appreciate the compliment but I warn a number of people would have said just the opposite, and did, a few days ago. LOL
IMO, there is a time for passion and a time for reason. My biggest complaint with the Republicans was that they didn't seem to have the 'spine' to lead.
I can tolerate not winning every policy issue. I can even tolerate Liberal Republicans that are honest about those beliefs during their elections and win based on their constituents wishes. What I could not and will never be able to tolerate is the feeling this Party I helped build doesn't have the will or desire to fight for me, you, or the base as whole.
That they allow the minority to govern as the Majority.
That they would allow people that use the Party to win election then abandon it for publicity by siding with the Democrats to set the agenda.
I now finally see committment on the part of the Senate Reps to see this forward. I now see passion. I now see that they finally understand how deeply we feel about this issue and why. I now see that they understand being seen as "wimps" isn't a positive image in ability to push through legislation.
In short, they've had an attitude adjustment and are acting as a Majority currently.
To become a Majority in more than numbers and attitude they will have to carry this to completion. Until then I will continue to withhold funding and future voting considerations. I will continue to contact them. But, I am pulling back the intense fire I subjected them to for a week and transitioning to encouragement to continue on this more aggressive path in the interim. Should there not be consequential movement in May, this may change. I'm not willing to tolerate another 2 years of obstruction.
Right now it is only fair to give Republicans their due to responding forcefully, after spending over a week directing just a small sample of what we usually reserve for Democrats.
It's a good fair proposal...that the Democrats are rejecting. Giving way for the Republicans to state they operated in good faith and will now proceed to change Senate rules. If the Republicans carry this to its natural conclusion they will increase their majority in '06.
I am glad that you think so.
I received this same e-mail from the GOP and I signed the petition that talks about Senator Frist proposal to allow a maximum of 100 hours debate on judicial nominees and then have an up and down vote. I doubt that the Democrats will accept it, and in this case the GOP in the Senate should abolish the judicial filibuster, period.
"It's a good fair proposal...that the Democrats are rejecting. Giving way for the Republicans to state they operated in good faith and will now proceed to change Senate rules. If the Republicans carry this to its natural conclusion they will increase their majority in '06."
They can increase Senate majority to 75:25 but I don't think our Republicans in the Senate have it in them to LEAD!
Republicans have been on the winning side of things for several years now, but they act like losers.
Republicans have been on the winning side of things for several years now,
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