Posted on 05/10/2005 11:52:07 AM PDT by Ogie Oglethorpe
Frist Prepares Senate for Nominee Showdown Tuesday, May 10, 2005 WASHINGTON — A long-threatened showdown over changing Senate rules to stop Democratic filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominations could come as early as next week, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (search) said Tuesday.
Frist, in his weekly news conference with reporters, said he hopes the Senate finishes a highway bill and an emergency spending package to fund military operations overseas this week. "And then we need to turn to 100 United States senators and move to the issue surrounding judges," he said.
Democrats have blocked 10 of Bush's appellate court choices through filibuster (search) threats, which means those nominees would have to get 60 votes in the 100-member Senate instead of the simple majority needed for Senate confirmation. Democrats have again threatened to block the seven Bush renominated this year, as well as future nominees they consider outside the mainstream of legal thinking.
Frist and the Republicans in turn have threatened to use their majority to change senatorial rules later this month so that filibusters would not be permitted for judicial confirmations. Conservatives have been pushing Frist to act on the Democratic filibuster in expectation of a Supreme Court vacancy during Bush's second term.
Frist suggested that the nomination of former Interior Department lawyer William Myers (search) for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco could be the first test vote. Myers, blocked by Democrats last year, was the first of the seven judicial nominees to get approval from the Judiciary Committee this year and has been waiting on a floor vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I saw an article last week that said Frist could pull the trigger as early as this week. Now it's next week. I hope he was better at scheduling surgery.
Frist: On your mark, get set, get set, get set, get set, get set, get set...
I'm not holding my breath.
Early as next week? They've been drawing this line in the sand for 2 flippin' years! And they'll delay it again. Gutless wonders in the leadership. The largest Minority party in the history of the Senate.
Couldn't the Republicans merely convene a quorum and conduct business as usual and if they want to be no shows or stage a hunger strike, so what.
Then we'll find out who the real RINO's are (as if we don't already know). Given the lack of a backbone of those Senators, Frist may well find that some he was counting in his camp to support cutting off the Rat stonewalling may switch sides at the last minute. The Pubbies have a good track record in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
The Democrats have threatened to shut down the SENATE........
"Balls" said the queen, if I had to I'd be King. The King laughed, not becuase he had too but because he had two.
I'll believe this after it happens.
Gonna schedule a meeting, to form a committee, to create a plan, for more meetings, to reach a consensus, on a strategy, so we can begin getting serious, about thinking of a way, to stop rolling over all the time.
I saw part of the presser with reporters and let's just say that Frist was less than strongly committed to the Constitutional option---
When asked about the compromise that Sens. Nelson and Lott are discussing, which would only let a few of Bush's nominees get votes, he said he was open to all discussions to find a way to do this without "going nucler", or somesuch.
I was very disappointed in the "diplomat, polictician speak" that Frist was using today....
What's this, the 4,594 time they threaten this and claimed action is imminent?
The Repubs can withstand 5 RINO defections.
A wimp-out.
A-N-Y D-A-Y N-O-W! </ holding my breath>
They plan on stalling legislation in the Senate. I'm not sure Republicans can do what you suggest but in any case it would be a PR nightmare for Republicans if they tried. Better to let the american people see Dims in action shutting down the govt.
Something I found out from reading a FR thread earlier today is that to conduct most Senate committee business, a quorum must not only include a majority of the committee, but at least one member of minority party. So they could shut down most work by that tactic.
This reminds me of one of those Capital One credit card commercials with no matter what the question, the answer is always NO -- so it is with the Democrats also.
Maybe we can call that noble institution "The Judge Pit" and when we ask when the pubs will lay down the law, they can answer, "two weeks." This is just so frustrating, its about doing the country's business, not about the glorious institution of the senate(intentional small s) Somehow I never did get over what the senate did on impeachment, and they haven't improved.
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