Elizabeth Dole: Nominees deserve better

Washington Times ^ | May 20, 2005 | Senator Elizabeth Dole

[RWR8189]

As the battle over judicial nominees and the role of the filibuster reaches its decisive moment, let's remember that more is at stake than the rules and procedures of the Senate.

Resorting to half-truths and invective to advance a political objective — the establishment of a new 60-vote supermajority requirement for the confirmation of federal judges — is deeply unfair to those who have spent a lifetime building reputations for fairness and intellectual probity.

Take the case of two women now at the center of the filibuster controversy, Justices Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown. In describing Justices Owen and Brown, some of my Democratic colleagues and their allies have employed phrases like "far out of the mainstream," "radical extremists," "far-right partisans," "hostile to civil rights" and "right-wing judicial activists."

It's been suggested that Justice Owen is too cozy with corporate interests at the expense of consumers. And one publication even called Justice Brown, an African-American who currently sits on the California Supreme Court, a "Jim Crow-era judge, in natural blackface." These irresponsible charges, intended not to fairly describe an individual but to create a caricature of that individual in the public's mind, will likely be leveled again as the issue of judicial nominations comes to a head on the Senate floor.

The record, of course, tells a different story. Justice Owen was twice elected to the Texas Supreme Court after enjoying a 17-year career as a litigator in a prominent Texas law firm.

[Sun]

Of course, I'm paraphrasing, but Sean said he heard that the Republican "moderates" want to deal with Dems that two nominees won't go to the floor for an up or down vote, and GET THIS - Dems can filibuster whomever they want regarding Supreme Court nominees if they are not "acceptable." Of course, the Dems won't think anybody that interprets the Constitution is acceptable.

As for the two nominees, of course, the Dems will pick the best we got, to filibuster.

Sean says Republican "moderates" need to have courage and should not compromise with Dems and the Constitution should not be compromised.

Listen to Sean now. GREAT show, as usual.

Call your Republican senators toll-free at 1-877-762-8762 and tell them NO COMPROMISES with Dems.

Rush Limbaugh said that senators are wavering back and forth, partly because of pressure from the public - our phone calls, folks. Let's get more phone calls and/or e-mails than the other side does.

Even if none of these WAVERING senators is your own senator,
please call 'em, anyway.

The last I heard the key GOP Senators are John Sununu (NH), Collins (ME), DeWine (OH), Hagel (NE), Murkowski, Specter (PA), Warner (VA), and maybe Lindsey Graham (SC). Frist can afford to lose only two, because McCain, Chafee, and Snowe have declined to end the judicial filibusters.

We can call toll-free at 877-762-8762 .


Fax or e-mail info can be found here (but phone calls are more effective):
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm

Urge each to FULLY SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTERING
RULES CHANGE.

[conservativecorner]

As Chairwomen of the NRSC, it's her job to explain the dire consequences that would be caused by a deal cut with demoncrats. Their money will dry up so fast that it will make their eyes spin like slot machines. The conservative movement in this country is damned tired of being fed rhetoric before an election and then quickly forgotten afterward. They should notice that their base, which is the conservative movement, is being alienated faster than an illegal Mexican trying to cross the border. Which brings me to illegal immigration...oh never mind.