Future video on CSPAN2, come next July on Supreme Court Nominee
Sen. Byrd: "What now do these Republicans tyrants want from us? We gave them votes on the President's nominees in May! Now they want us to give them a vote on these latest nominees too! As Cicero and Demosthenes would say, this nominee is truly an extraordinary case, and we must filibuster him as per our agreement. God save this wonderful good ole' boy Senate.
I will now drink a toast to my seven Republican colleagues who have given us the power to thwart the will of the people once more."
I can't believe that anything I write here will not already have been written by now.
I just want to add my voice - I am profoundly disgusted.
What more is there to say?
So in the 110th we get to go through all this again?
Before we rush to conclusions, this isn't necessarily a bad deal.
When you think about it, Bush can nominate ANY of the judges that have been passed so far, to the Supreme Court. Democrats can't say they are "extrodinary" cirumstances because they were already passed.
The question foremost in my mind is "can you see an 'extraordinary circumstance' where 51 senators would approve a nominee? If a majority of the senators would approve a nominee, how can that person be, by definition, labelled "extreme" or "out of the mainstream"? And if a majority would not approve, why filibuster?
What I think has happened here is that the squishies in the middle of both parties have punted the ball downfield. Really nothing has been resolved other than we got three judges (the ones the Dems called the most extreme of the extreme, btw, making the whole 'extraordinary circumstance' premise even more ludicrous than it already is) out of filibuster and the Dems still have the option to filibuster the rest - with the pledge of at least six RINOs that they will break ranks on the "nuclear option" if it is brought up.
Next, we will see who blinks first (as if we couldn't guess?).
We yawn....
So what's new here.......the Republicans cave yet again!!
After the up or down vote on ONLY THREE of Bush's nominees, the Demoncrats have their precious filibuster in play once again for ALL NOMINATIONS to any court, including the Supreme court. In fact, they will be able to now play the "gracious" card. They will trumpet their compromise, their graciousness to President Bush on these three nominations in the court of public opinion. It's all posturing so they aren't seen as obstructionists. In the meantime, they lie in wait for the real showdown where all the marbles are on the table - The Supreme Court. This compromise dealt today becomes ammo for the real fight.
We "real" conservatives were only 24 hours from the showdown, the pinnacle to which we have waited for months to employ part of the Bush agenda only to be thoroughly and wretchedly disappointed once again. These guys we have elected to office in the name of conservatism are nothing but a big tease. They talk big, they threaten big, but when push comes to shove they melt in the hands of the minority. It is so disheartening to see this behaviour over and over and over again. Imagine if the Dems were in power 55-45, they'd be shoving their agenda down our throats no questions asked.
Social conservatives are growing weary from being sold out. Partial Birth Abortion Ban passes and then is rectified by the liberal agenda through the courts. So we need to change the courts, the system by which we are continously hoodwinked. So here we are at the juncture and our weak-kneed Senators sell us out AGAIN!!! If any Republican is reading this and you have influence in our conservatively elected Congress please take note: Social Conservatives are beginning to feel as if we elected a "pig-in-a-poke." At some point the agenda has to be moved in our direction, at some point there needs to be a payoff however small. We are looking at what is happening in the Senate with keen interest. To control the Executive and Legislative brances and NOT get the same percentages of Judges seated as Clinton is UNFORGIVABLE. Trust me, we social conservatives won't be around forever waiting for you to grow a spine. There is a point at which we begin to collectively throw our hands in the air. And we are close to that time!!!!!!!!!!
If Readers Digest were condensing this affair, it would read thusly..."We screwed the pubs one more time"...
So, when Sen. Graham told us that he would accept no deal that fell short of allowing an up or down vote on all nominees, he lied.
In addition, how do we know the Democrats involved in this who agreed to vote for cloture also did not secure agreements from the Republicans involved that they would vote against the confirmation of these nominees, thus defeating them?
We won and bigger than I thought.
This is pure surrender.
Of 7 nominees, our Rinos have agreed that the majority party deserves 3 of them. That's not even 50%....absolutely incredible.
After those 3 everything is up in the air and filibusters are acceptable means of dealing with them.
It is not just capitulation; it is cowering capitulation.
I wouldn't consult with the Democrats. And furthermore, we can only hope that the Democrats won't consider all subsequent conservative Bush nominees "extraordinary circumstances."
So what does this deal do to the Bolton nomination? Does he get an up or down vote? He better.
Just what the heck does "extraordinary circumstances" supposed to mean?
Give me a freakin' break...does anyone in their right mind sign a contract with that open ended unintelligible open to anyone's interpretation gibberish? Just how much are we paying these fools?
I want to filibuster this absurdity. And if Rush Limbaugh, God Bless him, comes on the EIB airwaves tomorrow in support of this insulting degrading poppycock, then I know for sure...well, republicans just don't understand the finer art of winning a street fight and strutting their winning banner.
I don't think anybody should assume that the so-called *moderates* who sold out both parties will actually vote yes to all three of these nominations. In fact, I can imagine some of the RINOs actually voting at least one of them down, after cloture and debate, in order to further appease their adversaries. And I'm certain some of the dims will also vote at least one down as well.
Nothing in this agreement says that they must vote them to the bench -- it only says that they will vote for cloture to stop the filibusters on them.
The knife is only beginning to be twisted in our backs.
Who are the signatories? (Both parties.) Thanks.
The only way to meet the challenge of this gang of Neville Chamberlins is to move for cloture on Saad at the earliest opportunity and force the issue once and for all.
What are "extraordinary circumstances?" Holy spit, I don't think I have ever agreed to an online TOS contract with so many non-specifics!
Has this been adopted? I hope not.