Posted on 05/24/2005 2:46:51 AM PDT by Liz
The real winner in the Senate judge deal could be President Bush because it opens the way for Congress to finally start getting things done.
Right after the deal was unveiled, Democrats were visibly relieved while Republican conservatives were livid, fuming about a "cave" by centrists led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Talk radio and conservative bloggers went wild.
Why? Because the odds were that if push came to shove, Republicans would have had the votes to kill all filibusters of judicial nominees and humiliate Democratic leaders.
No wonder Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was cheering, even though the deal guarantees confirmation of jurists Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owens and William Pryor all of whom he's blasted as unacceptable extremists.
"Armageddon has been averted, and thank God," said Schumer, well aware that Democrats could have come off much worse.
That's why conservative Republican activists in the key states of Iowa and New Hampshire are already vowing revenge against McCain if he runs for president in 2008. But the White House put on a positive spin after all, Bush will now get three of his top-priority appeals court judges confirmed.
And, if the Senate had come to what Democrats called "the nuclear option" a vote to strip them of filibuster power over judges all hope for cooperation in the Senate would be over.
Now the success of the judge deal could encourage centrist Democrats perhaps Sens. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) to start working toward compromise on other issues, as Bush has been hoping.
A Democratic staffer predicted one result will be the confirmation of Bush's controversial nominee for U.N. ambassador, John Bolton "No one is going to want to filibuster him now," the staffer conceded.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
It's still a pig.
That's the problem, he has no control over the caucus, especially on the important issues. He allows the members to run wild. The republicans should have stood together on this, and Frist is responsible for not leading and is weakened further by this "deal". His presidential aspirations are gone for sure, and now any group of senators can go behind his back, and broker deals on any issue they please.
Was not familiar with the story. Remarkable. For all the other hsitorically challenged posters/lurkers:
"Representative Preston Brooks was Butler's South Carolina kinsman. If he had believed Sumner to be a gentleman, he might have challenged him to a duel. Instead, he chose a light cane of the type used to discipline unruly dogs. Shortly after the Senate had adjourned for the day, Brooks entered the old chamber, where he found Sumner busily attaching his postal frank to copies of his "Crime Against Kansas" speech.
Moving quickly, Brooks slammed his metal-topped cane onto the unsuspecting Sumner's head. As Brooks struck again and again, Sumner rose and lurched blindly about the chamber, futilely attempting to protect himself. After a very long minute, it ended.
Bleeding profusely, Sumner was carried away. Brooks walked calmly out of the chamber without being detained by the stunned onlookers. Overnight, both men became heroes in their respective regions.
Surviving a House censure resolution, Brooks resigned, was immediately reelected, and soon thereafter died at age thirty-seven. Sumner recovered slowly and returned to the Senate, where he remained for another eighteen years. The nation, suffering from the breakdown of reasoned discourse that this event symbolized, tumbled onward toward the catastrophe of civil war."
"Changing rules" in the Senate was considered Armageddon by folks like Schumer.
I guess Schumer decided that "adding rules" was okay.
Red State.org has an excellent post outlining why the Republicans are the winners with this deal.
Check it out. It makes a lot of sense to me.
http://republicans.redstate.org/story/2005/5/23/223034/627
Graham has been suspect for a long time, now the truth is out! Graham is a fraud. One could expect no better from the other RINOs - but Graham speaks out of both sides of his mouth. Also, send McCain home.
I'm not convinced he is going to live that long. He looks terrible.
This is : McChamberlain .......
Nope........D'Amato's comment about hefty Gerry Nadler's waddle got him axed.
Hmmmmm......why do you like posting Hillary pictures?
......could very well be.......
livid republicans??????????try ex-republicans!!!!!!!!!
I might as well do something that gets me somewhere.
I will contact Ray Hoffman, state GOP chair, and tell him that McCain and Graham better not even think of setting foot in Iowa.
Good morning....and be of good cheer...I'll be posting a "Report from Chappaqua" later this morning...a good night's sleep has given me a new perpsective...Last night's deal is brilliant, a political masterstroke..for us..and the implications across the political landscape are staggering..
I normally don't hope for someone's death.
Normally.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.