Posted on 05/24/2005 5:27:34 AM PDT by crushkerry
It's now time for the non-emotional analysis of last night's filibuster deal. Yes, the gut reaction disgust at the deal still applies.. But let's for a moment (and only for a moment) move beyond that initial anger at the betrayal and give a more reasoned analysis of why the RINO's sold us out and why this is a bad deal.
First, and most obviously, there is no guarantee of up or down votes for all nominees, something that was a non-negotiable to us.
But just as troubling is the language in the Memorandum of Understanding that the RINO's have agreed not to use the "Constitutional Option" for this Congress. It has been said that this agreement by the RINO's not to trigger the Constitutional Option is contingent on the Democrats living up to their end of the deal vis a vis only filibustering in "Extraordinary circumstances".
This means that the RINO's simply have to believe the Dems are using their best discretion and judgment in determining that "extraordinary circumstances" exist. Not only is this mind-reading impossible, but it gives the RINO's an easy "out" not to trigger the Constitutional Option. It would appear that even if the RINO's disagree with the reasons Dems give for thinking "extraordinary circumstances" exist, they may be bound to honor the deal if they think the Dems are acting in good conscience.
Plus, with all this happy pabulum about the deal being based on trust, and how the Senate is a place where people have to take colleagues at their "word", don't you think it's going to be hard for one of these RINO's to say one of the Dems isn't acting in good faith or following the deal's commitments? That would be akin to calling them a liar, and that just doesn't happen among this chummy bunch. Also, these RINO's have shown the last thing in the world the want is conflict or a vote, and I think that mindset is going to make it near impossible for them to cry "foul" on the Democrats belief that "extraordinary circumstances" exist. And we all know what that means don't we?
You can tell these people are lawyers because they put in weasel words like "extraordinary circumstances" that no one can define, and as Sissy Graham's pompous Hardball comments suggest, they didn't talk about specific instances and people. Only in a place like the Senate where the real world doesn't apply could they have purposely avoided specifics in order to get a deal. You just know there are going to be problems with this deal later, and I'm more certain the Dems won't budge on their belief in "extraordinary circumstances" exist than I am that the RINO's will actually vote to go with the "Constitutional Option".
There are those that say "Well how could the Dems use the "extraordinary circumstances" rationale now that they let Owens and Brown through, who they had so excoriated?" Easy. When has logic ever applied in this case. Also, as many on the left have said "Tonight offers a new beginning", which to me means that the Dems will say Owens and Brown did not set the baseline, but rather were allowed to pass in order to get a deal, not as a barometer for future nominees.
Finally, this deal makes the "smoky back room" even smaller than usually occurs. This is a power grab by the 7 RINO's, who do not represent the party as a whole, or the majority of Republicans. Yet they are now emboldened to wield clout they are not entitled to based on their empty ideology of compromise. Witness Graham's smug statement tonight that these 14 will likely form a Social Security reform plan - (read a higher income limit on the payroll tax and no private accounts) and that these 14 are going to meet when the President puts up a Supreme Court nominee to decide if "extraordinary circumstances" exist and whether the Dems are filibustering in good faith as proof of this.
These RINO's will undoubtedly be hailed by their real constituency, the MSM, as brave. But we know them for what they are - spineless cowards. Think about it - who is happier with this deal - Bill Frist or Harry Reid. There was only one way to judge the winners and losers here and that's by asking this question: Will every judicial nominee get an up or down vote? Since the answer is "No", we lose.
Even Judas got 30 pieces of silver. The RINO's didn't even get that.
Ping
ping
I must be missing something. I thought that the filibuster had always been about extraordinary circumstances. What's been gained here? (other than CYA for RINOs)
I don't feel any better about this deal today than I did last night.
Care to guess who will be running in 2008? I still think he was "turned" at the Hanoi Hilton!!!
Yep, it's just another path to the next betrayal of conservatives.
This isn't the leadership I wanted from the GOP.
At the national level, there are no Republicans or Democrats. It's only Socialist Party A and Socialist Party B. There's no more difference between being a Republican or a Democrat than there is being a fan of the Red Sox or the Yankees.
Never in history has a group of RINOS so cravenly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. They have created an unmitigated disaster for the party when there could have been an unparalleled victory.
Yes, we're still getting wheels spinning in mud.
More to the point its time to teach some of these traitors a lesson. No money, no support.
Let them go to their precious moderates when re-election time comes.
"I don't feel any better about this deal today than I did last night."
After having more time to think about this mess...I'm more angry than I was last night!
McCain is toast and so are the rest of these sanctimonious "intellectuals". They have awakened a grizzly close by, and all they have for protection are cross-over democrats and a translucent media.
History records once again that there are no great "moderate" leaders. Never has been, never will be. They are gutless wonders that stand for nothing.
McCain has blown his chances for the presidency once again. Here's a guy that SHOULD be a natural candidate for the GOP. Even his opponents respect his valiant service to his country, and his stands on many issues is acceptable. Yet there's a reason actual Republicans voted overwelmingly against him in 2000. Like Darth Vader, he's been seduced by the "dark side"--the MSM--and Republican voters know it.
I certainly hope you are right. People need to get mad @ McCain & his buddies.
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