Posted on 05/25/2005 6:28:42 AM PDT by GaryL
All you conservatives out there – listen up! Take a deep breath! Climb down from the ledge! Chill out! Things are not as bad as they seem! As a matter of fact, things are downright rosy!
In spite of what all the conservative pundits are saying – including Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, Laura Ingraham, Thomas Sowell – we did not get rolled in Monday’s deal with the Democrats. As a matter of fact, it’s just the opposite. The Democrats have been taken to the cleaners…only they don’t know it yet! As usual, they have followed Teddy Kennedy’s advice and he has led them into another political disaster.
The problem is that no one – including our side - is looking at the big picture. What actually happened as a result of this deal is that, for all practical purposes, the filibuster as a means to obstruct judicial nominees is dead! Isn’t that what we wanted in the first place? And like Reagan winning the Cold War without firing a shot, we achieved this goal without having to initiate the so-called “nuclear option,” and thus avoided taking the huge hit from the mainstream media. The MSM was waiting with bated breath, ready to pounce on the Republicans like a cat on a cornered mouse. Can’t you just hear them repeating the mantra “…and the Republicans actually changed the rules in the middle of the debate!”
In the first place, we now will get confirmed the three nominees deemed by the Democrats to be the most “extreme”: Pricilla Owens, Janice Rodgers Brown, and William Pryor. OK. Follow me on this. If these three are the most “extreme” - by the Democrats own definition - what does that make the others? That’s right…moderates! Does anyone really believe that the Democrats will now resurrect the filibuster to obstruct “moderate judges”? Of course not! Majority Leader Frist has vowed that all of the remaining judges will be put forward for votes promptly, possibly within a week or two. Should the Democrats be foolish enough to filibuster any of these “moderates,” he has also vowed again to ignite the “nuclear option.” All the centrist Republicans who supported the agreement – including Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham – have likewise vowed to support Frist should it become necessary. Let me see…they give up the filibuster while we retain the right to use the “nuclear option” against the filibuster and have become united in our opposition to it. Sounds like a victory to me!
How about the seven Democratic “centrist” senators? I doubt very seriously that any of them would support a filibuster at this stage of any kind, most especially against the remaining “moderate” judges. Guess what. These people have been looking for a way to dissociate themselves from the Teddy Kennedy wing of their party… and now they have found it. Trust me…THE FILIBUSTER IS DEAD! Without these seven senators, the Democrats couldn’t filibuster Attila the Hun!
And don’t you see how silly the Democrats are looking already? What was all the fuss about Pricilla Owens in the first place that they had to block her for four years? This so-called “extremist” will be confirmed today with a sizeable number of their own party voting for her! That’s some “extremist!” In other words, they’ve proven again for all to see that you can’t trust their judgment on who is really “extremist” and who isn’t. Like the little boy who cried wolf, their use of the label “extremist” has a definite “hollow ring” to it.
Let’s recap: the Republicans have effective eliminated the filibuster without taking the huge media hit, while letting it be know that they retain the threat of the “nuclear option,” with their seven senators on record as supporting Frist should the Democrats be foolish to try the filibuster again. In addition, the Republicans appear as the “moderates” in the debate, willing to try compromise to avoid a senate showdown. As an added side benefit, John McClain – by taking the lead on this and being so willing to side with the Democrats – has shown once again that he can’t be trusted and for all practical purposes has committed political suicide. Can anyone imagine him winning a single Republican primary in 2008? As usual the media has got it wrong again, making McCain the winner and Frist the loser.
All in all, not a bad day’s work!
Posted by Lancey Howard to HitmanNY
On News/Activism 05/24/2005 3:35:26 AM EDT · 40 of 72
The Republicans MAY actually be in a BETTER position now than they were a day ago.
It looks to me like the Republicans have come out on top in the public relations department by shedding the image of frenzied "extremists" who want to nuke the Senate, etc. As far as I can tell, the Democrats gained nothing from a public relations standpoint. But there may be an even more important upside for the Republicans:
I am beginning to wonder if the rats got themselves caught in a very clever trap. If the rats arbitrarily claim "extraordinary circumstances" against a qualified nominee simply because that nominee is conservative, then all it takes is for TWO of the seven RINOs who signed onto this deal to jump up and cry "foul". The "outraged" Senators will say, "We thought we had a deal with the Democrats but they have broken their end of the bargain. They have stabbed us in the back, and we now have no choice but to exercise our Constitutional option to change the filibuster rule." This deal may actually offer the RINOs cover to "change their minds" when push finally comes to shove!
So even while most of Bush's best nominees get confirmed without a filibuster, the Republicans can keep their finger on the nuclear button the whole time! In essence, this "deal" has ensured that when the time comes to "go nuclear", the vote will be there in spades.
Game, set, match.
You are 100% correct!
History will prove it.
Yes, we can, but will we?
As I said in another post, I am not exactly comfortable resting the fate of the judiciary on the cojones of Lindsey Graham.
I want the raw meat nominees included and conservatives on the SCOTUS. The 30 non-con appellate candidates just win the ties.
Me neither.
IIRC Graham has already said publically that if the democrats don't live up to their part of the deal .. he will support Frist in the nuclear option. IIRC it stated that someone else had already made the same statement - but I can't remember who it was.
That's only 2 - but it would still give Frist enough votes to make the change. I agree with Rush .. the dems are so used to being able to use personal destruction - they will never be able to live up to the agreement.
Let me know when those two are invited to the White House for a well-orchestrated PR appearance with the President.
Do you think it's a wild coincidence that the three nominees we saw in the White House recently are the ones who are going to get an up-or-down vote?
YOU SAID..."I am beginning to wonder if the rats got themselves caught in a very clever trap."
When I hear this, I immediately ask...just who hatched this secret plan...and who was in on it? Were Rove, Frist and McCain secretly working behind the scenes to pull this off? Frist should win the Academy Award. If Rove is this clever...and has the RINO accomplices to pull this off...why not just do the simple direct thing and push for a vote to end the filibuster...wait...McCain said he doesnt want to end the filibuster...but this secret plan eventually leads to that, unless of course the dems play fair and never filibuster again...hmmmm....McCain and Reid both got rolled by Rove apparently...
YOU SAID.."It looks to me like the Republicans have come out on top in the public relations department by shedding the image of frenzied "extremists" who want to nuke the Senate, etc. As far as I can tell, the Democrats gained nothing from a public relations standpoint."
I disagree. The dems gain from a public relations standpoint because they can be spun by the MSM as both victorious and concilliatory...saving our Constitution from the ravages of those 'extreme' Republicans. However, if those wascally wepublicans get too 'extreme' in the future ("extreme circumstances")...they retain the right to retaliate...to once again save the Republic... they give up nothing in the way of PR.
The Republicans dont shed the extreme image either...it got reinforced...because McCain and company have painted themselves as the only sane, rational, responsible Republicans in the party...this was a deal done by THEM...not by the party as a whole. The MSM of course laps up the dissident pub angle...and McCain gets lots of face time to look presidential (or so he thinks).
Finally...if you find yourself on the opposite side of an argument from Rush, Bennett, Laura, and Sowell...think very carefully....is your Occams Razor a butter knife?
What seems to be overlooked is that the qualifications of the nominees have very little to do with the matter. The Democrats expect to win the presidency in 2008, and want as many judicial posts as possible to remain vacant until Jan. 20, 2009.
The long term prospects do not bode well.
Pretty much what I told the person that polled me after the Senate voted to leave the criminal in office. I'm sure it put me down as one of the percentage of people "supporting Clinton".
In essence, this "deal" has ensured that when the time comes to "go nuclear", the vote will be there in spades.I agree with this. Remember, there are 14 deal makers. We only need 2 of them (that's 2 out of 14, not 2 out of 7) to go nuclear: 48 + 2 + VP. One or more of the deal-making RATS could jump ship, out of fear of conservative voting trends back home.
Thanks for your kind remarks. I think we're both seeing the "big picture" and realize that the Democrats got rolled...big time!
I agree...but I heard him last night state in no uncertain terms that he intents to bring up all the nominees pronto. And if they are foolish enough to try a filibuster, he'll ignite the nuclear option with the backing of all (well, virtually all) Republicans. The moderate wing (Lieberman, etc.) of the Democrats has been looking for a way to separate themselves from the pro-filibuster Kennedy wing of the party. They have no intention of going back to the filibuster route.
Great analysis. I agree 100% with your points.
EXACTLY!!!! And I swear to you that last night I even heard Susan Collins - of all people!! - make the very points you are making. If they dare to try a filibuster over anybody to the left of, say, Attila the Hun, the Rinos will come back in a heartbeat, claiming they were betrayed!
As I said, we rolled 'em on this deal...but they don't realize it yet! But don't worry, it'll start sinking in shortly.
Also, see my tagline.
I am saying that if Clinton was impeached AND convicted, he would have been forced from office.
And VP Al Gore would have been sworn in as president in 1999.
George Bush would have run in 2000 against a SITTING president.
IMO, Gore would have been much harder to beat if he was the incumbent president.
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