If the Republicans had cajones, they would vote the three judicial nominees per the "compromise" and immediately put the other 7 up with a note to the Republican traitors, "You cause trouble, we are gonna nail you to the wall!"
The benefit of this strategy is that the three will have already been approved and they were the ones the Dems were most complaining about. It would be hard to shout down the remaining 7.
Well, I remain mystified that with 55 GOP Senators, all of whom won an election on his watch, the President hasn't been allowed to put his stamp on the court system.
I was not happy with the comprimise, but isn't this getting a little silly? Haven't Graham and some of these other guys been right more times than they have been wrong? Did we not get the bankruptcy and tort reform bills passed? Did we not get 3 of the most conservative judges through? Who would replace McCain, a Democrat? Would that help Bush appoint conservative judges?
Chill out, folks. You never win 100% of the time, and the Gipper Himself made plenty of comprimises.
The most crucial passage in the agreement may prove to be this one: "Each signatory must use his or her own discretion and judgment in determining whether such ['extraordinary'] circumstances exist." As a practical matter, this applies only to the Democratic signatories, since no Republican has ever voted to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee.The seven signatories, that is, have now declared that they will decide how to vote on judicial filibusters rather than take directions from the party. Two of them, Robert Byrd and Daniel Inoyue, probably did so largely to preserve "Senate tradition"; but the other five--Mary Landrieu, Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Mark Pryor and Ken Salazar--are all generally moderate, and all from red states except Lieberman. Their inclinations and political interests diverge from those of Barbara Boxer, Ted Kennedy and other far-left blue-staters.
If left-wing Democrats want to filibuster another nominee, they will have to persuade Minority Leader Harry Reid to risk another nuclear confrontation and persuade at least one of the moderate compromising five, plus Byrd, Inoyue and every single uncompromising Dem, that it's worth it. It could happen, but we're not betting on it.
I already am.
I have told the RNC that they'll not get a cent of my money, and have told my GOP representation (two Senators and my district Rep) that the GOP won't get a single vote from my family, until this filibuster travesty is corrected.
And I mean every word of it.
Watch out for McCain. He is 99% for McCain and 1% for us.
Ben Nelson needs to be taken down but good! I no longer have a stake in Nebraska, but I want to see that old POS turned out to pasture for good!
Someone posted on another link that the younger DeWine has deserted a pregnant wife, but he is still the OH favorite!
"Americans who love our Constitution and believe it should be upheld - are VERY ANGRY about this "deal".
AND THAT'S PUTTING IT MILDLY!!!!
McCain should be horse-whipped! Maybe retribution will come in the form of unseating him from any public office.
If the people in their states re-elect them, so be it.
I want the gang of weasles punished now!
I wouldn't advise investing much capital in the Rhode Island race. No conservative can win a statewide race there, barring some late-campaign scandal tarring the Democrat or the like.
Lindsey Graham R-SC is so disappointing. He was so polished and well-spoken in the impeachment hearings. It seemed like SC senate representation would have gravitas. Something happened and now he too has been comprimised by some blackmailing of his misdeeds. Burn baby burn.
Take no prisoners!
Spank the monkey!
Choke the chicken!
Spit on the sidewalk!
Just DO something, damn it!!!
Why does your link show NewsMax.com when it leads to RightMarch.com?
>allowing a "super-MINORITY" of just 14 Senators to block
>or confirm any nominee
actually it's 5 REPUBLICAN Senators who have the power.... that's how many votes Frist needs to refire the nuclear option.
This strikes me as perfectly reasonable, and just the kind of power balancing and horse trading that has always characterized the Senate.
Overall the deal is a win for the Republicans ... clears three of five nominees and SUBSTANTIALLY raises the bar on future use of the filibuster on nominees WIHTOUT the Republicans scaring the middle with a fairly blatant power play.
This is one New Hampshirite who will not be voting for Senator McCain in the Republican Primary. Also, I'm glad my 2 senator's Sununu and Gregg were not part of this, (although Sununu was one of those "on the line" Senators).
They are not compromisers, they are traitors.
I don't know anything about the son, but, I have always heard that the acorn don't fall far from the tree. Therefore the father is all I need to know about the son.