Posted on 01/26/2006 11:40:02 AM PST by jmc1969
Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, whose confirmation seems certain in the Republican-run Senate, padded his modest Democratic support Thursday with endorsements by Sens. Robert Byrd and Tim Johnson.
Alito already was assured the votes of the 55 Republicans in the 100- member chamber enough to be put over the top when West Virginia's Byrd and Johnson of South Dakota joined Nebraska's Ben Nelson in saying they'll vote yes.
Alito would become the nation's 110th justice, replacing retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Throughout her years on the high court, she often has been a key fifth vote on contentious social issues including abortion, affirmative action and the death penalty.
"I am troubled by Judge Alito's apparent views on matters such as executive power, his past opposition to the principle of one person, one vote, and his narrow interpretation of certain civil rights laws," Johnson said. "Even so, I cannot accept an argument that his views are so radical that the Senate is justified in denying his confirmation."
Johnson and other senators also are advising Democratic leaders against attempting a filibuster, the only chance the minority party would have to stop Alito's confirmation.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Or just another politician.
You're implying that no one on this thread EVER criticizes a Republican? I'm just asking, because if that's how you think, stick around for a while. You'll see it. (Harriet Miers, overspending, borders, et. al)
Yeah I feel sorry they are represented by Byrd and Rockefeller.
And now Byrd. So they don't have the votes to support a filibuster unless our RINO's join the Dems. And I'm not all that confident one or two won't do that.
Think you got something here.
Granted, you are more familiar with the subject than I.
By my calculation, we have only 54
committed YEAS. Four Republicans
have NOT committed to Alito yet.
Rinos Snowe and Collins of Maine,
Chafee of Rhode Island and Stevens
of Alaska.
Wow! That's a wicked idea! If they just withhold on how they will vote until the vote, and the Dems come up with 39 votes against, then they vote against. Alito is still confirmed but all the DUmmies will truly explode! Excellent. Do you work for Rove?
Alright, the suspense is over. Democrats should call for a floor vote and cut their loses.
Guess Mary doesn't think she can get reelected and is going down in a liberal blaze of glory.
But all of them would vote for cloture, regardless of their position on the nomination. The rough calculation for cloture is to take the GOP as given, and add DEMs who will vote for the nominee.
Their track record indicates that they won't have the opportunity to nominate judges (2 Democrats in 40 years). They may - and I mean "may" get the WH, but as long as we hold the Senate, we're fine.
And I'm not suggesting that we filibuster, to pay back the Dims - just the opposite. The D President nominates. If they are qualified, pass them through committee. By all means allow a cloture vote. Then vote down the nominee on the floor. Explain that the nominee's ideology indicates a willingness to usurp the Constitutional role of a judge, and that is the reason for the "No" vote.
Will the Left cry foul? Ten ways to Sunday. But at least their nominee would have had a fair and prompt vote.
Jon Kyl as much as said that the Dims need to be careful about their strategery in this party-line vote, based on ideology (in his comments at the Committe Vote the other day), because it could set a precedent. (and we all know in what high regard the Dims hold "precedent" - at least when it comes to KILLING BABIES.)
Landreui & Salazar say they won't support a filibuster.
It doesn't matter. Even if some of the RINOs vote against Alito, they certainly won't vote to sustain a filibuster. That gives us 55 votes for cloture to start with. Nelson, Johnson, and Byrd will voter for Alito and that's 3 more for cloture bringing us to 58. Salazar and Landrieu have said that they will not support a filibuster. That's 2 more cloture votes bringing us to 60. BINGO!
It's over. We have won!
Now where's that fat lady?
No Senator wants to call for a vote and cut their tv time now that they got more people watching.
Byrds competitor for Senatorial election in West Virgina says, America NEEDS a resurgence of capitialism"...(heard on Rush Limbaugh) LoL.. Hope he KEEPS saying that.. and more..
IOW when conservatives take a stand, conservatives win.
Landrieu and Salazar have both gone on record as saying that while they oppose Alito and will vote no, they will not support a filibuster.
55 Pubs (if CHapsME or the Maine Moonbats dont do something stupid), 3 Dems (JOhnson, Nelson, Byrd), Landrieu, Salazar = 60 = no filibuster
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