Posted on 03/27/2006 5:51:58 AM PST by Brilliant
Everyone deserves a break, even the U.S. Senate. But enough already. It's been two months since Samuel Alito was confirmed to the Supreme Court and it's past time Senate Republicans got back to work confirming appeals-court judges. They won't have 55 seats forever...
Judges are a key issue for the GOP's base, who could stay home on Election Day rather than turn out for Republicans who shilly-shally about confirming President Bush's nominees. There are 17 vacancies on the appeals bench, including nine pending nominations. They deserve to be filled as soon as possible...
An excellent place to start would be to finally vote on Terrence Boyle... Judge Boyle was in Mr. Bush's original group of appeals-court nominees on May 9, 2001, after having failed to get a vote when he was nominated a decade earlier by the President's father. Judge Boyle, who has served on the federal bench for 22 years, had a hearing more than a year ago and was voted out of the Judiciary Committee in June...
Neither nominee is controversial enough to trigger the no-filibuster deal's "extraordinary circumstances" exemption. Judge Boyle's biggest liability is that he once worked for conservative ex-Senator Jesse Helms. Mr. Myers is opposed by Democrats who don't like Mr. Bush's environmental policies, which Mr. Myers implemented as an Interior Department lawyer...
There are also seven appeals-court nominees awaiting action in the Judiciary Committee, including two -- Brett Kavanaugh and William Haynes -- whose nominations have been languishing for years...
Of the remaining five nominees awaiting action in Judiciary, Randy Smith is taking fire from Dianne Feinstein. Judge Smith's sin is to hail from Idaho, and the California Democrat says the Ninth Circuit seat rightfully belongs to a Californian even though the man he would succeed is also from Idaho. Meanwhile...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Frist is protecting the institution of the Senate from confrontation over the judicial confirmation process. Arlen Specter is facilitating that objective.
At least one more nomination is expected to be reported out of Committee this week, Norman Randy Smith to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. Hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, March 29th.
Saad has withdrawn from consideration - he withdrew himself on March 23rd. President Bush withdrew Payne's nomination on March 6th.
Frist is a lousy Majority Leader. He'd be a worse President.
I thought I was the only one who cared about the U.S. Court of Appeals nominees at this point.
This delay and filibuster is a disgrace that must be stopped.
"Frist is protecting the institution of the Senate from confrontation over the judicial confirmation process."
Is this a good thing?
Is this a good thing?
In my opinion, it is a REALLY BAD THING. It distorts a fundamental balance of powers as envisioned in the Constitution.
"In my opinion, [Frist protecting the institution of the Senate from confrontation over the judicial confirmation process] is a REALLY BAD THING. It distorts a fundamental balance of powers as envisioned in the Constitution."
Good. You had me scared there for a sec. We agree 100%.
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