GOP judges still wild card - (Barbara Boxer v. Carolyn Kuhl.)

The Sacramento Bee ^ | Monday, November 11, 2002 | Michael Doyle -- Bee Washington Bureau

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush will certainly be getting more conservative judges through the newly Republican Senate, but he still faces limits summed up in one case study.

Barbara Boxer v. Carolyn Kuhl.

Individual senators retain tremendous power to stall judicial nominations, regardless of which party claims the majority.

[Utah Girl]

From what I've read and heard, Orrin Hatch is going to put President Bush's recommendations on judicial nominees into play. No more blue slips. It will be interesting to see what happens, to hear the dems squawk. Too bad.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

No more blue slips.

Good, Load up the courts with conservatives that can hold their seats for the next 30+ years!!!!

[San Jacinto]

I guess 9th Circuit Judges will just have to come out of Utah and not California.

[gubamyster]

From what I've read and heard, Orrin Hatch is going to put President Bush's recommendations on judicial nominees into play. No more blue slips.

I hope you're right about that. Christopher Cox could be the first test for Feinstein/Boxer.

[Stirner]

Since California has two Democratic senators, they can blue slip Bush's court nominees indefinitely (unless the blue slip tradition is ignored). I don't know whether the appeals circuit courts that serve California cover more than just that one state. If they do, Bush can nominate judges from (say) Nevada or Idaho and leave Californians out in the cold (like they have done to Mississippi). Can any West Coasters enlighten me about which circuit courts cover which parts of California?

[ER_in_OC,CA]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. Hey, if Babs Boxer doesn't want Californians on the federal court bench, fine. We'll just shop for states with Senators who will grease the skids.

Line up a stream of 20+ nominees from UT.

[Gritty]

Incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch will have to decide whether to continue honoring the practice.

Well, that's it. It's over.

Hatch will no doubt forgive and forget the past and want to return to the pre-2001 congeniality and have a great big Group Hug with the likes of Schumer, Leahy, Boxer and the rest of the totally corrupt Democrats on the Committee. As they say, 'don't count your Hatch before he chickens'!

Why should any 2 State Senators have absolute veto power over a nominee from their State? The Constitution only gives it to the Senate as a whole, not the two Grandees who haughtily presume their election is the greatest thing since sliced bread when it comes to selecting the Federal Judiciary! The Consitution gives the intitial pick to the President, not the veto power to the likes of Vladimir Boxer!

[sanjacjake]

How are you?... As a Californian..we have to do
better with our nominees....Gov. Race an example.
Starting now- target for '04 is Barbara Boxer...the
most liberal of liberals...a chatter box and Clinton
type clone..her daughter married to Hillary's brother...
She has to be the poster gal for Republican comeback in
the biggest state.... take care..Jake

[Utah Girl]

Here is an editorial, or rather a rebuttal to an editorial penned by Orrin yesterday. He doesn't explicitly say no more blue slips, but he does plan on putting President Bush's plan into action, and there are no blue slips there.

Tribune Out of Order on Judicial Appointment (Orrin Hatch on judicial appointments)

[chachacha]

BORK, BORK, BORK. At any age.

[Utah Girl]

Read post #10, I think Orrin Hatch isn't going to play ball with the Democrats on the judicial nominees. He will be fair, but he can now do a better job because the committees and the Senate won't be evenly split.

[PMCarey]

Taney would go on to author the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision declaring slaves to be property with no recourse in the courts.

Expect to see this argument made by the Dems:

1. No judge has been renominated since Judge Tanney
2. Judge Tanney authored the Dred Scott decision
3. Bush wants to renominate Owens

Therefore ...

4. Bush wants to reinstate the Dred Scott decision

[Common Tator]

We picked up 2 seats this year. This year we should have lost 5 or 6.

The question every Democrat has to ask is can Bush pick up seats in 2004. This time the Republicans went from 20 to 22 out of 34 seats. It could end up being 23 out of 34 seats that were up this year. History says lose this year gain them back in 2004.

If in 2004 Bush picks up the normal number of seats won in an on year election, things will be a lot better for us. But what if the situation is Bush picks up a couple or so more than normal, then the senate in 2005 adn 2006 could be 60 plus Republicans to 40 minus Democrats.

Sixty Repubican seats gives the Republicans absolute and total control of the senate. I don't think either party has had absolute control since LBJ in in 1965 and 1966. If Bush can get that kind of Senate Seat victory in 2004, then he can make the type of impact that LBJ did. Only in reverse.

Perhaps the Demorats are truly out of touch. But someone must be saying to the Democrats "PLEASE DON'T GIVE DUBYA THE CLUB TO BEAT US WITH." The question is, are the Democrats listening?

[Common Tator]

President Bush's plan into action, and there are no blue slips there.

If you saw Orhin Hatch's anger when Leahy went back on his word to Strom Thurman, you know what is coming down.

But do not. DO NOT. Expect Republicans to talk tough. Expect Orin and the rest of the Republians to talk of fairness and brotherly love and sweetness and light.

Here is the real Bush Doctrine.

Always propose a program of free band aids for all just before you slit their throats.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thought this graphic referring to the different states covered by the respective Courts of Appeals might be useful:

For information click on the following Logo:

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Always propose a program of free band aids for all just before you slit their throats.

ROFL!

[Utah Girl]

I'm expecting the iron hand in the velvet glove from President Bush and the Senate Republicans. I don't care how the Republicans talk as long as they get the judicial nominees through. And I think that President Bush will always be available to lend his backbone when the Senate Republicans start waffling. This last election showed how much strength President Bush has amongst Americans.

[Utah Girl]

Thanks for the line. That will be very helpful in the future.

[Quix]

Lord, wouldn't it be nice if Boxer had a sudden compulsion to teach Jitterbug, Foxtrot or square dancing in a mine field?

Or maybe an addiction to Betel nut until her mouth no longer functioned?

How about hoof and mouth disease?

Or athelete's feet of the gums?

A tongue-ectomy ought to improve her looks a lot.

Maybe leprosy with assistants running before her shouting "UNCLEAN!" "UNCLEAN!"

Maybe someone could hide some superglue in her lipstick.

It would be really wonderful if she suddenly developed an allergy to the media.

Maybe fire ants will suddenly find her back and front yards and African bees all her fruit trees.

Maybe she could take a vacation to Australia and certain spiders there take up residence in her shoe boxes.

Alzheimer's is pretty common, isn't she overdue?

I suppose it's remotely possible that she'll want to inspect the war on Iraq and some bright patriot will keel haul her for treason.

It's a pity she probably won't volunteer for target practice as . . .

In the mean-time, Lord, how about making sure that all her dirty socks are stored in her vast oral cavity between washings? /ornery-ness