If They Really Want to… Let the Dems filibuster Estrada.

The Senate Democrats are threatening to filibuster a floor vote on Miguel Estrada, President Bush's nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court.

Hundreds of articles detailing Estrada's qualifications have already been written. Countless organizations, including the American Bar Association and the League of United Latin American Citizens, have expressed their unqualified support for the nominee. Just last week, the Washington Post advised Democrats to pick another front on which to fight Bush.

I say let a filibuster of the first Hispanic nominated to this prestigious post be their first major legislative act of the year.

Let their presidential hopefuls hit the campaign trail forced to explain to Hispanic voters why they attacked a successful young immigrant called to serve his country.

Let them explain to the largest and fastest-growing minority in America why Miguel Estrada deserved to be the first-ever lower-court nominee to be filibustered on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Let Chuck Schumer explain to New York's Latino voters, who just helped reelect George Pataki, why the rules needed to be rewritten when one of their own came before his committee.

Let Barbara Boxer face California's Hispanic voters, explaining why Beltway politics necessitated that she obstruct the progress of what has become a symbol of success for millions of Latinos.

Let the '04 Florida Senate race hinge on which candidate's party did everything it could to destroy the reputation of a Latino immigrant who went to Harvard. And let the Bush brothers remind Florida's immigrant voters of that fact…in Spanish.

Let the Democrats betray the increasingly powerful Latino organizations who have traditionally backed the party's initiatives, but now largely support Estrada.

Let Terry McAuliffe beg for those all-important hard dollars from the same Latinos whose hopes for recognition and respect were systematically thwarted at every turn by his party.

Let the Democrats enter into the coming Supreme Court nomination battle already having opposed one Hispanic Bush nominee and ready to oppose the next.

Let the Democrats deny Latinos this symbolic victory, while the party continues to oppose not-so-symbolic school-choice and market-based healthcare reforms, both of which Hispanics overwhelmingly support.

Let the Democrats deny Latinos this symbolic victory, while the party continues to oppose not-so-symbolic school and healthcare reforms. After all, only 92 percent of Hispanics support teacher testing and only 85 percent favor market-based healthcare.

I say let the Democrats' stalled efforts at Hispanic outreach crash into the wall of lies, condescension and sanctimony that they don't bother to conceal.

I say if your opponent is in the process of committing political suicide, don't get in his way.

— Raul Damas is director of operations at Opiniones Latinas, a polling and strategy firm specializing in Hispanic voters.

Dear President Bush,
With the Surpeme Court session getting ready to close, it may well be time for perhaps the most important domestic decision of your presidency: the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice(s). The main reason why I supported you in 2000 and why I wanted Daschle out of power in 02 (and 04) has to do with the courts. I want America courts to interpret law, not write law. During your presidential campaign you said Thomas and Scalia were your two model justices. Those are excellent models. The High Court needs more like them. Clarence Thomas recently said to students that the tough cases were when what he wanted to do was different from what the law said. And he goes by the law. This should be a model philosophy for our justices. Your father, President Bush lost his reelection campaign for 3 main reasosn, as far as I can see. 1. he broke the no new taxes pledge 2. David Souter 3. Clinton convinced people we were in a Bush recession (which we had already come out of by the time Clinton was getting sworn in)

I urge you to learn from all three of these: 1. on taxes, you're doing great. Awesome job on the tax cut. 2. good job so far on judicial appointments. I want to see more of a fight for Estrada, Owen, and Pickering, but I commend you on your nominations. 3. by staying engaged in the economic debate you'll serve yourself well

I have been thoroughly impressed with your handling of al Queida, Iraq, and terrorism. You have inspired confidence and have shown great leadership.

But I want to remind you that your Supreme Court pick(s) will be with us LONG after you have departed office. I urge you to avoid the tempation to find a "compromise" pick. Go for a Scalia or Thomas. Don't go for an O'Connor or Kennedy. To be specific, get someone who is pro-life. Roe v Wade is one of the worst court decisions I know of, and it's the perfect example of unrestrained judicial power.

I know the temptation will be tremendous on you to nominate a moderate. But remember who your true supporters are. I am not a important leader or politician. I am "simply" a citizen who has been an enthusiatic supporter of you. I am willing to accept compromise in many areas of government but I will watch your Court nomiantions extremely closely. What the Senate Dems are doing right now is disgusting, but as the President you have the bully pulpit to stop it. Democrats will back down if you turn up serious heat on them.

Moreover, I think public opinion is shifting towards the pro-life position. Dems will want you to nominate a moderate, but almost all will vote against you anyways. Pro-choice Repubs will likely still vote for you if you nominate a Scalia, after all, you campaigned on it. So Mr. President, I urge you to stick with your campaign statements and nominate justices who believe in judicial restraint, like Scalia and Thomas.

Happy Memorial Day and may God bless you and your family.

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