Gore, Democrat Voters Demand End to Filibuster

Sloth | February 13, 2003 | Sloth

[Sloth]

Gore, Democrat Voters Demand End to Filibuster

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a startling turn of events, thousands of opponents of the Bush administration have turned their wrath on Senate Democrats for obstructing the confirmation vote for U.S. Court of Appeals nominee Miguel Estrada. Senate minority leader Tom Daschle orchestrated a filibuster earlier this week to prevent the appointment of Estrada, who he and other Democrat senators say has not been forthcoming enough during the hearing process.

Democratic operatives demonstrate in hopes of securing an up-or-down vote on the Estrada nomination.

Former Senator and Vice President Al Gore himself spoke out forcefully but somberly on the Constitutional threat posed by the filibuster: "Once the votes have been legally cast they have to be counted. That's what we do here in America. We don't give the control over the outcome of the election to the people who are in charge of the voting system or machinery. We count the votes and let the people decide. And that's the only way we can have a legitimate outcome," said Gore.

Former Vice President Gore visits President Bush at the White House to show support for the President's call for a final confirmation vote on Estrada.

"What is wrong with counting the votes?" Gore asked. "I'll tell you what's wrong with not counting the votes. If you ignore the votes, you ignore democracy itself. You ignore the will of the people. You ignore the basic principle upon which our whole system of self-government is based. That principle is the consent of the governed. And the consent of the governed is expressed in elections, through ballots, votes that are cast by the people.

"And if those in charge of the election machinery, for whatever reason, decide that, in this county or that, in this area or in that, they are simply going to ignore the votes and not count them, then the will of the people has not been fully and fairly expressed. And, as a direct consequence, the consent of the governed has not been fully and freely given.

"So every vote should be counted."

Democratic demonstrators protest what they believe is the shameless disenfranchisement of Orrin Hatch and other GOP senators.

In recent days, tens of thousands of Gore supporters have taken to the streets demanding that Estrada receive a "fair, accurate count" of votes in the Senate. Bearing signs reading "This is America; Count Every Vote!" and "Let The People Decide," they protest what they claim is deliberate disenfranchisement of the 51 Republican members of the U.S. Senate.

Shouting the mantra "Count every vote," civil rights leader Jesse Jackson rails against Daschle's opposition to well-qualified minority judicial nominees, at a recent anti-filibuster rally in Washington.

Angry liberals assemble outside Senator Daschle's office demanding that every vote be counted.

Even more surprising, numerous Senate Democrats have vociferously condemned their own positions on the Estrada filibuster.

"How can we teach our children that every vote counts if we are not willing to make a good-faith effort to count every vote?'' asked Connecticut Senator and former Gore running-mate Joe Lieberman, scolding himself as well as fellow Democrats.

"Americans want all votes counted. That's all," said Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, appearing on CNN's "Larry King Live."

New York's junior Senator Hillary Clinton weighed in as well. "I would hope that there will still be an opportunity to have the votes counted," she said, in a separate interview with Larry King.

CBS anchor Dan Rather denounces the Estrada nomination, asserting that "Larry Wilcox was way better on CHiPS."

On the other side of the issue, the normally objective CBS anchor Dan Rather couldn't resist expressing a lone voice of support for the Democrat's stalling tactics. Insisting he was "madder than a rained-on rooster," Rather alleged that Miguel Estrada opposes "a Wookiee's right to choose." The veteran newsman also insisted that Senator Daschle is "more likely to give a hippopotamus a pedicure than to let that funny little wetback get on the federal bench." Rather subsequently revealed that his real name is Zoltan, viceroy of planet Wibleg. He added that he is being persecuted by former presidential candidate Ross Perot, who, Rather alleges, plans to use altered photographs to make him appear to be a lesbian. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer declined to comment on Rather's claims.

[toolbreaker]

Great Stuff!

[FBD]

Thanks fo the ping Sultan. Good stuff, Sloth!

[woofie]

Great!!!!LOL

[FBD]

Sign the petition HERE at NRSC, to end the filibuster of the nomination of Miguel Estrada!

[RGSpincich]

BTTT

[woofie]

Bump some more

[NYC Republican]

That was FANTASTIC! Kudos. Great work. Really exposes the hypocrites!!!!

[goldilucky]

Why is this fellow so particularly important? Is it because he's Hispanic and Bush is trying to appeal to Hispanic voters?

What about the other nominees that are being gridlocked? Let's get all their names listed, FBD then I'll sign the petition. I want all the names of those nominees being withheld for consideration. No just one. I know there are several others.

[conservativemusician]

Oh man, that is funny!

Really nice work, Sloth.
The Rather stuff is killing me.

[Anti-Bolshevik]

Pure genius.

Why are conservatives so witty and smart?

[wita]

This little action, is one reason the founding fathers had the senate as a body representing the interests of the STATE, not the interest of the people. That body of course is the House of REPRESENTATIVIVES, which is NOT opposing the nomination. It makes one wonder why the senate, excuse me that probably should read a small minority of the senate, chooses to do so when 435 of their brethren have already made the choice for the people.

Why? one reason of course is that they can, and partly because the people in 1913 were led to believe that the 17th amendment was in their benefit. So now we have popularly elected people who wish to call themselves senator, who aren't worth what they are paid, and we have created in my opinion, the most powerfull and dangerous body of men and women in the history of this country, who are capable and willing to contol the three branches of govenment from their lofty perches in the body of fools and traitors known formerly as the us senate.

Sign me: Had it with the senate, repeal the seventeenth amendment and lets try it the way the founders intended. Although in todays world that may still be just as risky because of political party attitude that seems to prevail, that party power is what it is all about, not what is good for the country.

[iceskater]

Why are conservatives so witty and smart?

Because we have brains and think. Liberals only use emotion to make their arguments. And, well, we're just better than them. LOL.

Good job, Sloth.

[Sloth]

Why are conservatives so witty and smart?

Awwww... my momma says so, too.

[Sloth]

Shameless autobump

[RAT Patrol]

LOL Nice job.

[bert]

How about a better picture of the old man.

[bert]

Ialso have a more serious post, germane to the topic......

What if Frist called all the Republicans to the chamber and moved the question. Would all the Republicans Vote?

If the vote carried, consent would be given.

It would then be up to the Rats to sue and have the SCOTUS determine wich is more valid...a bonefide vote or a rule that in effect prevents voting.

[votelife]

EVERY ONE, ESP FLORIDA FREEPERS, Sen Bill Nelson's staff this morning said that "he met with Estrada yesterday and is leaning towards supporting him." That means that everyone needs to start calling him now!

Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

[Remedy]

My little attempt at parody.

OUTSTANDING!

[Wolverine]

Listen to this; send it to your friends

Sylvia, a distraught democrat