IMHO, by Fri, 3/15, assuming the Liberation of Iraq (and please quit calling it the "War" with Iraq) doesn't start in the meantime, the RATS will be deperate to find an easy way out of the quicksand they're in.We got 'em!!
Posted on 03/05/2003 7:43:14 AM PST by Jean S
The Democratic Party could pay a price for Senate Democrats’ effort to block President Bush’s nomination of Miguel Estrada for a federal judgeship, according to an internal GOP poll.
The poll, which questioned 1,000 registered voters about the impact of the nomination on Senate Democratic candidates, found that 42 percent of respondents have a less favorable view of Democratic candidates while only 32 percent had a favorable view.
Further evidence of the negative effect of the Democratic filibuster on its own party came from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a traditionally Democratic organization, which has become an ally of Republican Hispanic groups backing Estrada.
But LULAC is in a quandary. Last week, several members of the all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus expressed their irritation with the organization’s pro-Estrada stance and requested that LULAC’s board address their concerns.
“LULAC came out fairly early in support of Mr. Estrada,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas). “We respect that, but we disagree. The problem is that LULAC has allowed itself to be used to legitimize the illegitimate.”
He added, “LULAC needs to look carefully and deeply as to whether or not they’re being used as tools. We’ve worked with them, of course. I can’t believe they’ve allowed themselves to be aligned with certain organizations.”
LULAC has held two joint press conferences with GOP groups like the Latino Coalition, which criticized the Hispanic Caucus for not supporting Estrada.
Even though LULAC did not directly criticize the Hispanic Caucus, some Senate Republicans such as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) accused members of the Hispanic Caucus of being anti-Hispanic, and turning their backs on their own community.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, compared the Hispanic Caucus to a “lioness eating its cub.”
Gonzalez dismissed such criticism. “Trent Lott? I mean, please,” he remarked.
Brian Wilkes, LULAC’s national executive director, played down speculation that his organization is shifting its allegiance to the Democratic Party, and said he plans to issue a release this week criticizing Senate Republicans for their statements against the Hispanic Caucus.
“ We may have been unwittingly caught up in a play for the Republican vote,” Wilkes said. He expressed regret at attending briefings where the Hispanic Caucus was criticized.
“ Unfortunately, Republicans have taken the qualifications away from Miguel Estrada and tried to push a wedge between the Hispanic community and the Democratic Party,” he said. “We never signed up for that.”
Despite the organization’s apparent flip-flop, Wilkes praised President Bush for his outreach to Hispanic voters. He said Hispanic Democrats do have reason to worry about their base gravitating toward the GOP.
Asked about his views on Bush, Wilkes replied: “There is a sense that Bush, unlike his predecessor, has been reaching out to Hispanics. [But] we definitely disagree with his stance on affirmative action. We are concerned about his tax package. He seems to be tilting his economic program toward the more affluent, and that doesn’t help our community.”
While LULAC is going to some length to avoid an open breach with the Democrats, it is not budging from its position that Estrada should be confirmed.
“ We’ve evaluated his record, he’s got a very strong academic record,” said Wilkes, who remarked that Estrada worked in the solicitor general’s office under President Clinton and was once editor of the Columbia Law Review.
Hispanic Democrats say their constituents do not necessarily favor Estrada. Rep. Gonzalez added that his local LULAC chapter does not support Estrada.
The Democrats continue to hammer the message that Estrada is wrong for the job. “I was there when he came before the caucus and refused to answer a question,” said Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.). “I don’t expect George Bush to nominate a liberal, but I expect [the nomination] to be some kind of sensible person.”
This just shows how stupid these people are! Estrada is an expert on the law which is the most sensible person you want on an Appeals Court. He has the top rating from the Bar and has argued and won more cases before the SCOTUS than any other lawyer presently in practice. What more do you need. These idiots want another Clinton appointee = sensible and will lie cheat and fornicate themselves or sell their souls to do it and have no honesty integrity or truth to stand on. Facts, history, truth mean nothing to these people.
Please note that there are many Republican Hispanics in the Congress but I guess they too aren't allowed in the caucus because they aren't HISPANIC enough
Maybe they should start another group, invite ALL the latino congress members to join, and call it the "Real Congressional Hispanic Caucus". Then the Dem version will show up for what it is: a lackey, lickspittle, running dog tool for the Crat party. I'd love to see this tactic used for all the "caucuses du race" in the govt.
We've got to stop letting the opposition define the terms.
IMHO, by Fri, 3/15, assuming the Liberation of Iraq (and please quit calling it the "War" with Iraq) doesn't start in the meantime, the RATS will be deperate to find an easy way out of the quicksand they're in.We got 'em!!
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