DAVID BRODER: LET THE SENATE ADVISE (RAT Pack the Courts) Crap Masquerading as an Editorial

The Wichita Eagle ^ | June 25, 2003 | David "RATman" Broder

[RAT Patrol]

Let the Senate advise
DAVID BRODER: LET THE SENATE ADVISE
Bush should consult with Democratic leaders about possible Supreme Court nominees.

It would greatly disappoint the warring armies of interest groups in Washington, D.C., salivating for a fight over the next U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. But there is a way out of such a debilitating battle -- with all its ominous implications for the independence and reputation of the judiciary -- if key players at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are willing to show some flexibility.

The path around such a knock-down-drag-out fight has been opened by Democratic senators who have urged President Bush to "consult" with Capitol Hill before deciding his choice for the high court.

No one knows when there may be a vacancy to fill, but with the current term coming to an end, speculation is rife that Chief Justice William Rehnquist or Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, both in their 70s, may be ready to retire.

In anticipation of that possibility, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has written to Bush urging him to engage "in meaningful consultation with members of the Senate, including those in the other (Democratic) party, before deciding on nominees."

For more crap click here: RAT Pack the Courts for us

[rwfromkansas]

They just took a Broder column and used it for an editorial? Uggghhh!!!!!!!

[nyconse]

Ginsberg and Souter are consensus judges-I don't think so.

[HatSteel]

David Broder might just be onto something about "advice and consent." The huge gaping problem that you could drive an M1 tank through is this: The Republicans control the Senate.

Why would Bush go to the minority for advice?

The advice of the majority of Senators will be, "Full steam, Mr. President, you're our go-to guy!"

To allow a minority of Democrats to have power of approval over the pre-selection of nominees is to have exactly what we now have....a minority telling the majority what to do.

Broder should camp out for a week with a copy of the Constitution. Simple majority vote after hearings determines whether the President's nominee passed muster with the entire Senate.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Broder is an idiot.

[mabelkitty]

Send them a copy of the Constitution.

This is why we need better History teachers in the classroom.

[pankot]

He is also brain dead. Ever see him on TV?

[Poseidon]

The only time this crap is a "good idea" is when the Rats are in the minority. I don't recall them ever suggesting this when they held a majority... do you?

[RAT Patrol]

Why would Bush go to the minority for advice?

Good point.

[RAT Patrol]

Ginsberg and Souter are consensus judges-I don't think so.

No kidding. Of course, he chooses a liberal republican to make his point. That's what liberals always do. They find a Republican who agrees with them on any given subject, even though he is the LONE Republican with that perspective, and they use that to prove they are bipartisan. Lying jerks!

Further, what's this "consensus" crap? We have a consensus (majority) already. The RATs want a super-majority.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... maybe someone should send Mr. Broder a copy of the Constitution with the troublesome paragraphs highlighted - thereby enlightening Mr. Broder to the fact that what he's proposing is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

And ... I don't recall anyone on the democrat side making such a stupid statement when Clinton was in office - like having the republicans CONSULT with x42 on nominees ...??

Can anyone spell D E S P E R A T E ...???

[JohnnyZ]

To be fair to Hatch, what he said in response to this latest Rat proposal was "when Democrats say "consult" they mean "do what they want""; and something like 'maybe if the Democrats hadn't been such obstructionist a*******s for the last two years we would have listened to them'

[JohnnyZ]

"Consultation, to Democrats, means accepting their views," Hatch said. He said that if Democrats had cooperated with Bush "instead of smearing people" who were nominated for lower court judgeships, they would have more bargaining power.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/935082/posts

[republicman]

SO typical - a liberal trying to pretend he is impartial and doing a poor job of it.

I'm surprised the old turd hasn't dried up and blown away yet.

[lasereye]

Broder likes to sound like he's being non-political when he's actually trying to boost the Dems/liberals.

[daddypatriot]

I saw David Broder in the flesh one time. He was covering a Republican Party rally, and I thought he was a member of the custodial staff at the school where the rally was held. Reading Broder's stuff is like reading Bob Novak, which is like watching paint dry. The only two exciting writers left are Michalle Malkin and Ann Coulter.

[RAT Patrol]

What all of this really says is that RATs and their liberal Republican friends value abortion over the Constitution or anything else.

RAT journalists have 5 Republican phone numbers: McCain, Hatch, Spector, Chaffee, and Snowe. Jumping Jeffords recently jumped himsself off their speed dials.

[RobbyS]

In 2000 the Supreme Court terrifed the Liberals. The creature they had created, the super-legislature, showed that it could be used AGAINST them. The case in Michigan showed that the court no longer exists as a unit but consists of parties, with two judges axting as swing votes. So now they want to bargain, to insure that the new appointees swing their way, at least on certain issues. To hell with that.

[votelife]

Freepers, rather than waiting to see what happens with Estrada, we need to take the lead. That means presuring Senators, special interest groups, media organizations, etc. This thread is meant to be an ongoing effort to get this man confirmed. For too many years liberals have had their way on the courts. Now, President Bush is in a position to move the courts to the right. The election of '02 showed that the country is with the President. I think it's time to let Daschle, Hillary, and Pelosi know this is Bush country. Are you with me! Let's FREEP these people.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/847037/posts

[syriacus]

DAVID BRODER:
LET THE
SENATE
ADVISE

Should read:

LET THE SENATE minority
CHOSE THE NEW JUSTICES AND
RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER
THE PRESIDENT
AND THE SENATE MAJORITY