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The only real alternative I ever heard to this mess was recess appointments. It's an obvious choice, and one I don't really understand why it wasn't used. But President Bush and his advisers are not stupid people. For some reason perhaps someone here can explain, this option was not used.

The 24/7 option has always been a non-starter. And I've never heard enough solid detail of the nuclear option to really know if it would be legitimate.

But Ma's right. The villians here are the Dem senators. Period.

Yet just like in impeachment there will be a stampede of people blaming the Republicans.

The only real alternative I ever heard to this mess was recess appointments. It's an obvious choice, and one I don't really understand why it wasn't used

Maybe Estrada didn't want a recess appointment, it only last till Jan. 2005.

He probably wanted an up and down vote, which the petulant democrats denied him.

Recess appointments are only valid during the current session of Congress and thus are only temporary. When the new Congress convened in January 2005, a recess appointee's name would have to be re-submitted and the process would start over from scratch.

I certainly wouldn't want to go through this garbage again if I were an appointee targeted as some like Estrada have been. That is why, as PKM says, it is vital that we get enough of a majority in the Senate to stop this travesty.

The only real alternative I ever heard to this mess was recess appointments. It's an obvious choice, and one I don't really understand why it wasn't used.

Good point but you make the best one when you say "I don't understand why it wasn't used". We may never know but there are several possible reasons...

Estrada may not have wanted a temporary appointment that had no guarantee of being approved at a later date.
It's presumptious to ask him to work for no salary if he's never confirmed..
There is debate among legal scholars about the legitimacy of a recess appointee and their rulings...

There have been over 300 recess appointments since the country was founded and 11 or so were to the Supreme Court, but they have been decreasing in frequency since Eisenhower....

President Reagan and President GHW Bush made no recess appointments.... President Clinton made only one on Dec. 27, 2000 in the final days of the Clinton administration of Roger Gregory to the 4th Circuit which President Bush renominated this year when his appt was up and he was confirmed.

"Yet just like in impeachment there will be a stampede of people blaming the Republicans"

And, they are right. The Rats, the minority party, was allowed to drive the car. The Senate Leadership would not fight the war. We should be outraged by this failure. We need strong leadership in the Senate and we are accepting primadonnas that are afraid to mess up their hair.

I am DISGUSTED. We Freepers are going to have to drive this.