Posted on 09/11/2003 2:46:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Latinos across America have received a congressional slap in the face.
Having been nominated for the prestigious D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals more than 2 1/2 years ago, Honduran-born Miguel Estrada has recognized where his kind is not wanted. He has withdrawn his nomination. And he withdraws without ever having received an up or down vote before the Senate -- the target of an unprecedented Democrat filibuster.
The fact that Senate Democrats would give such back-handed treatment to a man of Estrada's character and achievements screams loud and clear how they really feel about the Hispanic community and our ideals.
By now his story is well-known. After immigrating to America as a teenager who spoke little English, Estrada graduated from the best schools in the country -- Columbia University and Harvard Law School -- and rose to the top of his profession. He argued 15 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (most lawyers never argue one), served as an assistant U.S. attorney and solicitor general under presidents of both parties and earned the highest endorsement given by the American Bar Association.
Numerous high-ranking officials from the Clinton administration attested to his ability to objectively uphold the law and strongly supported his confirmation.
But like the vast majority of Latinos (and unlike a few prominent Senate Democrats), Estrada has remained faithful to the teachings of the church of his childhood, the Catholic Church, which includes a belief in the sanctity of life.
Almost two-thirds of Hispanics reject abortion on demand. Yet Estrada never crusaded his views, and as assistant solicitor general was at times called upon to defend pro-choice positions in federal court.
Estrada's political assassins also charged that he never publicly swore allegiance to affirmative action -- then again, he also never publicly denounced it. His accusers included a few Latino organizations so co-opted by the Democrat Party, and out of touch with the Latino mainstream on this issue (80 percent of Latinos wanted Estrada confirmed and 88 percent thought he should at least receive a Senate vote), their opinion should hardly matter.
Such liberal groups slice off their nose to improve their sense of smell. As the first Hispanic on the D.C. court, and a likely future candidate to the Supreme Court, Estrada would have single-handedly done more for Latinos -- by destroying stereotypes, blazing new opportunities and elevating us in the eyes of the mainstream -- than any diversity program or race-based quota.
Estrada's confirmation would have been a tremendous source of pride for our community. He would have been a role model for every Latino boy and girl struggling in school, wondering whether it's worth the tremendous effort to master a strange language and embrace a strange culture, and wondering whether they, in turn, will ever be embraced.
Knowing full well that the real reasons for denying Estrada a Senate vote would infuriate Hispanics and Catholics, Democrats concocted various myths for their unprecedented attack.
They deceitfully claim he failed to answer questions in a "forthright manner." Mentira! (Lies!) He went out of his way to meet with senators and provided answers virtually indistinguishable from those of previous judicial nominees.
They whine that he wouldn't provide memos from his time as assistant solicitor general. Yet every living former solicitor general applauded the administration's decision not to release Estrada's privileged legal work while assistant solicitor general under Clinton.
It is disgusting that liberal Democrats and interest groups will pander to our people so long as we remain poor, dependent and easily led by promises of handouts and hand-ups. But rue the day when a Latino can stand on his or her own merit, remaining true to the values of our community.
We can then expect these Democrats to label us "not representative of the community." They will denounce us with unprecedented fury because that is the day they become irrelevant.
In the echoing silence of Miguel Estrada's withdrawal, Latinos should wake up and abandon the party that abandoned us.
Vernadette Ramirez Broyles is an attorney with the Atlanta law firm Lawgical Counsel and public policy counsel for a national faith-based nonprofit called "We Care America."
Ooops - Republican Senate leadership - never mind!
Big `ol BTTT on that one .
Estrada is the first circuit or district judicial nominee ever to be defeated by filibuster. Or put another way, he is the first nominee to be forced to gain the support of 60 senators rather than a majority. He has been investigated and grilled for over two years and nothing of substance was discovered to disqualify his nomination. All that the Democrats could discover is that Estrada has served with distinction in and out of government. He served honorably in the Office of the Solicitor General during the Clinton administration and in the Justice Department as a superb prosecutor. Now he has left public service, and he is making a bundle.
The reason that a man of such normative views as Estrada has been opposed by the Democrats is that they see themselves as the party of the ethnic minorities. Estrada is a Latino. When I claimed he was a Japanese-American, I was just trying to get a little rise out of his Democratic tormentors. That the Republicans would raise him to one of the highest courts in the country proves that Latinos are welcome in the Republican Party, too. They do not have to be beholden to Democrats. Moreover, Estrada is so manifestly qualified for the court that, were he confirmed, he might very well be nominated by the Bush administration to the Supreme Court. That would badly impair the Democrats' claim to be the party of Latinos. Thus the soi-disant party of Latinos comes down hard on a successful Latino.
The Senate Republicans are increasingly angered about the Democrats' obstructionism. They are laying plans to thwart the Democrats' unprincipled filibusters. Some are also considering plans to urge the White House to nominate Estrada again a couple of years down the road, but this time to a higher court, the Supreme Court.
By then, if the Democrats continue to play the role of the bully, there will be even fewer of them in the Senate, and Estrada's Supreme Court nomination will sail through. He will have his house in the country and life-long employment in a job where he can wear a comfortable loose-fitting robe rather than a three-piece suit.***
You don't think the "filibusters" and other Democrat obstructionism had anything to do with it?
Oh, thank God! I was afraid we might reach ten or more posts before someone removed the blame from where it belongs and heaped it upon the GOP. But you restored my faith in FR!
"It's all the GOP's fault."
No, you in the back row wanting to discuss facts, sit down and shut up!
"It's all the GOP's fault!"
Yes, we all know about the Dem's and their dirty pool and that's whats so shameful about this. No One knows what the Conservative Republicans did? Vote, After Vote, After Vote, That was it! A forgone conclusion they would lose every vote till hell freezes over. Great strategy (I mean tragedy)
Let me tell you how the great conservative movement is being conceved by the little fol;ks out here.
They walk around with their nose high in the sky thinking they are to good or above activism. The Dem's laugh at your stuffed shirts.
It's called
PRO ACTIVE RESPONSE, ACTIVISM, RALLY THE TROOPS, GO ON TV EVERYDAY, IN YOUR FACE DAILY, LEAVE THE STATE (Texas), MAKE A STAND FOR GODS SAKE, DO SOMETHING WE SEE, DO SOMETHING THAT LETS THE REST KNOW WE WILL NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER, EXPOSE THE CULPRITS. JUST DO SOMETHING. Most Anmericans don't even no who Estrada is and that sir is the Republicans fault. Talk is cheap!
Let's recall that "Power Sharing" advocated by Lott, the kid-gloves handling of Reno by Hatch, Glenn making Thompson tow-the-line on Chinegate, ... etc.
And now the Republicans are anger - gee, that's news. If they really get "anger" are they going to pout and take their "bat 'n ball" and go home?
We seem to forget that the dim-0-crats know how to use political power; and sadly the Republicans have not a clue.
Finally, this next "ploy" for Miguel Estrada can only be put in play if; (a) Bush wins a second term - by no means a sure thing, and (b) Republican Congressional seats increase - doubly not a sure thing.
Considering I'm an independent, please try again to fit me into this equation.
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