LIVE THREAD: SENATE FILIBUSTER!! Call Capitol Swtchbrd 1-800-648-3516 to Protest Dem Obstructionism

www.freerepublic.com | November 12, 2003

[Howlin]

FILIBUSTER BEGINS AT 6:00 P.M. EST!!!!

[Nam Vet]

I just called the Republican cloakroom and GOT STRAIGHT THROUGH!!!! Told the guy I was calling from Oregon in support of the Republican effort and to tell Wyden I'd be voting and contributing against him next time he's up. I got straight through!!!!

Nam Vet

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Do the Pubbies have to get 60 votes to change the rules on judicial nominations, or is a simple majority enough?

[Mo1]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1019988/posts?page=152#152

* Tom Daschle (D-SD) "I find it simply baffling that a Senator would vote against even voting on a judicial nomination." (Cong. Rec., 10/5/99, S11919)

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I rise to express how saddened I am by the party-line vote against Judge Ronnie White today. I had sincerely hoped that today would mark the beginning of a bipartisan attempt to clear the backlog of federal judicial nominees and begin to fill the vacancies that are rampant throughout the federal judiciary. I was mistaken. Instead, we got a party-line vote against a qualified minority judge coupled with a continued refusal to schedule votes on other qualified minority and women nominees.

Judge White is eminently qualified to sit on the federal bench. He is a distinguished jurist and the first African-American to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court. Prior to his service on Missouri's Supreme Court, Judge White served as a State Representative to the Missouri Legislature, where he chaired the Judiciary Committee. In his law practice, which he continued during his service as a legislator, White handled a variety of civil and criminal matters for mostly low income individuals. His nomination received the support of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Saint Louis Post Dispatch, and the National Bar Association. He is a fine man who has given his life to public service and he deserved better than what he got from this Senate. He deserved better than to be kept waiting 27 months for a vote, and then to be used as a political pawn.

This vote wasn't about the death penalty. This vote wasn't about law and order. This vote was about the unfair treatment of minority judicial nominees. This vote tells minority judicial candidates ``do not apply.'' And if you do, you will wait and wait, with no guarantee of fairness.

Judge Marsha Berzon, for instance, has been kept waiting more than 20 months for a vote. Judge Richard Paez has been waiting more than 44 months. These nominees deserve a vote. While I am totally dismayed by what happened here today with respect to Judge White's nomination, the Senate today functioned, albeit in a partisan, political manner.

As Chief Justice Rehnquist has recognized: ``The Senate is surely under no obligation to confirm any particular nominee, but after the necessary time for inquiry it should vote him up or vote him down.'' An up-or-down vote, that is all we ask for Berzon and Paez. And, after years of waiting, they deserve at least that much. The Republican majority should not be allowed to cherry-pick among nominees, allowing some to be confirmed in weeks, while letting other nominations languish for years. Accordingly, I vow today, that we Democrats just will not allow Paez and Berzon to be forgotten.

As I have in the past, I will again move to proceed to the nominations of Judge Paez and Marsha Berzon, and I intend to take this action again and again should unnamed Senators continue to block a vote. Particularly after today's vote, I must say, I find it simply baffling that a Senator would vote against even voting on a judicial nomination. Today's actions prove that we all understand that we have a constitutional outlet for antipathy against a judicial nominee--a vote against that nominee. What the Constitution does not contemplate is for one or two Senators to grind a nomination to a halt on the basis of a ``secret'' hold. This cowardly, obstructionist tactic is an anathema to the traditions of the Senate. Thus, today, I implore, one more time, every Senator to follow Senator LEAHY's advice, and treat every nominee ``with dignity and dispatch.'' Lift your holds, and let the Senate vote on every nomination.

The business of judges is the simple but overwhelmingly important business of providing equal justice to the poor and to the rich. Accordingly, the consequences of this confirmation process are awesome. It is time that we all take it more seriously and it is time that we schedule votes on every nominee on the Calendar--including Judge Paez and Marsha Berzon. All we are asking of our Republican colleagues is to give these nominees the vote--and hopefully the fair consideration--they deserve. We will press this issue every day and at every opportunity until they get that vote.

Today is a dark day for the Senate. We have voted down a fully-qualified nominee but I hope we can do better in the future and that we can move forward on the Paez and Berzon nominations in a fair and non-partisan manner.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Clerk will report the next nomination, Calendar No. 215.


152 posted on 11/12/2003 11:19 AM EST by OXENinFLA (Lack Of Orders Is No Excuse For Inaction ------ Patton)

[Howlin]

You need to put your North Carolina flag on your FR home page so we'll know you're in this state!!!! And you can get pinged to NC threads!

[rwfromkansas]

Somebody posted a list of quotes on here.......forgot who

[Michael Barnes]

Help me out here? I missed the premise of 2372-0 thingee...

[BCrago66]

Allen just made a geat point. Mocking Levin!

[TaxRelief]

You may need to change your name to Santorum4prez.

[Howlin]

Go ahead and try. I'll call Lindsay Graham!!!!

[Huber]

Changed tag line...

[Maigrey]

I saw earlier this year when he did the beat-down on Hildy and he was truly amazing.

I can't wait until he comes back and let's the Rats have it once again.

[Jim Robinson]

I don't know on that one. I'm guessing it would take a super majority to change the rules.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Frist Poll Here

[mathluv]

Sen Allen now reading some of the dims statements back to them about voting on judges!

[CWW]

Allen nails Levin with his own words! AWSOME!!!

[tapatio]

Will do thanks!

[Huber]

Answer is below in tag line

[onyx]

YOU ARE AWESOME!

[MinuteGal]

I can't believe it! My C-Spam 2 (senate) here in west central Florida wiped out the filibuster and is now broadcasting some maggot-infested rap music programs. My C-Spam 1 doesn't have it either. Can't find it on cable or network, either.

Does anyone have a sound link?

Please post it right away, as the hemlock cup is moments away from my lips right now.

Leni

[RandallFlagg]

I can't FReep it anymore. It won't put it up again.