NRO Editor -- "ARLEN SPECTER MUST BE STOPPED: STOP HIM NOW" (from Kathryn J. Lopez)

National Review Online ^ | Nov 4 04 | Kathryn Jean Lopez

[churchillbuff]

ARLEN SPECTER MUST BE STOPPED: STOP HIM NOW [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A few readers have already told me they have e-mailed Bill Frist and/or their senators. The more I think about it, this election is not over—there is unfinished business. As you know, Arlen Specter warned the president yesterday, in the press, that he will have a litmus test for judges if Specter is judiciary chair, a foregone conclusion as far as most are concerned. Fact is, folks, HE IS NOT JUDICIARY CHAIR, but there will be elections in the Senate in the coming days which could very well make him judiciary chairman.

Conservatives, as we have seen, won this election. Many of you personally played no small role in that. Why should Republicans stifle their conservative base by putting Arlen Specter in as judiciary chair? There is no reason. If there was some deal cut that he would be judiciary chair, it seems to me he broke it yesterday.

Some might want to give him the benefit of the doubt. (Not me.) Maybe Specter just wanted to keep the liberals who supported his reelection bid off his case, so he issued his warning to the president on the day of his victory (and a very conservative victory across the nation, at that). Fact is, we only know what he says. And I, for one, will take him on his word.

So, simply put, Arlen Specter cannot be judiciary chair.

If you agree—if you agree that good men and women cannot be kept off the Supreme Court because they are against abortion (disqualifying, for starters, any faithful Catholic, many evangelicals, Muslims, automatically…)—call and e-mail Bill Frist (and your Republican senators, if applicable) today. I’m pretty certain an overwhelming outcry from conservatives in the next few days is the only way Arlen Specter can be kept from becoming a huge obstacle.

So get to work. Frist’s number is 202-224-3344.

P.S. I'd congratulate Frist on his great wins in the Senate, too!

[Lexinom]

Here's an ad-hoc action plan we've put together, including Frist's e-mail

PLEASE WRITE TO HIM, AND YOUR SENATORS! WE MUST TAKE ACTION NOW!

[Aquinasfan]

I e-mailed Frist and alerted my friends. Specter simply cannot be given the chairmanship.

[Always Right]

Can someone explain the process of how a chairman is picked. I seem to remember they are chosen by secret ballot of the committee members. I think that was implemented a few years ago, to keep people from being chairs forever. Anyone know the specifics, it would be helpful.

The GOP has adapted rules that they follow in making their appointments. You can only serve as Chairman for 8 years, this is why Hatch is stepping down. Seniority on serving on that Committee decides the pecking order. Grassley is next in line, but Grassley must choose between the coveted Finance Committee and the Judiciary Committee. Grassley has stated he is going to take the Finance Chair, leaving the Judiciary open to the next person in line, Specter. You can only Chair one Committee. Grassley is receiving some pressure to reconsider and accept the Judiciary Chair instead, which would be a great thing for our country.

I think they can change the rules and appoint some one else, but I think they are afraid that would stir up a lot of poop if they did.

[churchillbuff]

Grassley is receiving some pressure to reconsider and accept the Judiciary Chair instead"""

Sounds like Grassley's the one we need to email.

[reflecting]

bttt

[Paine in the Neck]

Sounds like Grassley's the one we need to email.

Do Both.

I've been trying to fax a letter to Frist on this and I keep getting "All circuits are busy". There must be a few of us trying to get the message through!

[Defiant]

Reiterating his position that a woman's right to choose is "inviolate," he said overturning Roe v. Wade today would be akin to trying to reverse Brown v. Board of Education, the court's 1954 landmark desegregation decision. Barring unforeseen GOP objections, Specter, 74, should assume the committee chairmanship in January.

No, one was correctly decided based on the words of the constitution, and one was not. Overturning Roe v. Wade would be akin to overturning Plessy v. Ferguson, which lasted 50+ years, and which allowed "separate but equal" to be the law of the land. You don't mind that such precedents are ignored, do you Arlen?????

The ABA should be in charge of the judiciary committee.

Anybody But Arlen, that is.

[uncbob]

THis is the way Arlen repays Bush for supporting him in the primary against a conservative challenger who damn near won

It was predicted that Arlen would pull this crap and several were trying to get PA GOPers to vote for the democrat Hoefel
so Scottie wouldn't be able to torpedo the judges

They damn well may have been right

[uncbob]

IM should add don't expect Bush to lay down and take this backstabbing

Specter better watch his butt BIG TIME

[TastyManatees]

Worked the polls in Philly this election. Kept running across Dem labor union members at the various polls with "Specter" shirts on. Also saw Kerry-Specter signs. It was clear that Specter's strategy in Philly was to split the ticket with Kerry. This was after Specter begged for the President's support during his primary, and when the President supported him, it was THE deciding factor that got him through the primary.

From my discussions with the Dem workers, it became apparent to me that the hostility Specter has shown towards us in the Administration over the past year and a half was part of a deal he had cut in advance with the unions for their support in the election. Specter had delivered on his side of the bargain, and those unions worked very hard for him in minority wards.

There are very long memories here in Washington, and it can be a very cold town when you turn your back on your friends.

[Defiant]

As I recall, Grassley is not always the best for us on tax and spending issues. Being from Iowa, he's concerned about farm handouts, and goes along with Dems in order to get them. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone: move Grassley to Judiciary, with an 11-9 or 10-8 breakdown in the committee so that one person can't hold up an appointment, and get someone better into Finance.

And, don't forget--revise those Senate rules at the outset!!!!

[jern]

thanks, I just called. First time I have ever called a Senator's office not in my state. She said she has been hearing this a lot today.....

[2ndreconmarine]

Dem labor union members at the various polls with "Specter" shirts on. Also saw Kerry-Specter signs. It was clear that Specter's strategy in Philly was to split the ticket with Kerry. This was after Specter begged for the President's support during his primary,

Has anyone thought of the possibility that Spectre will be changing parties??? If he is a RINO, he may just out and out become a Democrat.

"Warning" President Bush a day after this election seems a pretty stupid thing to do for a Repbulican Senator. Timing is crazy.

Only explanation that I can see is that he is starting the process of changing parties.

I guess we'll see.

[Always Right]

Has anyone thought of the possibility that Spectre will be changing parties??? If he is a RINO, he may just out and out become a Democrat.

The Dems can have Snow, Chafee, and Specter. At least we would stop the charade game we are playing now.

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

If Spector is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, then 50% of what was won on Nov 3rd has just been ceded to the Democrats.

If the GOP Senate give this committee to Spector -- OR allows him to block Bush nominees, the GOP will be a Senate MINORITY in four years.

Spector has six more years, and Bush only has four, so Spector probably feels he's an imperial, untouchable Senator. Frist should let him spent the next six years in an office the size of a mens-room, or better yet, in a converted mens room, if Spector as much as raises his voice in Committee.

Problem with the GOP Senate, and it's been this way for 20 years, is that the "moderate" (a.k.a."liberal") GOP Senators pre-date the Reagan & Gringrich "revolutions". That is, they have the seniority, so they run the Senate. That's why the GOP Senate always takes half-a loaf when they are in the majority, while the Democrats take a loaf and a half. That's why GOP Judical nominees have trended left even when the appointing President was a conservative.

This crap has got to stop -- NOW.

SFS

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

And, don't forget--revise those Senate rules at the outset!!!!

Yes speaking of which, now that the Senate is more Republican they should stick it to democrats with less committee representation. The easy solution to the Spectre problem is to remove a democrat or two from the committee and add a Republican or two!

[King Prout]

just emailed.

a rather brusque note.

[Walkingfeather]

I called and expressed my concern.

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

Has anyone thought of the possibility that Spectre will be changing parties???

Would never happen. Perks go to the majority party, including all committee chairmanships. If he couldn't pull a "Jeffords", i.e. where the move would make an immediate, material difference in his political fortunes, nothing will move him to switch.

However, Frist and the other GOP Senators have a great deal of authority. They can elect or deep-six the Committee chairmanships. As I just said in my previous post, the problem is that the guys who have been around longest are Michel GOP Senators, i.e. veterans of the "perpetual GOP minority". They wield authority and power as passively as they did when they were the minority for years. They defer to "Senatorial Rules and Traditions" which the Democrats would dump in a flash (and have) to gain the smallest political advantage.

The problem is that the GOP Senatorial leadership is nearly as "tenured" and corrupt as the guys on the other side of the isle. If Spector blocks Presidential nominees, as he did with Bork in the Reagan 80's, he will do so only with the indirect and silent blessing of the six or eight most powerful GOP men/women in the Senate.

SFS

[RobFromGa]

Dear Sen. Frist-

First of all, congratulations on an impressive victory on Tuesday! Your leadership of the Senate has been good these past few years and I look forward to the upcoming Congress with great anticipation.

For those of us who have patiently waited while good people like Miguel Estrada languished due the obstructionist Democrats, the 2004 elections were especially sweet, with an enlarged GOP majority in the Senate and House, as well as the clear rebuke of the stalling tactics personified by Tom Daschle.

It would be terrible to now snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and allow Sen. Specter to head the Judiciary committee. You are aware of the reasons he is unacceptable so I will not waste your time.

I would also encourage you to change the Senate Rules as you discussed previously to eliminate the possibility of endless fillibusters of judicial appointment votes. As you well know, this is not a Constitutional requirement and is a Senate rule which can be changed at each incoming Congress. Without such a change, I am not sure that we will ever be able to pass a conservative onto the Supreme Court.

You MUST spend some of this political capital the people have voted you or it will wither away through time. The opposition party will not play fair in todays climate and the country cannot withstand two years of obstruction.

Best Regards,
Rob XXX
Norcross, GA