Posted on 11/18/2004 4:04:39 PM PST by conservativecorner
(CNSNews.com) - Pro-life activists, seeking to derail the appointment of Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter to the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will not get a chance to personally argue their case with Majority Leader Bill Frist.
A coalition of pro-life religious leaders did meet with Frist's aides Tuesday, but any efforts to persuade Frist about Specter's fitness to serve as Judiciary chairman will have to be done from afar.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said Frist's top aide cited scheduling problems that would preclude a meeting with Frist from taking place.
"It is deeply troubling that Senator Frist could not find the time to sit down and discuss the Arlen Specter situation with national leaders and clergy from the pro-life/pro-family community. It clearly shows a profound lack of respect and understanding toward the very people who re-elected President Bush and gave the Republicans majorities in both the House and Senate," Mahoney stated.
"The reality that Senator Frist must now understand is, don't dismiss and ignore us today and expect our enthusiastic support in 2008 if you decide to run for president," Mahoney added.
Despite initial concerns over whether Specter, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, would give President Bush's conservative judicial nominees fair hearings, Frist Wednesday sounded like the issue had already been decided.
"Today he had the opportunity to make some comments, which were received very well by members of the (Republican) caucus," Frist said, adding that he was anxious to resolve the issue over who will chair the committee.
In addition to handling the president's nominations to the lower federal courts, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee could soon be dealing with one or more Bush nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
If Mahoney isn't domiciled in Tennessee, then he isn't one of Frist's constituents.
Sounds to me, Poohbah, that your gripe isn't really with a non-resident of TN wishing to meet with Frist, but a Christian non-resident of TN wishing to do so.
If that's what it sounds like, then kindly dig the manure out of your ears (and the rest of your skull, while you're at it).
My gripe is with Mahoney's attitude that Frist declining to meet with him is the same as ignoring all Christian conservatives. It's the same as if I went to Frist's office and presumed to speak for all FReepers, and accused him of ignoring FReepers because he refuses to meet with me
There are a lot of Christians acting as if they're baptized pagans who need to get over themselves and their egos.
True, but in either case we'll learn of his interference and react accordingly.
However, Specter can do a lot of damage while in the Judiciary Committee Chairmanship, and I don't trust the Republican Senators to get him out once Specter's in, if he starts acting up.
I'm in agreement that he can do a wealth of damage while Chair. I remain torn over whether his removal would have been preferable. There are pros and cons to either option, but it would appear the decision has been made to give him the position.
The Republican leadership now has, I believe, a 50 or 51 conservative majority in the Senate if my assessment of the Senators' leanings is correct. They have legitimized a "conservative" majority, one they did not hold with the 51-48-1 split. This may alter the template they use to function in Senate. The role of a Majority Party vs a Minority Party are by nature different.
I do not suggest anyone have condidence in the Senate Republicans, faith must be earned. I am merely advocating that we hold fatal fire until we have actionable proof the Republicans are not willing to make sacrifices to prevent Liberal obstruction for another session.
By same token, I differ from some of the conservative columnists that advocate we "trust them" and withhold all fire. I'm of the belief pressure can be beneficial, I do my best work when under a deadline.
What I will not endorse are "threats" or "name calling" or walking away in a huff. This type of behavior never generates respect, it usually backfires in the faces of those that engage in it.
Our best strategy is to continue a steady stream of E-Mails, letters, faxes, and phone calls expressing in a calm, impassioned, and intelligent manner why we continue to register concern. We should continue to explain as best as able that the joy over Daschle's defeat was largely symbolic of the Dem obstruction. Register the hope and expectations we place in Republican leadership to ensure this doesn't occur, that our votes were a reflection of this implied faith circumstances would alter.
This is what I suggest in the interim until the session begins. Should the Republicans govern as obstructionists, or at least allow it to continue led by one of their own, well, they'll have earned the consequences of their actions.
Mahoney's a constituent of the U.S. Senate., something that evades your reasoning ability.
Kiss federalism good-bye in your view of the world, eh?
Mahoney isn't a constituent, and even if he were, he isn't owed a meeting with Frist solely on that basis.
Mahoney needs to get over himself.
Ding, ding, ding...Pete gets the prize for the most clear and concise summation of the day. My thoughts exactly.
see posts 47 and 87 please
I would like to get outside my own echo chamber here before we allot our resources and start strategic planning.
I really like S. Moore's C4G organization's track record thus far...
...was it Karl Rove that snarled "where else do they have to go?"...
Sold Out With A King Arlen RINO Trump Card BTTT
Exactly right. We Christian conservatives are to the Repubs what the blacks are to the Democrats. They continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats and they get nothing in return. We conservative Christians have voted overwhelmingly for Repubs since Reagan's first term, and we have gotten nothing in return.
That may have been partially excusable when the Repubs had little or no power in Congress, but it isn't acceptable now when they have all the levers of power in their hands. If Spector blocks a single pro-life judge or Justice I am through voting for either major party. I have voted straight Repub since JFK vs Nixon 44 years ago, but I have finally had a bellyful of being taken for granted because of the "where else are you gonna go" attitude. I don't have to go anywhere, I can stay home on election day and do something useful for a change.
I know the routine reply around here, "hey, don't let the door hit you in the butt". That's really cute, see how cute it is when a few million others like me stay home next time and you get Hillary for 8 years. I don't live and breath politics, I can tolerate the idea of Hillary in the Oval Office a lot better than I can tolerate being taken for a sucker every four years by a bunch of backstabbing country club Repubicans.
So what should we do?
Blue Bloods Can't Get Elected Without True Bloods BTTT
This is not steering moderate.
This is straight down the line liberal!
Bill/Hillary [center line] GOP/GWBush
Toomey would be going in if Bush & Santorum would have done the Pro-Life thing.
Watch all you want, it won't do a thing to stop Specter once he gets that chair. The only thing those people understand is having their power taken away. This is the last straw. After 44 years of voting Republican I am through with the idiots.
Conservative Christians are as much fools as the blacks are. If we used our vote bloc as a bargaining chip we could get something from one side or the other. But as long as the GOP bigwigs know they have us in their hip pocket we will get nothing. I know my vote doesn't make a hill of beans to the GOP big shots, but it's mine and I can sit on it if I choose to.
Now is the time to try and bring the Democrat party back around. We desperately need a loyal opposition, Republicans need to be kept in check. Not because they're Republicans, but because they're politicians. Dems can't do that in their present state, they are neither loyal nor a credible opposition.
Look to the Hispanics for smart constituency politicking.
Give the dems a chance to be the Party they once were; strengthens the Country, and the constituency's hand. Naturally, the Constituency must have the Country's best interest at heart as well.
Undersecretary of Defense? National Party Chair?
I concur. But I think after this, Specter will be more receptive. I could be wrong, after all the guy is an ass.
My guess is that he's had an earful, so why does he need to meet with a group or some group's leader? He's got lots of work to do to undo the mess created by that obstructionist, Tom Daschle, and we don't need to belabor the point. We want true allies in the Senate, not just reluctant ones. Let's let him get on with his work, thank him for the part he's played so far, but remind him that we'll be watching to make sure that Sen. Specter abides by the agreements he obviously made to get his Chairmanship of the Judiciary committee.
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