Posted on 02/05/2005 9:54:30 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
WASHINGTON -- Senate Republican leaders have decided to begin their use of the "nuclear option" -- forcing confirmation of President Bush's judicial nominations with a majority Senate vote -- on an African-American woman blocked by Democrats from a federal judgeship.
Associate Justice Janice Rogers Brown of the California Supreme Court was one of 16 Bush nominees for U.S. appellate courts whose confirmation was prevented by Democratic filibusters in the last Congress. With Republicans still short of the 60 senators needed to limit debate, the nuclear option will seek to confirm judges with a simple majority vote through parliamentary maneuvers.
Republican leaders considered waiting to use drastic tactics against a possible filibuster until Bush made his first Supreme Court nomination. They decided, however, to launch the offensive about a month from now by trying to confirm Brown.
We'll see.
I certainly hope this is true.
Democrats have countered that they will withhold unanimous consent which will bring Senate proceedings to a crawl.
I would love to see the resultant publicity, though. Could be fun. And, perhaps it is not such a bad idea to keep our lawmakers from doing anything :)
BUMP that.
bttt
FYI, I'd say it is pretty close to true but the name could change. May or may not be Brown.
As to the "please, oh please make them REALLY filibuster...", I'll explain.
The rules aren't what they used to be. Literally, there is no mechanism to "make them REALLY filibuster." It just doesn't exist any more. In fact, the only "real" filibuster would require only one of their guys on the floor at all time and all of ours -- in the past couple of years when it was considered, we had several senators with some significant health problems.
I know this has been a long haul -- believe me, I know, I have been involved in this issue every day for the past four years. But things had to happen in a certain order.
It is going to be quite an interesting couple of months, though, isn't it?
Now, for those of you who want to find out about the "nuclear option", history of the filibuster, etc., a VERY important piece was written by Marty Gold, parlimentary expert for Maj. Leader Bill Frist.
It's what all the cool kids are reading in DC:
http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Gold_Gupta_JLPP_article.pdf
How bout the "kick butt and take names" option?
still waiting...good news though, the Senate committee is supposedely voting on Brown next week, so this will become an issue, big time.
Will the dems filibuster, or throw the GOP a bone?
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