Santorum: Frist will go nuclear

The Hill ^ | 4/7/05 | Alexander Bolton

[ErnBatavia]

And then get flattened.

I just hope this isn't a slippery slope....the 'Rats tend to hold majority power a whole lot longer than Republicans; and when they get it back........

[AmishDude]

Republicans (by their nature) will not filibuster dozens of nominees ever. Ever. It's a moot point if the Dems regain power and the Republicans want to filibuster nominees.

The only example was the 1968 nomination of Abe Fortas. The filibuster was a genuine filibuster and lasted 4 days.

Four days. One candidate. Moreover, this was a nomination by the lame duck Johnson in September of that year.

And if anybody mentions Fortas, remember that the votes for cloture at that time were 67. Yes, the precious filibuster was changed.

[John Valentine]

Republicans always worry too much about wha the Democrats will think of them and possible Democrat retaliation if republicans ever have the gonads to actually govern.

This is a huge mistake.

Democrats think Republicans are usurpers. Democrats believe they have a divine right to rule. Democrats will unhesitatingly change rules, or take whatever action is needed to have their way. They will do this whatever the Republicans have or haven't done in the past. To Democrats, Republicans are an insidious nuisance, to be tolerated- barely.

What Republicans need to do is to reap in the season of reaping.

By actually governing, the Republicans can deprive the Democrats of a majority in Congress for a generation. That is exactly what the Republicans need to do - and what the Democrats fear most.

[Zack Nguyen]

The problem with Republicans (and this is the reason they aren't willing to do what is necessary) is that they aren't offended at the Democrats' for the right reasons. They should be offended that the Democrats are holding up pro-life, pro-family, pro-religious freedom nominees who will issue sound opinions.

Instead they are offended because the Democrats are "breaking the rules" or going against tradition. The Democrats are doing this for principled reasons, the Republicans for procedural ones.

And I believe this goes to the heart of why Republicans are so often rolled by Democrats. Democrats understand politics.