Posted on 05/23/2005 8:19:01 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Well I looked it up on senate.gov. It indicates that cloture requires 60% of the Senate, ie 60 votes. So I am less sure about that. This may be where the deal fall apart?
They should be ecstatic because it's actually an incremental loss for the gop wusses served up on a silver platter.
From the Spectator--On Myers:
The parameters of the deal insure that six of eight obstructed Bush nominees to the federal judiciary will receive an up or down confirmation vote in the Senate. The three most opposed Bush nominees to the court, Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor, will not have their nominations blocked any longer; also, three other Bush nominees will eventually receive an up or down confirmation vote as well; the only two nominees who still may be filibustered are Michigan judge Henry Saad and William Myers.
Also as part of the compromise, the Democrat moderates promise to prevent any future filibuster of Bush appeals court and Supreme Court nominees. While Democrats were able to have their "exceptional circumstances" clause inserted in the deal, no one anticipates that such a situation will arise, assuming Democrats keep their promise. And it appears, that a number of promises were being tossed around the negotiation room on Monday afternoon.
Several Republican senators involved in negotiations swore that not only will the six Bush nominees be given an up or down vote, but that Democrats in the room were aware that Republicans involved in the negotiations had agreed to vote cloture on Myers as well, and that Democratic negotiators had agreed that such a move could take place, thus also allowing Myers an up or down vote in the Senate. "Assuming that our guys hold themselves to that promise," says another Republican staffer working on the Judiciary committee, "then we're looking at a clean sweep for confirmations."
NRO Bench memos quotes Podhoeretz who says it's a victory.
Podhoretz:
In the real world of real politics, there are -- there must be -- compromises. It is a necessary part of politics that there be those who believe all compromise is evil, because such people give backbone to the compromisers -- and scare the tar out of them. The compromise deal averting the filibuster showdown is a victory for the majority and for the Republicans. It is not a wipeout. It is not a rout. And for the two judge candidates who may have been sacrificed, it really really stinks. But what happened last night is very important. It breaks the Democratic logjam on circuit-court nominees. It establishes the principle that conservative judges have every right to serve on the higher benches even if Democrats can't stand it. And it means that if Republicans have to break the filibuster to ensure an up-or-down vote on a Supreme Court justice, they will have a very strong argument indeed. The argument will be that they are breaking the filibuster out of respect for the tradition that says the choices for the highest court must be advised and consented to by the full Senate. And all this was done without a major conflagration, which is (despite our hunger for major political melodrama) always preferable.
Thanks. I am not sure I am willing to say a major victory yet. I want to see how it plays out. But the deal could pay dividens to the GOP for years.
What do you want to bet that the first person to say "extreme circumstances" is chuckie shumer?
Sorry, I refuse to be their pawn anymore. Until the republican party grows a back bone and stands up for what is right and DOES the right thing regarding illegal immigration and our out of control border situation, social security reform and judicial activism, etc..., I will stay home.
The way the country is going, within a generation we will be as insipid and have the kind of socialist government that Canada has, we are well on our way. America, has become a godless, post-Christian nation controlled and led by wicked, lying men in the government and judiciary. The tragedy is this; through this supposed "deal" a minority of senators within the president's own party has stabbed him (and all of America) in the back and thoroughly compromised his ability to lead. The future of the country now rests in the hands of a minority of evil men led by McCain, Bird, Snow, Chaffe, etc. They have become the power behind the throne. THEY control the country, policy and what happens. The president can't get anything accomplished without them and now needs their approval for anything and everything he wants to do.
After what has taken place, you can forget about Social Security reform, you can forget about controlling the borders or curbing judicial activism. You can forget about fighting the war on terrorism, dealing with China, North Korea, Iran, Syria et al. From heare on out, the PC "moderates" are in control. With this "compromise" we have just been ordered to bend over, grab our ankles and "take it with a smile". From here on out, if they want my money, support and vote, they have to EARN it back.
In reality all of these issues are equally important and the Republican party, controled and led by the gang of 7 liberal "moderates" has just stabbed the president in the back and supports none of them.
One more thing pal, I am not a "dude".
Morning, troll.
Our victory would have been a public fight to defeat these nominees. The liberals have now eliminated minority scars from their attacks as well as defeating the conservatives. For us this was total and disgraceful loss for not only today but the future. The courts are/should be priority one.
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