Posted on 05/25/2005 6:28:42 AM PDT by GaryL
All you conservatives out there – listen up! Take a deep breath! Climb down from the ledge! Chill out! Things are not as bad as they seem! As a matter of fact, things are downright rosy!
In spite of what all the conservative pundits are saying – including Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, Laura Ingraham, Thomas Sowell – we did not get rolled in Monday’s deal with the Democrats. As a matter of fact, it’s just the opposite. The Democrats have been taken to the cleaners…only they don’t know it yet! As usual, they have followed Teddy Kennedy’s advice and he has led them into another political disaster.
The problem is that no one – including our side - is looking at the big picture. What actually happened as a result of this deal is that, for all practical purposes, the filibuster as a means to obstruct judicial nominees is dead! Isn’t that what we wanted in the first place? And like Reagan winning the Cold War without firing a shot, we achieved this goal without having to initiate the so-called “nuclear option,” and thus avoided taking the huge hit from the mainstream media. The MSM was waiting with bated breath, ready to pounce on the Republicans like a cat on a cornered mouse. Can’t you just hear them repeating the mantra “…and the Republicans actually changed the rules in the middle of the debate!”
In the first place, we now will get confirmed the three nominees deemed by the Democrats to be the most “extreme”: Pricilla Owens, Janice Rodgers Brown, and William Pryor. OK. Follow me on this. If these three are the most “extreme” - by the Democrats own definition - what does that make the others? That’s right…moderates! Does anyone really believe that the Democrats will now resurrect the filibuster to obstruct “moderate judges”? Of course not! Majority Leader Frist has vowed that all of the remaining judges will be put forward for votes promptly, possibly within a week or two. Should the Democrats be foolish enough to filibuster any of these “moderates,” he has also vowed again to ignite the “nuclear option.” All the centrist Republicans who supported the agreement – including Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham – have likewise vowed to support Frist should it become necessary. Let me see…they give up the filibuster while we retain the right to use the “nuclear option” against the filibuster and have become united in our opposition to it. Sounds like a victory to me!
How about the seven Democratic “centrist” senators? I doubt very seriously that any of them would support a filibuster at this stage of any kind, most especially against the remaining “moderate” judges. Guess what. These people have been looking for a way to dissociate themselves from the Teddy Kennedy wing of their party… and now they have found it. Trust me…THE FILIBUSTER IS DEAD! Without these seven senators, the Democrats couldn’t filibuster Attila the Hun!
And don’t you see how silly the Democrats are looking already? What was all the fuss about Pricilla Owens in the first place that they had to block her for four years? This so-called “extremist” will be confirmed today with a sizeable number of their own party voting for her! That’s some “extremist!” In other words, they’ve proven again for all to see that you can’t trust their judgment on who is really “extremist” and who isn’t. Like the little boy who cried wolf, their use of the label “extremist” has a definite “hollow ring” to it.
Let’s recap: the Republicans have effective eliminated the filibuster without taking the huge media hit, while letting it be know that they retain the threat of the “nuclear option,” with their seven senators on record as supporting Frist should the Democrats be foolish to try the filibuster again. In addition, the Republicans appear as the “moderates” in the debate, willing to try compromise to avoid a senate showdown. As an added side benefit, John McClain – by taking the lead on this and being so willing to side with the Democrats – has shown once again that he can’t be trusted and for all practical purposes has committed political suicide. Can anyone imagine him winning a single Republican primary in 2008? As usual the media has got it wrong again, making McCain the winner and Frist the loser.
All in all, not a bad day’s work!
Remember now - she is a woman - dems will start thinking of the commercials of themselves voting against a woman in the next voting cycle...
Good analysis. But having taken this side of the issue and emerged burnt to a crisp, watch your backside. Some of these folks here are as nasty as any you will meet on the "competing" boards. Too bad FR has degenerated into a hotbed of flame throwers. Your piece, whether one agrees or disagrees should bring out reasoned debate, not insult laden flames. Good job.
Right On!!
John McCain was prominently involved, so I have a very hard time believing that the conservativism won here.
But maybe if we keep telling ourselves that, it will be so.
Kampfschwimmer.......
The "nuclear option" has been exposed to let the Democrats know that Bush will get the Supreme Court nominees that he wants with very little "advice and consent" of the minority.
"When Priscilla Owens finally gets a full senate vote - it will be something like 80-20"
I agree that you're dreaming. If she gets 60, I'll be shocked. I'm predicting around 52.
Qwinn
Good policy!
Haven't seen any flames......yet. I believe he has a good point...........(puttin' on asbestos underwear).....
I don't think you'll have to wait very long!
Thanks for your kind words! So far I'm rather pleasantly surprised by the responses.
Are you saying the only way Bush won...was the Supreme Court gave it too him?
Who are you?????
You seem to think that the senators who were willing to sell out once will find it difficult to sell out twice, if the nuke option comes up a second time.
I'd say that that is pie-in-the-sky thinking.
You are assuming the Democrats will stay true to a consistent definition, a staggering assumption. In addition, they can always find other reasons to filibuster some of the other nominees. You can be very creative in such matters when you lack all scruples, as is true with the Democrats.
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