On the basis of what evidence are you making your statements?
So far as I can see, the "Agreement" has been faithfully followed by both sides, and I see no indication it won't continue to be followed, and passage of "super-extremists Brown, Pryor, and Owen" provide a benchmark for acceptable "ideology" so that issue has been taken off the table by their confirmation.
If they abuse the "extraordinary circumstances" line, the nuke will be supported by the 14. Again, all indications are that will come to pass if needed now.
With about 70% of Americans opposing a filibuster of judges, they'll bluster, but then pass President Bush's choice.
Watch and learn my young padawan.
The only reason the "Agreement" has been followed is due to the fact that no other important judicial nominations have come up in the interim. Yet even before the ink was dry on that agreement, Democrats were already filibustering Bolton. This indicates absolutely no compunction whatsoever to discard the Agreement on any pretext. Bolton wasn't a judicial nominee, but the filibuster itself shows the Democrats - including the seven - still intend to use the filibuster anytime they can. Democrats (e.g. Joe Biden) are already beginning to equivocate, calling the Supreme Court "a whole different ballgame", and more than one liberal Senator has used the word filibuster. Those are HUGE indications the "Agreement" isn't worth a plug nickel.
[P]assage of "super-extremists Brown, Pryor, and Owen" provide a benchmark for acceptable "ideology" so that issue has been taken off the table by their confirmation.
Hardly. Democrats will merely claim their ideology is "acceptable" enough for a lower court, but not for the Supreme Court.
If they abuse the "extraordinary circumstances" line, the nuke will be supported by the 14.
The seven Democrats will simply claim the Supreme Court nomination itself presents an "extraordinary circumstance" (or if that doesn't work, they'll dredge up some other excuse) and go right along with their party. The McCain RINOs are the problem. If they really supported the Constitutional Option, they would not have broken ranks in the first place, so there's no reason they should do so now. McCain wants to present himself as a moderate to get Democrat support for his Presidential bid (the only way he could win, frankly) and sees no problem with acting as Trent Lott's instrument of revenge on the President and Republicans who ousted him from his leadership role.
No, the "Agreement" by the Gang of Fourteen isn't going to inhibit liberals and Democrats one lousy bit.
Oh, just a few decades of watching the Dims lie, cheat, steal, do anything to keep their power.
provide a benchmark for acceptable "ideology"
You must be naive. Let's say President Bush nominates Brown, Pryor or Owen. Because they were just confirmed you believe the Dims will confirm because they have acceptable ideology? There will be a fight, a downright in the gutter nasty war the likes of which have not been seen in years, if ever. And yes, the Dims will pull out the filibuster.
If they abuse the "extraordinary circumstances" line,
If?? IF??? Wait and see!
With about 70% of Americans opposing a filibuster of judges, they'll bluster, but then pass President Bush's choice.
Whatever your smokin, it's working! So now the Dims are going to listen to polls?? 80%+ of Americans oppose partial birth abortion, but you do not see the Dims clamoring to pass a law against that.
You may be the only person on this board that actually believes the Dims will keep their word.
The Dims will do whatever it takes to stop any nominee that is not of their choosing, which means anyone that THEY do not pick.
Their only power is in the courts. They are not going to 'allow' Bush to put any true conservative on the SCOTUS.
Now, the only question is will Bush back down and name another O'Connor type?