Senate to Recess without Action on Estrada Nomination

CNSNews.com ^ | Feb.15, 2003 | Christine Hall

[conservativecorner]

recess(CNSNews.com) - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist Friday announced that the Senate will recess for the President's Day holiday instead of forcing a vote on the judicial nomination of Miguel Estrada.

Speaking at a Capitol Hill news conference Friday, Frist said he will try to force a vote on the nomination of Estrada to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals after the recess is over and the Senate reconvenes.

The decision to recess the Senate without a vote contradicts what Frist said earlier this week. "We'll stay as late as they would like tonight and tomorrow night," Frist said Wednesday, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. "My expectation is that by the end of this week, and before our recess, and possibly into our recess, we expect what all American people expect and deserve; an up-or-down vote on this outstanding candidate."

Democrats have said they will filibuster the vote on Estrada who, in their view, is reticent about his views and under-qualified. Democrats have said they have the votes necessary to block cloture, which normally ends debate in the Senate and leads to a floor vote on any given issue.

Frist said if "judges are going to be filibustered, not based on qualifications, but...partisan politics, it sets a bad precedent for this Congress and future Congresses.

"I'm willing to be patient to give the Democrats the opportunity to make their case before the American people," said Frist. But, he warned, "I'm willing to stay on this Estrada nomination as long as it takes" to get the full Senate to vote on it.

Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, expressed frustration with court vacancies, many of which have been prolonged by partisan wrangling.

"This is like Groundhog Day every day around here, with everyone getting up and saying the same thing," said Allen, referring to the 1993 movie in which characters repeatedly wake up to the same day. The Senate has been at loggerheads over the nomination since it was brought up eight days ago.

"There are 12 judges allocated to this court (the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals); a third of them are unfilled," said Allen. "What you have is justice delayed, which means justice is denied."

But Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) insisted that it's answers, not more debate, that's needed.

"We don't need more time to debate Mr. Estrada's nomination," said Daschle on Feb. 13. "We need answers from Mr. Estrada. Without those answers, debate is hollow because we lack the basic information we need to make an informed judgment about Mr. Estrada's fitness."

Estrada has not offered specific answers to questions about ideology, saying that doing so could place him in the position of "prejudging" any issue that may come before him in court and would run counter to his "view of the judicial function."

[marajade]

You can't argue against facts...

No, wait its Tlbshow... nevermind...

[Pablo64]

"Plain and simple, Frist wimped out."

I've gotta agree with you on that. You don't make a statement like he did, then do a 180 (unless you're an elected Republican, apparently).

Everyone wants to talk about how the American Public is seeing the Dems for what they truly are, but I've got to say that my impression is that the majority of the American Public is too stupid or apathetic to understand or care, so it's a hollow victory at best.

I keep hoping that Frist and the other Repubs will grow some cajones, but I won't hold my breath. Republicans have fogotten what it means to be the winners.

[Faithfull]

I'm sickened by the Republicans retreat. It appears their time off is more important than the principles here. The Democrats knew the Pubs would cave and leave town- now we know Sen. Frist is as weak as Trent Lott. This is beyond disgusting and they are too stupid to be ashamed too.

[marajade]

Did you read the other thread?

[marajade]

Did you read the other thread?

[TLBSHOW]

I read the other thread and all it was was the same old tired people here defending whatever the republicans do when it is plain as day that Frist flip flopped. Oh and of course I said that would be the case early on in that thread right here.


To: rwfromkansas

Now comes all the excusses why it is such a great thing! You are correct but wait the mouth pieces will have to get you back in line with more excusses!


63 posted on 02/13/2003 6:59 PM EST by TLBSHOW

[No Dems 2004]

The Democrats just don't learn do they? They lost control of the Senate at least partly for what they're doing right now. There's few things that the conservatives want more than conservative judicial nominations and so the dumbcluck Democrats played right into their hand, helping to orchestrate a massive groundswell of conservative opposition that turned out en masse to the polls (that's part of it anyway). Now the Democrats are just making things worse for themselves. The stakes are against them for 2004, as they face the very real possibility that they'll lose more seats to the GOP.

The day will come before long, I believe, when the Democrats just won't have enough seats to pull this fatuosity. Then, they'll get to mull over all their idiocy that brought them to that point.

They've proved unequivocally that they've learned little or nothing from the past election.

[No Dems 2004]

"The Democrats knew the Pubs would cave and leave town- now we know Sen. Frist is as weak as Trent Lott."

I wouln't write Frist off so quickly. Give him some time. The Dems will lose, if not now, eventually.

[Zack Nguyen]

This is definitely a step backwards. The Republicans decided not to use the maximum force of their power. I have gotten used to this.

[marajade]

Did you read the other thread?

[marajade]

Why are you spreading disinformation in this thread?

[ez]

"My expectation is that by the end of this week, and before our recess, and possibly into our recess, we expect what all American people expect and deserve; an up-or-down vote on this outstanding candidate."

Frist said "...POSSIBLY into our recess..."

[TLBSHOW]

HERE LIES THE PROBLEM AND UNTIL IT S DEALT WITH WE AS A NATION ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE....

The Senate, the President, and Judges

The Seventeenth Amendment in giving Senators the power to by- pass state interests and pander to citizen constituency interests only heightens and hastens the march to socialism. Our nation has different interests as has been explained previously and to remain a republic we must have separate powers looking after those interests.

SNIP

The Senate members in all of their supposed wisdom do not understand their duties, much less the entire Constitution. That is painfully obvious when they speak and write. Their duties are advice and consent with nothing more and nothing less. The word advice causes a bit of a problem but the definition of it is to give opinion and on that they fall short of understanding. They think their duty is to dictate to the President what person is sent or who is not sent for consent. The duty they have is part of the balance to protect the Constitution, not an exercise in choosing those with the proper socialist ideology, which they favor.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/843984/posts

[marajade]

Okay... so if that's the reason then why is it Frist's fault?

[VRWC_minion]

If Lott were in charge, we would be letting Daschle appoint every other judge. If you saw the R's Weds night you would see this isn't Lott's senate anymore.

The recess is going to be used as a time to put home pressure on key rats. It was also a problem that the R's had members who could not stay. In addition, a break from a fight may help some Rats get a better prespective.

Frist isn't backing down yet. When they return this vote will still be on the table. Even if the Rats never allow it I believe that Frist will exact the higherst political price that is possible. Without the votes that is all we can ask.

[VRWC_minion]

don't you think he should back that up with action instead of whimping out like a turd?

Of course, unless if he followed through on what he said would have been a disaster. In this case I believe him following through on his threat would have lessened the chances of Estrada's election as well as a large potential for disaster.

First, if the rats let a vote happen during the week and if some R's could not be present for it the whole thing would be lost. Second, if they spent the next full week forcing a debate on Estrada, the Rats would make the case that the R's are holding up business while the country is poised to go to war and face its homeland threats. It would have been a political disaster. Third, taking the posistion that the R's are patient and willing to give the Rats all the time they need in order to get ready to vote will play much better at home.

So, I fault Frist for making the threat to begin with but I give him high fives for making a mid course correction necessary to stay focused on the goal.

[CWW]

It's not that simple. The problem was maintaining a quorum next week. With Mitch McConnel still recoverying from heart surgery and another Senator's wife going through surgery, there was a great liklihood that the Dems would have left one Dem behind to call a lack of qorum, thus recessing the Senate anyway.

From my discussions with people in the know (whitehouse insiders), they and the Senate Republicans are going to the mat for Miguel and, in fact, when they come back, they are not going to schedule any other votes except Miguel's vote.

[conservativecorner]

Indeed it can, but it won't be used IMHO. Maybe leaving the Dims to swing in the wind isn't a bad idea.

[gonzo]

"...If one or both of your senators are RATS, I strongly urge you to make a real pest of yourself this next week. Call 'em, email 'em, fax 'em, visit in person. Drive 'em nuts!!..."

Well, Chuck, we scared Graham once, but he's on medical leave now. Nelson talks like a pubbie but always votes dim.

We'll keep after them. Scrootch Snoopy for us..........FRegards

[PhiKapMom]

I have an email that describes the ad buys on the Spanish Language Cable stations. I have seen two of them so far on Univision.

When Senator Inhofe made his speech in Spanish it was timed to lead off the news on Univision and Telemundo which it did -- it was played in its entirety. It also led off our local news here in Oklahoma.

It is my understanding that LULAC has bought some ads as well as some other organizations. Will see if I can track down the source other than my email.