SENATE ESTRADA FILIBUSTER (Live Thread)

[RobFromGa]

Senate Takes Up Estrada again-- 930am EST

Up Now...

C-SPAN2 Internet Link

[nyconse]

keep trying. Use redial;that's how I got through

[hchutch]

The problem ain't the lack of information.

The problem is the deal they have made with NARAL. No pro-life Justices on the Supreme Court. And Estrada is not only pro-life, but he is a TOP PROSPECT for the next SCOTUS opening if he gets on the D.C. Circuit.

They can NOT be seen opposing the first Hispanic Supreme Court nominee. Their ONLY chance to stop him is now. And so, they are forced to fight, and they will give the GOP a VERY good chance to make serious inroads with Hispanics.

[Miss Marple]

Sounds like Fox left the Blake hearing. I am tuning out the frick and Frack Show for a bit. Ping me when Orrin gets on a rant again, or something good like that.

[Hoverbug]

how did a debate on Estrada become a debate on taxes?

[ChewedGum]

Hmmm....the Gospel words of Bob Novak are now being quoted and 'cannonized', I guess.

Gum

[Carolinamom]

Durbin just now called for a unanimous consent to stop this debate......did I hear this or am I dreaming?

[Miss Marple]

That is the latest trick. They think that whining about other issues will intimidate the Republicans. Wrong.

Fox bulletins:

1. Four people in Syracuse, New York have been arrested for funneling charity money to Iraq.

2. Sami Al Arian has been fired by his university.

3. Arrest in Moscow, Idaho of a student who set up a phony visa operation and had a web site advocating violence against the USA. He was from Saudi Arabia. Eleven count indictment.

[justshe]

You spoke too soon. Blake again.

[Miss Marple]

Aaargh! Back to C-SPAN!!

[hobbes1]

Can you modify a request to Modify?

[ChewedGum]

Cool...a double objection. That was kind of exciting (for a brief bit).

Gum

[Carolinamom]

Leahy up......My mute button is on and I'm seriously thinking of changing the channel so I don't have to look at him either. Of all the senators, he is the most repulsive to me.

[Hoverbug]

Your hat Mr. Durbin. Thanks for coming. Buh-Bye.

[ChewedGum]

Any one else notice that when people who are in favor of something a senator is against, he refers to them caustically as "special interest groups", but people who are in favor of issues they support (or who have bought their support) are simply constituents?

Gum

[justshe]

Safe to go back to FNC

[pulaskibush]

Estrada ping

[MamaLucci]

Let them know you want the Democrats to filibuster 24/7 starting NOW!

I'm with you....I want to see cots being delivered to the senate floor right over leaky Leahy's shoulder.

[Carolinamom]

You have mastered senatespeak! I know it is a formality, but it irritates me to hear them call each other "my friend" when they are gutting each other.

[kcvl]

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me about the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

An independent federal judiciary is a fundamental part of our constitutional democracy. In fact, nominating judges to the federal bench is among the most important and lasting decisions that a President can make.

Equally important is the Senate's role of advice and consent on judicial nominations. Senators have a constitutional duty to evaluate a President's nominees. Part of the proper exercise of that duty requires that Senators be given adequate information to evaluate nominees.

Mr. Estrada was nominated by President Bush for a lifetime appointment to what is arguably the second highest court in the land. The D.C. Circuit Court has jurisdiction over a broad range of issues, from consumer and environmental protection to civil rights and workplace rules. Despite the importance of the position to which he has been nominated, Mr. Estrada's views on fundamental constitutional issues were not provided to the Judiciary Committee and therefore the Senate itself.

The facts that Mr. Estrada has no judicial experience and has published little do not disqualify him. But they do make it even more important that he be willing to discuss his views on fundamental constitutional issues and to provide the Senate with his legal memoranda. Unless and until the Senate is given access to the information necessary for us to exercise our constitutional duty to judge his nomination, I cannot support Mr. Estrada's confirmation.

Sincerely,

Carl Levin

[Bryan24]

Frist needs to put his foot down and turn this into a 24/7 filibuster. He needs to have the Republicans to stand at the microphone and call for "move to end discusion" one right after the other. They HAVE to take this "to the mat".

If the Republicans cave on this, they will NEVER, EVER get another Supreme Court Nominee confirmed unless they have 60 Republicans in Congress. If Bush, Frist, Rove and company don't realize this, they are stupider than a brick.