A Wake-Up Call - We failed Miguel Estrada and allowed Senate Democrats to erect a glass ceiling.

Wall Street Journal ^ | 9/5/2003 | Virginia Thomas

[steveegg]

Not only is this a sad day for Miguel and Laurie Estrada, but we have all let something unfortunate occur in Washington. We allowed the U.S. Senate to erect a "glass ceiling" in our courts--you can do all the right things in America, but if you do not agree with Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, you need not apply as a federal judge. This is the message that Democrats hope minorities, in particular, get from their victory as they succeeded in repelling a talented man, who happens to be Hispanic, from public service. For the hard left, Miguel Estrada was not qualified to be a federal judge because he would not march to their drumbeat.

[steveegg]

What's with the we stuff, kimosabe?

Ask Mrs. Thomas and the OpinonJournal staff. The latter, taking the tone of her missive, used that as the title.

[kegler4]

"My guess is that Bush would have been delighted if Estrada had been confirmed but that, on the other hand, he is not too unhappy to see Rats get tarred with the brush of being anti-Hispanic"

I could be wrong but I thought I read that the Democrats recently joined in confirming a Hispanic nominee. How does that fit in with being anti-Hispanic?

[steveegg]

See #21

[over3Owithabrain]

Seems to me Bush could have fought harder for Estrada and appointed him during recess. He still could have made the point that the Democrats were blocking him, and by appointing Estrada appeal to Hispanics by showing how he sticks by them. Instead Bush and the Senate let this good man twist in the wind, because they are too feckless to stand on principle.
Sure, what the Dems did is disgraceful. But it surely is not surprising, that's who they are. But letting evil triumph by refusing to fight is even more shameful.

[steveegg]

I don't think part of the plan was to have this happen.

[rdb3]

...but I would like to know why Bush didn't appoint him during the recess.

I don't know how much good a temporary recess appointment would do. Let's see what happens with Daniel Pipes.

[Petronski]

Well of course the question was rhetorical, and not directed at you.

[steveegg]

I hear you (I haven't had my second can of Dew yet, so I'm still cranky).

[VRWC_minion]

What I don't understand is why the hell Bush didn't use a recess appointment for Estrada

Do you understand that a recess appointment is only for the current congresional session which ends every two years and the appointee doesn't get paid ? Second, I seem to recall that a nominee cannot be a recess appointment, he would have to withdraw first.

Finally, it would still mean the rats won. They would have been successfull in blocking a lifetime appointment to the appeals courts. Forcing the president to do a recess appointment is still a win for the rats and a loss for the GOP

[Dante3]

IMHO Bush was not too serious in his support of Estrada.

[Dane]

why Bush didn't appoint him during the recess.

Anyone?

Maybe Estrada didn't want a recess appointment. It lasts only until Jan.2005 and he is not paid.

Estrada wanted an up and down vote for his nomination which the demos petulantly denied him.

[montag813]

"We failed Miguel Estrada..."

"WE" didn't fail. The failure was George W. Bush's. He failed completely to take this case to the people, and him and "Limp Wrist" Frist treated an honorable man like Estrada like a doormat. Bush stupidly spent the last 6 months doing the Saudi's bidding with the "Roadmap" to nowhere. He didn't spent one minute fighting for this nominee. What did he do with the 60-90% approval ratings over the last two years? Nothing but a watered-down tax cut. Will Bush fight for anything at all?

[steveegg]

Do I have to keep repeating myself? Take it up with Mrs. Thomas and the OpinionJournal staffer who wrote the headline.

[Gritty]

I really think this whole event was deliberate on Bush and Rove's part.

Then kindly explain what is the strategy of Bush and Rove allowing Pickering, Owens, Pryor and Woods to twist slowly in the wind?

[MamaLucci]

I believe that Virginia Thomas is speaking DIRECTLY to
Senate REPUBLICANS here.
Their silence in the face of the obscene tactics
of their liberal senate "colleagues" was deafening
Yes, Virginia, what did THEY do, indeed.

[Starboard]

Because the GOP is a bunch of cowards. They don't have the guts to really take on the Communists and their socialist windbags in the press. No guts. No glory.

They missed a golden opportunity to take it to the Dems but were not up to the challenge. Are they ever going to stand up for principles? If not now, then when?

By the way, liked your characterization of the press as 'socialist windbags'. Good one.

[JoeVortex]

It has now been several days since Miguel Estrada withdrew his nomination and I have not seen or heard any commentary on question: OK, what happens next in the Senate?

The status quo essentially hands Ted Kennedy and Charles Schumer veto power over Federal judicial appointments, and they are not going to back down. It anything, their success defeating the Estrada nomination with only encourage them to stand their ground. Therefore, the issue is not going to go away. It seems like Senate Majority Leader Frist has a small constitutional crisis on his hands.

Doing nothing in response and just letting things slide until after the next election in the hope that the Republicans will increase their majority does not seem like an effective way of mobilizing conservative voters to achieve that very result.

Whatever happened to the idea being suggested before the August recess of changing the Senate rules regarding executive appointments such they were not subject to the same rules of legislative debate regarding breaking the filibuster (i.e. the so called "nuclear option")?

[mabelkitty]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/976590/posts

READ THE FILIBUSTER FALL-OUT ON THIS THREAD! DISCRIMINATION NOW ENDORSED!

[steveegg]

It has now been several days since Miguel Estrada withdrew his nomination and I have not seen or heard any commentary on question: OK, what happens next in the Senate?

While it's barely 24 hours (the expected news was a day early), that there is the $64,000 question. I honestly don't know what's going through Bill (Lott Lite) Frist's "mind" right now, but it better not be continued surrender for the reasons you mentioned. Hell, if I wanted that, I'd be French.