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.

[Cboldt]

My guess: While not planned or intended by Bush or others in the GOP, this sets the stage to apply more pressure for a rule change. Bush asked for a rule change, Hatch said the rule was not working, etc.

How the Senate goes about this is anybody's guess, and maybe the GOP Senators will not provide any effective action or remedy. Given the amount of attention this story is getting today, we may not even hear any good-sounding rhetoric.

A solution advocated by quite a few on FR is for the people to elect a GOP supermajority to the Senate. Obviously, that would circumvent the procedural hurdle.

BTW, I'm all for having a conservative supermajority in Congress, IF they act on their word. I'd like to see the ideals espoused on the front page of FR put into effect, yessir, I truly would.

[livius]

Yes, I'd like to hear what the plans are. Essentially, the majority party has just given over control of Congress, not simply to the minority party, but to one of it's most offensive and radical leaders. And now the majority party is limping away with a few rueful glances over its shoulder, and making whimpering noises to the press.

The Dems don't play fair and never have. This doesn't mean we have to sink to their level and play dirty, but we have to call them to account and use every legal option to defeat them.

And we have to make a big stink in the media about this. Why not buy ads highlighting this unethical, bigoted Dem behavior, and bringing it up again and again, until no Hispanic or even ethical person in his right mind would consider voting for a Dem ever again?

[livius]

A solution advocated by quite a few on FR is for the people to elect a GOP supermajority to the Senate.

I'm all for this, but nobody ever votes for losers, and the Republicans are looking more and more like losers and weaklings.

Besides, in the year+ before a supermajority would even be possible, the Dems could do incalculable damage and certainly will defeat all of Bush's other judicial picks.

They've got to do something NOW.

[Cboldt]

I'm all for this, but nobody ever votes for losers, and the Republicans are looking more and more like losers and weaklings.

Sadly, that sentiment has quite the ring of truth to it. Elections are popularity contests, or contests where the voter wants to be associated with whoever won, nevermind what the politician advocates.

Rah Rah Rah and all that.

The country will be better served if we get past the superficial ("we" being a majority of voters), but I honestly wonder if that is in the realm of possibility.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Amazing article, and totally spot-on!

I wonder, however: will the apologia choir hereabouts now claim that Clarence Thomas' wife -- in stating, plainly, that the GOP leadership shares the blame for the criminally botched opportunity to get Estrada seated -- is also "disloyal," or "insufficiently Republican"...?

[MamaLucci]

pm bttt

[votelife]

Schumer call Estrada a stealth missle from the right wing silo...real class act that Schumer!

[Cboldt]

"The choir" is as quiet as the GOP Senate is today, on this subject.

I am sincerely grateful for their (the choir's) support of the GOP. But sometimes I cringe at what I perceive as confrontational and condesceding posts. Maybe I'm just too sensitive.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

But sometimes I cringe at what I perceive as confrontational and condesceding posts. Maybe I'm just too sensitive.

... or, rather, simply more sensible... :)

[votelife]

bttt

[votelife]

Lessons of the Estrada Defeat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/976173/posts

[steveegg]

Thanks for the ping. That is a very interesting article.

[votelife]

that is the best article I have read (and I've read a lot) on Estrada/filibuster. bottom line, need more conservative Senators

[votelife]

bttt

[votelife]

bttt

[Capitalism2003]

Put your money where your mouth is folks.
Help more Republicans win Senate seats.

http://www.NRSC.org

[votelife]

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