Free Republic

Bush's Call for Vote on Judges Adds Urgency to Filibuster Battle President Bush yesterday called for an immediate vote on two of his most controversial judicial nominations, increasing pressure on Senate Republicans to consider a historic rule change that would make it easier for him, and future presidents, to reshape the federal bench, including the Supreme Court. Bush issued a statement from Europe demanding an "up-or-down vote" on Priscilla R. Owen and Terrence W. Boyle for seats on appellate courts only hours before Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales held a news conference to cast the judicial dispute as one of...

WASHINGTON, April 25 - Maneuvering in advance of a Senate floor showdown on judicial nominees intensified Monday as Senate Democrats prepared a compromise offer to Republicans that would allow votes on some judges and showcased new tactics for confronting Republicans should filibusters be barred. Congressional officials said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, could make a proposal as early as Tuesday to allow votes on two of three Michigan nominees for a single appeals court. It could be coupled with other guarantees to Republicans, potentially including a vote on one of four candidates drawing the deepest opposition. In...

Some Conservatives Worry That Jurists Too Often Cite International Precedents A new front is emerging in political battles over American judges: the invocation of foreign law in U.S. court decisions. The Supreme Court occasionally has cited foreign jurisprudence in interpreting constitutional terms such as "cruel and unusual" and "due process." American conservatives are stepping up criticism of the practice, seeing such reasoning as a backdoor to import liberal European ideas into American law. "They are basing in part their decisions on the fads, the cultural environment, the laws, the constitutions and the biases of foreigners," says Rep. Tom Feeney, a...

There has been much discussion of the difference between the way the Senate has handled judicial nominees during the Clinton and Bush terms. I have seem many numbers and statistics tossed about. I am looking for a hard source that would list the number of nominees sent to committee, the number approved for vote by Senate and the actual number confirmed respectively. Can anyone point me in the right direction or post the info with a cited source?

Senator Frist, I am a longtime conservative, and I am asking you to break the filibuster on our judicial nominees. As you know this is their "shot across the bow" on Supreme Court nominees. They are trying to dictate to the president the ideology of his nominees, and usurp the executive's constitutuional authority. Please force a TRUE filibuster. The President got the tax cut, now is the time to make the Dems pay for their obstruction. There are many of us who have lost faith in the courage of Senate Republicans. If you are interested in knowing what the core...

Please see the post by Nick Danger regarding Obstruction Day.  It's located here. This is very short notice, but Senator Dianne Feinstein's offices in our state are in need of a good FReep.  If you live near one of them and are able to FReep at noon on 05/09, please contact your local leader and network to express your displeasure in person. Please use signs that directly address the Democrat Senate obstructionist activities recarding Judicial Nominations by President Bush.  Please make sure your signs have Free Republic Network on them.  Any press reports will be more likely to credit our...