WP: Clash Over Judicial Filibusters Nears Boiling Point

[Pirate Smile]

In Session : Congress
Clash Over Judicial Filibusters Nears Boiling Point

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 9, 2005; Page A21

As the Senate returns from a week-long recess, Republicans are reminding everyone that four years ago today, President Bush nominated Priscilla R. Owen and Miguel A. Estrada to federal appellate courts. Neither received a Senate confirmation vote, Republicans note, because of Democratic filibusters.

-snip-
Today's schedule is typical of the dueling events that have framed the debate for weeks. At 11 a.m., Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) will hold a Capitol Hill news conference with Hispanic leaders to mark the fourth anniversary of Estrada's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Owen's nomination to the 5th Circuit. Both were among the 10 nominees thwarted by Democratic filibusters in Bush's first term. Owen, a Texas Supreme Court justice, is one of seven that the president renominated this year. Estrada and two others withdrew.

At noon at the National Press Club, groups including the National Coalition to End Judicial Filibusters will announce new "coast-to-coast activity to demand an immediate vote" to change the Senate rules. And in the afternoon, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- who opposed Republican efforts to change the filibuster rules in a national radio address Saturday and on "Fox News Sunday" -- will hold a Capitol news conference with Texas officials critical of Owen's record.

-snip-
Frist may not have helped himself last week when he sent an e-mail to all 54 GOP colleagues praising a new anti-filibuster radio and TV ad airing in Maine and five other states. Maine's two Republican senators -- Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins -- have criticized the notion of changing the filibuster rule, and Collins told the New York Times the e-mail surprised her. Stevenson said Frist, who was in the Middle East, simply wanted to apprise his caucus of recent events and was not trying to needle Collins or Snowe.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/08/AR2005050800741.html

It says the radio and TV ads are also airing in Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Rhode Island.

Frist is such a dumbass. It reminds me of Martinez handing Harkin the GOP Talking Points. Maybe he should have edited his e-mail list just a little bit.

[Straight Shooter]

1. On that happy note, an interesting astrological prediction:

I get the Earthwalk newsletter, and in it he says: "... the Democrats in the House and Congress are going to go ballistic in their opposition to Republican legislative attempts ...

Usually I don't care much for astrological predictions, but in this case I am sooooo praying it's correct.

[mmonk]

2. Wonder how many dueling events

the country will go through until Frist is sure he has the votes.

[Zan_of_Texas]

5. Imagine this scenario.

The vote is called for.

The count is 71 in favor of keeping the filibuster, 33 in favor of the Republicans' "nucular" option, meaning, end the 200-year tradition of the filibuster.

The Republicans call for a recount, because the Senate only has 100 possible votes. "There must be something wrong," they sputter. "Anyone can tell, there's something wrong with the vote! Stop! Recount! We KNOW we had more votes than that! We should have won!" One stamps his feet, raising a small cloud of dust on the Senate floor.

However, what they didn't know was that Liebold was now in charge of Senate votes. It's a new company, incorporated in Cayman Islands, and it electronically counts Senate votes. There is no paper trail, and no way to recount the votes. The modem is connected to....well, don't worry your pretty little head about that.

"Revote! Revote! We call for a revote!" shout the outraged Republicans. One becomes so red in the face that the defibrilator is brought out, just in case.

"Oh, we know you will be graceful in defeat, just like John Kerry was," say the Democrats, in a soothing tone. "The Senators have spoken, and we have a mandate."

(end of fairy tale)

[GetTheRightVote]

3. The Repubs are just a bunch of thugs, I hope Dems put their feet in fire

:kick:

[LiberallyInclined]

4. the dems should be able to hold up as many of *'s nominations-

as the pukes held up of Clinton's.

fuck them.