MON. OFFICIAL CSPAN2 Thread on Senate Judicial Noms & Filibuster

[dhuss]

going into day 4 about the Judicial Nominations. Of course tomorrow's the big day...

Fri:
1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1796301&mesg_id=1796301
2: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1796724

Thu:
1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1793462&mesg_id=1793462
2: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1793867&mesg_id=1793867
3: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1794421&mesg_id=1794421

Wed:
1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1790507&mesg_id=1790507&page=
2: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1790750&mesg_id=1790750
3: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1791198&mesg_id=1791198&page=
4: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1791970&mesg_id=1791970

Here's the Nuclear Option procedure, for those who are wondering: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1791390&mesg_id=1791390

Another good rundown: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1796609#1796667

D.H.

[The Witch]

1. Frist: "Tyranny of the minority."

Translation: "Minority able to do ANYTHING."

[Ivote]

3. Thanks for the backup links

Sen Reid up now
:kick:

[The Witch]

2. Reid: "We have voted on her before."

"The vote was should we stop debate. Three times we voted no."

PS Let me know if this is helpful to the cube rats/ if anyone is listening. ;)

[Coexist]

5. yes!

[Dinger]

10. Yes, And Thank You So Much!

Keep up the good work! (Please : )

[The Witch]

14. Thank dhuss, not me!

:patriot:

[Dinger]

17. Thanks dhuss!!! (nt)

[dhuss]

4. Oh, look it's Mrs plastic surgery... I mean Liz Dole...

No I had it right the first time...

D.H.

[The Witch]

6. Liddy: "Frist has done EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER to avoid..."

(Except for admit that maybe these nominees need a little more support than just the Republicans can give.)

[The Witch]

7. New GOP favorite talking point:

"We've debated Owen more than we debated ALL of the current supreme court justices combined."

Frist said it, Liddy said it.

[housewolf]

8. Elizabeth Dole is so full of it...

Utterly disingenuous and dishonest - she sounds like a 3rd rate actor, utterly insincere - even she can't believe her own words.

[dhuss]

9. Wow, the RW is really putting it's best foot forward...

First Dole, Now Bunning.

D.H.

[housewolf]

11. This is SO distorted and untrue....

I feel like just bashing in the tv

[Desert Liberal]

31. I know.

I was watching Grassley and I wanted to thump him on his head. These people do not even know how ignorant and hypocritical they are. Just because they are on the Right doesn't mean they ARE right!

NGU

We are the correct party here. Truth has to win sometime, right?

(Yes, I know. I'm naive...but if I want to believe it bad enough, then it will be true...just like for BushCo.)

[The Witch]

12. Just got back from a brief meeting

and hear "That ultraliberal agenda does not sell in the heartland around the dinner table."

Because the heartland is American and liberals aren't.

:banghead:

[Stand and Fight]

13. What a lying boring piece of shit this Bunning is...

I've rarely heard such outright distortions of the truth than what this guy is doing now... He's bringing up things that have NOTHING to do with the current debate.

[kentuck]

16. He almost got beat the last election..

If the Democrats had put more money into the race, we may have won Kentucky.

[The Witch]

15. (up)Chuck Asshat up now.

sounds like his voice is changing... he needs to lay off the chain-smoking.

[Skidmore]

19. He also sounds a little bummed--not as dispeptic

as he usually is.

[Stand and Fight]

18. STFU Chuck Grassley.

What a damn moron... Saying Democratic leadership will not allow Senate to exercise its right of "advice and consent." Will these cocksuckers never stop distorting reality?

[housewolf]

20. Oh too bad....

Grassley's losing his voice :sarcasm:


Poor President Bush... he just can't get that last 4% of his nominees confirmed ...
:nopity:




Of course, the quality of the nominees has absolutely NOTHING to do with it....

It's all the Dems fault.


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:



Oh now Grassley's constitutional rights have been denied him... he has had no right to cast his vote and do his constitutional duty


:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:




These guys aren't even making interesting political drams. It's just
:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:




His voice is going, he's going to have to shut up soon.

[housewolf]

21. Oh now pour on the self-righteousness

about what a good job he's done all these years in the senate



:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

[starmaker]

22. LIES,LIES LIES

kOOL-AID speeches
no passion just reading

[housewolf]

23. I'm really getting tired of their talking points

They've gotten
:boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring:



"Up or down vote"
"214 years of precedent"

[Up2Late]

32. Oh, but have you been to the "Up or Down Vote" website? Total BS

Warning: reading this might make you Puke!

<http://www.gop.com/UpOrDownVote/>

"...Democrats' Double Standard

hyp·o·crite -- n. One who pretends to be what he is not or to have principles or beliefs that he does not have

The Democrats' efforts to block President Bush's qualified judicial nominees are not only hypocritical but are examples of partisan politicking at its worst.

Republicans in the Senate are working to ensure that all of President Bush's judicial nominees receive a fair and final up-or-down vote. Despite Senate history and tradition, Democrats are aggressively trying to prevent qualified judges from receiving what's been afforded every judicial nominee for over 200 years.

During the Clinton Administration, Democrats demanded up-or-down majority votes on judicial nominations, but, now that they are in the minority, they have become the party of obstructionism and double standards.

The Constitution guarantees an up or down vote, but the Democrats don't want to perform their duty.

On July 25, 2003, President Bush made history by nominating Janice Rogers Brown to the federal bench. Brown is the first African American elected to the California Supreme Court and was reelected by California voters with 76% of the vote.

The daughter of Alabama sharecroppers who grew up in segregated schools in the midst of Jim Crow policies in the South, Brown is a single mother who worked her way through college and law school..."

Oh yeah, and you forgot the GOP code words for "Black Woman" "...daughter of Alabama sharecroppers..."

[housewolf]

24. Now we have the "filibuster Rubicon"??????

and the nominees have been drawn into a "web of the far left activism"???


He has about 10 minutes left, I think I'll go do something else for a while.

[The Witch]

25. grAsshat's favorite phrase: "left-wing special interest groups."

Yes, special interests like equality and civil rights...

I like our special interest groups. Better than tobacco 'n' big-business.

Idjits.

[Zen Democrat]

26. Did Grassley just say "Senators will go to the ALTAR and vote yea or nay"?

I swear I heard him say that.

[The Witch]

27. DiFi's up.

She pleads to both sides.

Not expecting much new here. I'm asleep already.

[The Witch]

28. DiFi: "Democratic Senators won their elections too."

Blasts Santorum for saying "I guess elections mean nothing."

Found civics teachers' notes on Internet. "Students should understand that majority rule does not take precedence over the minority rights." Kick-ass.

[Up2Late]

29. Did anyone catch where she got the Thomas Jefferson Quote?

That was awesome and needs to be repeated.

[The Witch]

30. Akaka up: "You guys are putting 7 people over millions!"

"I've been listening" & "Do you have any idea how much stuff ISN'T getting done? You're putting your insistence on these 7 people over helping millions of people with other legislation."

I like this guy. Plain talker.

[The Witch]

33. Schumer pops in. "2703-1!!! 'K I'm done."

Asked for only 2 minutes.

"I think this number hasn't been put up enough. There is no up or down! There's no diversity of opinion. Up or down votes mean nothing if you all don't have any difference of opinion."

[wiggs]

48. what does 2703-1 refer to? nt

[The Witch]

49. The # of Repub yea to nay votes on ALL of *'s appointments

Sure, they want to debate nominees on the merits... because they obviously think about them soooo hard...

[Up2Late]

53. The RePuke "Rubber Stamp" of *'s judges

The -1 was Trent Lott's vote against someone his bubba Jessie Helms would have voted against, he said.

[Desert Liberal]

34. Oh-ho! Lookie at Schumer!

2703-1 Good point...as was 208-10

[The Witch]

35. Timmy Johnson up n/t

[Desert Liberal]

37. Judicial crisis is 'fabricated political vehicle'

Johnson hit that nail exactly on the head!

[Desert Liberal]

36. Johnson holding up Centrism and common sense

Go Johnson! But you know, these Rethugs won't care shit for facts and reality...as always.

[The Witch]

38. Pat "Robertson" Roberts up.

New GOP talking point "We are not meeting our obligations."

This is the part where Rs and Ds point fingers at each other and say "It's HIS fault!"

[Desert Liberal]

40. Have I said lately how much I loathe the GOP?

I mean, come ON! This guy is talking out of his ass...

[The Witch]

39. Roberts: "If the Prez discusses with minority, they'll have the power."

"According to that logic, the minority will have the determining role."

No. According to that logic, BOTH PARTIES HAVE A ROLE. Isn't THAT the ideal, you idiot? :banghead:

[Desert Liberal]

41. DISEASE OF OBSTRUCTION??????

:puke: :mad: :grr: :banghead:

[Desert Liberal]

43. OK, I have to do this yet again because my TV cost too much

to rip it out and throw it on the ground.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[janx]

42. I have a lot of work to do today and not much time to chat--

but is there to be a cloture vote today? Any kind of vote? Or is this just another day (like last week) for the "conservative" talking points?

[dhuss]

44. cloture vote tomorrow, today procedual vote to request presence.

D.H.

[janx]

47. "request presence" ?

Sorry I'm so ignorant, but does this just mean the Senate wants everybody there?

Is this important? I watched days of debate last week and I guess I'm just wondering if today is more of the same. ?

Thanks for your prompt reply.

[dhuss]

51. yep, everyone there... so far it's gonna be more of the same today....

D.H.

[janx]

56. LOOK!

Frist schedules Senate ‘all-nighter’ on judges
At stake: Bush's ability to steer the courts in conservative direction

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7953279/

Frist seems to be loving this.

[The Witch]

45. Robbie Bennett doesn't want to hear from you.

He can't stand all those TV commercials that say "Call your Senator."

He wants to "reform" the filibuster... Whatever!

[dhuss]

46. like * want's to "reform" Social Security.... right...

D.H.

[Desert Liberal]

50. Yes, like they 'reformed' tort practices

and all the other wonderful (:sarcasm:) reforms our GOP controlled govt has brought us. These people make me physically ill. I find that I can't watch too long; I'm afraid I will have an aneurysm.



:nuke: :banghead: :argh: :puke:

[The Witch]

52. Quotes a liberal mag who likes Brown.

Fine. That just proves that we actually tolerate dissent within our ranks. You folks are freaking stormtroopers.

[goobergunch]

54. dragging race into it

figures

[goobergunch]

55. Bennett done, quorum call now (n/t)

[goobergunch]

57. blagh, Kay Bailey Hutchison up now

:puke: time....

[The Witch]

58. Agent Kay is up. Quoting cloture votes on Owen.

Saying she got 53 votes for cloture... if those were confirmation votes they'd have her.

I just had a freaky moment of understanding the Repubs' position... but it's gone now...

[goobergunch]

59. The ironic part

She admitted that there had already been votes on Owen. :P

[Desert Liberal]

60. Why is it that the Thug hour seems to draaaaaaaaggggggggggg by?

Oh wait, cuz they don't say anything that requires using your brain... And this Hutchison chick, egads! She made a whole big deal about percentages of judges confirmed...but no mention of *'s 94% (or did she? I might have nodded off). And since when is Prissy Owens 'quality' and does this chick really think that Prissy's rulings won't affect her?
STFU YOU DUMB WOMAN! You make the rest of us look bad!

[The Witch]

61. Yawn.

I messed around with my sig, came back and this woman is STILL talking. Molasses much? Agent Kay, you need to go get some coffee.

ETA: While y'all are waiting, why not check out my blog? :silly:

[Desert Liberal]

62. And indeed, the way she talks about Owen, you'd think they might

be in loooooove.....awwwww ain't that sweet? :evilgrin:

[GreenArrow]

66. coffee doesn't help

when you are dumber than owlshit.

[chomskysright]

63. Relatedly, Frist may tie together Bolton nomination and filibuster: here:

Reportedly, the following senators are struggling to come up with enough reasons to reject John Bolton's nomination which could come on Wednesday, in an apparently sleight of hand by Frist.

May 23, 2005

Rumors Abound that Frist May Push Bolton on Wednesday -- Calling for Thursday Vote
Just when everything was looking so clear.

There are rumors swirling now that Frist may push the Bolton nomination on Wednesday this week. Since Barbara Boxer has a public hold -- and there are also private holds -- on the Bolton nomination, Frist would call for a "motion to proceed" on Bolton, which he can win on a simple majority.


but folks should keep in mind that calls to Senator Ben Nelson, : 202) 224-5274


Olympia Snowe, 202) 224-5344


Chuck Hagel, 202) 224-4224


Lincoln Chafee, 202) 224-2921


Susan Collins, 202) 224-2523


Arlen Spector, 202) 224-4254


Pete Domenici 202) 224-6621


and others of your choice are well worth it today, Tuesday, and Wednesday.


If Frist does push Bolton on Wednesday, look for a debate on the motion to proceed unfolding on Wednesday and Thursday morning -- with a vote scheduled for Thursday.
So much for the Bill Kristol call to Senator Frist that Democrats and Republicans agree to unlimited floor debate on John Bolton's merits and shortcomings for this important position in the United Nations.
More to come. (from: http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/

So, what do we have we can use as points to stop Bolton:

item 1: HE ASSISTED IN STOPPING THE FL RECOUNT IN 2000 AND HE HAS NO RESPECT FOR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/041505D.shtml#1

"I'm with the Bush-Cheney team, and I'm here to stop the count."
Those were the words John Bolton yelled as he burst into a Tallahassee library on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2000, where local election workers were recounting ballots cast in Florida's disputed presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
Bolton was one of the pack of lawyers for the Republican presidential ticket who repeatedly sought to shut down recounts of the ballots from Florida counties before those counts revealed that Gore had actually won the state's electoral votes and the presidency.

item 2: BOLTON HAS REPETITIVELY OBSTRUCTED THE ABILITY OF CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE HIS SHARING OF TOP-SECRET INFORMATION IN ORDER TO PAVE THE WAY FOR A WAR IN IRAQ:

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/
".....if Bolton did share information or revelations from the intercepts, then American national security may have been undermined by Bolton's actions.
Without the intercept material, it is very difficult to compare Bolton's base of knowledge about the people and circumstances of some target the NSA was watching and what Bolton did either publicly or privately with the information he learned. In other words, if he shared such information with the Vice President's office, or with other officials across the government, then serious violations of protocol occurred...."

ITEM 3: MODERATE REPUBLICANS HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR SUPPORT OF BOLTON re: BOLTON'S INABILITY TO ACT IN A DIPLOMATIC MANNER, SOMETHING WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO UNDERMINE A WORLD COMMUNITY:


George Voinovich (R-PA):
"....I have based my decision on what I think is the bigger picture. Frankly, there is a particular concern that I have about this nomination, and it involves the big picture of U.S. public diplomacy. ...what message are we sending to the world community when in the same breath we have sought to appoint an ambassador to the United Nations who himself has been accused of being arrogant, of not listening to his friends, of acting unilaterally, of bullying those who do not have the ability to properly defend themselves? These are the very characteristics that we're trying to dispel in the world community.


ITEM 4: BOLTON MISLEAD THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: DOES THE SENATE WANT TO SUPPORT SOMEONE THAT WILL NOT TELL THEM THE TRUTH?

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/bolton.pdf
VI. MISLEADING THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
The record before the Committee demonstrates that Under Secretary Bolton did not live up to his reputation as a "straight-talker" during his testimony to the Committee. He made several statements to the Committee that were contradicted by others, at odds with available evidence, and may be fairly described as misleading, disingenuous or non-responsive

[The Witch]

64. Byrd-Maaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnn!! :echo echo echo:

He puts me to sleep too but at least what he has to say is interesting... and he's old enough that you can forgive HIM talking slow.

:hug: Byrd-Maaaan!

[Desert Liberal]

67. We love Byrd...

:grouphug: Everybody love on Byrd! He needs and deserves it for handing the GOP et. al. their asses on a platter!

[The Witch]

65. Byrd: "Imagine my feelings as I stand in a Senate that may change"

He's incredibly emotional!

[goobergunch]

68. Byrd calls the nuclear option the "TURNIP-TRUCK OPTION" (n/t)

[dhuss]

70. LOL... I think I could get on board with this Turnip Truck Option... lol

Man... Byrd is great...

I say we let him talk forever, when he puts everyone to sleep have him ask for unaumious consent to just drop the whole damn thing...

D.H.

[The Witch]

69. Byrd: "IT'S THE TURNIP TRUCK OPTION"

:rofl:

"Anyone could have thought of this! Anyone who fell off a turnip truck could come up with this option! But COOLER HEADS PREVAILED!"

:rofl:

:loveya: Byrd!!!

[Deb]

71. any cabbage head could have figured it out

Fell off the turnip truck and got back on again... Turnip Truck Option II. :)

[Desert Liberal]

73. Standing ovation for Byrd! He's not afraid to tell it how it is!

Thank the gods. It's about time! BYRD ROCKS!!!!

[The Witch]

72. SMACKDOWN!

"Would you insist on submitting the same lottery ticket if you knew it was not a winner?"

I can't type fast enough to give you all his kick-ass phrases. Someone get a transcript of this!!

[The Witch]

74. Biden up now. What an act to follow!

"This is the single most significant vote any of us will cast."

[Desert Liberal]

77. WOW! Biden is fired up! GOOD!

We need fire and brimstone to make these 'pukes sit up and take notice. GO BIDEN!!! :yourock:

[spuddonna]

75. Biden: "Most important vote in my 30 year history as a Senator..."

Go Biden!!

[The Witch]

76. Biden takes the Repub argument and slams it on its ear

"The FUNDIES are going after the courts because they can't get their legislative agenda through!"

(Exactly what they say about liberals...)!!!

[spuddonna]

78. Biden:"Free judiciary is a restraint against the powerful..."

Thank you, Mr. Biden!

Hey, it looks like maybe he's starting to do the hardest things... ;)

[spuddonna]

79. Biden:"There won't be a discussion about Social Security..."

yeah, that's the basic idea here...

Get these judges in and basically declare SS illegal...go back to the 'great 1920's'... get rid of those 'restraints' such as OSHA, 40 hr work week... destroy the 'Socialist' policies of the New Deal...

God, we will be watching our democracy get flushed down the toliet if it happens...

[The Witch]

80. Biden: It doesn't mean I get my way! It means you may have to compromise!

Throws out some INCREDIBLE numbers. Another one for the archives, this speech.

[The Witch]

81. Orrin Snatch up now...

and I'm stepping out. Someone else will feed the cube rats.

[CottonBear]

84. Hatch thinks that only the majority has the right to advise and consent

regarding the President's nominations.

"The Senate rules will not change (if we go nuclear)."

OMG. He is a lying bastard.

"The constitution gives authority to the majority and to the presiding officer not the Senate."

Now he's calling it "the Byrd Option." Damn him to hell.

[Lioness]

82. The Fight of our Lives

Our founders knew the heat of the moment would not serve the long term interests of the nation, so the Constitution was designed with a defined set of checks and balances. The careful "balance of powers," forming the fulcrum of the Constitution defines three distinct branches, each given a set of specific and designated tasks. It is a document born of the "enlightenment" not the stepchild of personal political ambition. Madison attempted to guard against short term interests overriding long term stability and internal harmony.

The Constitution is not a fad, it is what we as Americans believe in. It is what all officials are sworn to uphold and defend. It is the glue that binds us together; it is what makes us "Americans".

This is not a party line pissing contest; it is about what we are and what we stand for as a nation. If the minority, whatever that may be at a particular time in history, breaks that covenant, the voices of many will be silenced and democracy will be dead.

If this heavy handed attempt to consolidate power passes, nobody wins; we, as a nation, will be in peril of destruction from within. The revolution itself was fought over the principle of "no taxation without representation;"
our forefathers envisioned differences being hashed out, debated, and deliberated upon. Do not take lightly what this will mean for "the grand experiment" for it will have failed.

Call the fence sitters and remind them their first duty is to the constitution. The federalists have come and gone, New Deal democrats have come and gone, but the constitution still stands. Do not allow ANYONE to destroy our birthright, for you will undermine the greatest inheritance you can give to the next generation and the future of our country.

I've been visiting this site since last autumn, however this is my first posting. Greetings and good will to all of you, allies and adversaries alike. Discourse and the exchange of ideas is what democracy and this forum is about. I am hopeful that sanity, reason and cool heads will prevail.

[spuddonna]

83. Welcome! Welcome!

You are absolutely right... if this attempt at consolidation passes, our republic is in deep trouble.

And what Biden said was right... I hope that IF this insanity happens, and Cheney illegally changes the rules of the Senate, that when we Democrats come to power again, we FIX it...

[skooooo]

85. I'm getting really sick of..

Orrin Hatch's squeeky little voice!!!! STFU

[joanski0]

86. Conrad Burns up now.

It is obstructionism that has caused where we are today. Opposed by a partisan minority. These nominees deserve a fair up or down vote.

[joanski0]

87. Did you just hear what Conrad Burns just said?

He said they would alternate between the Repukes and Dems every hour until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday. WTF?

[dhuss]

88. yeah, Frist is planning a sleepover... n/t

D.H.

[justsomegirl]

89. Leahy's up

Sen. Leahy's up now (D)-VT

[dhuss]

90. Sen. Clinton is up...

In case anyone is still watching.

D.H.

[dhuss]

91. NEW THREAD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1802879

D.H.