WaPo: Frist threatens nuclear option on Alito even though Dems don't plan

[Nothing Without Hope]

to filibuster. What a corrupt, posing, fraud Frist is. Let's hope he's seen the dangerous fool he is with this swaggering threat. This proves that the Rethugs are ready to destroy decades of precedent and any semblance of bipartisanship to suppress any minority objections to their steamrolling in Congress - if anyone had any doubts about this.

Remember the "deal" on the nuclear option brokered by McCain some time back? I NEVER thought it was a win for the Dems. What it meant was that they gave the Rethugs exactly what they wanted without a fight and that the nuclear option would be right back on the table for the next time the Dems wanted to object to single-party rule.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/11/AR2005121100344.html?nav=hcmodule

Frist Cautions Senators Against Stalling Alito Vote

Democrats Don't Plan Filibuster
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 12, 2005; Page A05

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) threatened yesterday to strip Democrats of the power to filibuster if they block the vote on Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr.

"It would be against the intent of the Founding Fathers and our Constitution to deny Sam Alito an up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

(snip)

His willingness to consider a procedural maneuver called the "nuclear option" seemed somewhat premature. Last week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said that although he anticipates intense questioning of Alito during next month's hearings, he does not detect strong sentiment for using the filibuster to stall a vote.

(snip)

"As far as I can tell, the only person talking about a filibuster is Senator Frist and some of the far-right fringe groups," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.). "This kind of talk is silly and unhelpful."

(snip)

An earlier DU thread on a other related report:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1979852
thread title (12/11 LBN): Frist Says He's Ready to Block Filibuster

Also of interest:
Washington Post BLOG on the Supreme Court: http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/campaignforthecourt

[mmonk]

1. The lack of a fight

will probably drive me out of the democratic party. Once the laws are set far right for the next 30 years or so, there's probably no reason for me to expend energy pushing dems anymore. I'll just go into trying to survive a country geared only to represent corporate greed over rights.

[sendero]

4. I'm almost there also..

... if they can't muster the fight to filibuster this clown, they are as good as useless.

[mmonk]

7. Yep, I'd rather fight

and lose than surrender and lose.

[Nimrod2005]

2. Have they indicted that bitch yet? The Majority Leader of

Crooks?

[BlueIris]

11. Still under investigation.

Senator Frist? No leg to stand on that I can see, honey.

[hlthe2b]

3. Why isn't this crook in jail with Kenny Boy, Delay, and all the others?

:mad:

[zanne]

8. Kenny boy still roams free.

I think his trial starts in February.

[vickie]

5. Bill Frist is a weak silly little man. He's trying to score points with

the far right and change the talk away from his stock scam.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. yes, that's the way it looks to me, too. A corrupt coward talking big to

convince that he's a big, powerful leader carrying the standard for the GOP in the Senate.

[kliljedahl]

9. Exactly right

Wish I had a source for dead cats I could use to send them to him.
K& R, good post NWH

[zanne]

10. Republicans have effectively destroyed the fillibuster anyway.

The great "compromise" between Republicans and Democrats was that Republicans wouldn't outlaw the use of filibusters for judicial nominations as long as Democrats didn't use it. The minute Dems try to filibuster anybody, the Repubs will just outlaw the use of it. I'd rather see the Dems use the filibuster, though, because that would prevent the Republicans from using it when we have a Dem majority in congress.

[MrBenchley]

12. Trent Lott is just dying to stab Frist in the back

because he feels like Frist stabbed him in the back by not supporting his racism in public...

Push the button, Bill!

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. kick n/t