The Justice Department is Fucked

[cali]

for at least the next 15 months. That should be obvious, but I've seen posts suggesting that the dems should force bushco to nominate someone *decent*, if the Judiciary Committee actually stops a floor vote.

They can't. If they find the backbone to vote no and kill Mukasey's nomination in Committee, bushco still has options:

1) He can stall on naming a new nominee, and keep his minion Keisler as Acting AG. Sure it's not supposed to be for more than 120 days, but think Bill Lan Lee. Presidents have been known to flaut that rule and bushco's big on flauting. Even if he didn't keep Keisler, he could put another atrocious Acting Ag in.

2.) He can name whoever he wants and make them go throught the same bullshit theatre.

3.) He can try and pull off a recess appointment.

The dems can give him a list of acceptable noms, but c'mon, do you really think bush will go along with that? Do you really believe that the dems can force bushco to appoint someone of their choice. bushco has way too much to lose for that to happen.

The only chance is impeachment, and that's no guarantee.

Face it, the Justice Department is completely FUBAR, and that's a scary thought when you think of the upcoming elections.

[annabanana]

1. the upcoming elections. . .

Ah yes. Look for screaming headlines about "illegals" voting in huge numbers. Watch for the caging lists, huge roundups of "possible" illegals in neighborhoods with large hispanic populations and challenges for all "brown" people's votes.

Do NOT look for a peep or whisper about jiggy machinery, or suspicious "safe-keeping" of ballots.

[LakeSamish706]

2. Bottom line really is that the Dem's aren't going to force shrub to do anything...

a. They don't have the collective will and b. They don't have the votes to do it. and c. Bush/Cheney know this and no one is going to force they into doing anything other than what they want.

[cali]

3. they can't force bush to pick an AG that they want

and in this case it has zip to do with collective will or votes. It's the structure of gov't and the psychological makeup of bush.

[mmonk]

4. Yes, it is completely politicized which is a dangerous notion in itself.