More thoughts on the Senate deal
When I went to bed last night, it seemed that both sides were bemoaning the compromise, each believing they had been taken to the cleaners by the other. Now that we have more details, a different picture is beginning to emerge. Even the hardass lefties are realizing the Democrats got the sweet end of the deal.
Here's what Republicans got: up-or-down votes on three judges (Owen, Brown and Pryor.)
Here's what Democrats got: four nominees (Saad, Myers, Kavanaugh and Haynes) were thrown overboard. I find this particularly disturbing in the case of Saad, who will be left to twist in the wind indefinitely after being victimized by Harry Reid's pernicious public insinuations regarding Saad's confidential FBI file.
And what did the Democrats give in return? They promised not to filibuster any more nominees unless, you know, they really really really want to.
I swear, there's one born every minute. Just like a Republican to take a knife to a gunfight.
"Hey Senator Frist, ya got two tens for a five?"
Pathetic.
Comments
i've been voting for these dumb republican bastards my whole life. i'm thinkin' grid lock is the real solution here.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 24, 2005 02:37 PM
Remember, Barry, there is no expiration date on the "nuclear option". If the Democrats decide to fillibuster a nominee that had majority support, the Republicans can just pull the trigger then.
My guess is that the four nominees that are being tossed overboard never had the support of 50 Senators and would have lost the up-or-down vote anyway.
Posted by: CRB | May 24, 2005 04:13 PM
I was originally outraged that the Dems would have input via the 'extraordinary' clause.
But consider this, how much more conservative could any future nominee be than Owen, Brown and Pryor (sp?)?
To cite that a person opposed abortion?
Won't work. All three do.
To cite that they oppose affirmative action.
Ditto.
In short, the Dems may have boxed themselves in here, IMO. Suppose that Bush nominates Brown to fill a void in SCOTUS down the road. Can the Dems now say that she doesn't merit confirmation when she does for the circuit court with exactly the same viewpoints?
As a sidebar, is anybody as sick as I am at the self-congratulatory senators patting themselves on the back? Humility is and never has been a hallmark of the senate and its members.
Posted by: mal | May 24, 2005 05:48 PM
Can the Dems now say that she doesn't merit confirmation when she does for the circuit court with exactly the same viewpoints?
Yes, and some (Boxer, et al) most certainly will.
Posted by: CRB | May 25, 2005 11:02 AM