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Fri 20 Jan, 2006 04:42 pm
I want to go on record predicting a filibuster of Alito, followed by battle over the "Nuclear Option" (or is that "Nucular Option", I cant remember any more).
Some random thoughts for discussion.
1. It is about time for the Democrats to grow a collective spine. Alito on the Supreme court is about as important an issue as it gets.
2. The filibuster will happen because it is in the interest of Democrats. The Dems are going into an Congression election with some strength. The filibuster puts the extremism of Republicans who want to control all three branches of government on full display.
3. The filibuster is good for the nation as a whole because a Supreme court justice is an important post. Justices should be acceptable to both parties and the right to filibuster by the minority party is a moderating factor. Alito is feared by half the country.
4. I predict Alito will become a Supreme Court justice after a long and bloody fight over the nuclear option.
5. I predict that this fight will ultimately help the Democrats regain power.
6. We need this fight. The political discussion has been too one sided for too long. Issues of executive power and civil rights are more important than the abortion issue. I hope and think they will take center stage.
7. I know I could be wrong and four Democrats will join Sen. Nelson to hand the Judgeship to the Republicans and I will feel a bit silly posting this.-- But I sure hope not.
So, let's have at it.
I would like to see it happen... we'll find out.
I do think the Dems should kick up a storm, and i think no appointee of any President should ever get a free ride. The Constitution provides for the appointment of executive branch officers with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Executive never seeks the advice of the Senate, and so long as that is true, the Senate should never just roll over on an appointment.
Just curious, what exactly are your objections to Alito?
I thought I said...
My biggest fears with the a Supreme court in which Sandra Day OConner is replaced with Alito are an overreaching power of the executive branch and lack of protections for civil rights.
I had already made up my mind to boycot Democrats if they don't fight this nomination.
Bushie is under investigation for illegal wiretaps and for lying us into war. Both high crimes. I dont think he should be appointing anyone to the SC while talk of impeachment is in the air. Especially Alito who seems to be bent towards extending Executive Branch powers.
Re: I smell a Filibuster!
ebrown_p wrote:7. I know I could be wrong and four Democrats will join Sen. Nelson to hand the Judgeship to the Republicans and I will feel a bit silly posting this.-- But I sure hope not.
I fear the same thing ebrown...
Quote:Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, has announced that he will vote to confirm Alito, according to the AP, "because of his impeccable judicial credentials, the American Bar Association's strong recommendation and his pledge that he would not bring a political agenda to the court."
from
CNN.com
Seems that they've got one:cry:
Hopefully the rest will hold the line.
There is no one the dems will be happy with on the supreme court. A fillibuster would destroy what little credibility the Dems have. They had their opportunity to bring forth any reasonable doubts and they failed miserably.
I dooubt it happens.
I've been sensing filibuster too..... Maybe it's just hope.
McGentrix wrote:There is no one the dems will be happy with on the supreme court.
They went with Roberts didnt they?
there's no way McGentrix will be happy with the dems.
Re: I smell a Filibuster!
ebrown_p wrote:I want to go on record predicting a filibuster of Alito, followed by battle over the "Nuclear Option" (or is that "Nucular Option", I cant remember any more).
Some random thoughts for discussion.
1. It is about time for the Democrats to grow a collective spine. Alito on the Supreme court is about as important an issue as it gets.
I sympathize with your frustration. I wish they would stop hiding in the shadows too and come right out and advance a Liberal agenda. If they win with it, so be it.
2. The filibuster will happen because it is in the interest of Democrats. The Dems are going into an Congression election with some strength. The filibuster puts the extremism of Republicans who want to control all three branches of government on full display.
And the Democrats don't want to control all three branches of the government? You don't really believe this do you?
A filibuster is not a good idea for Democrats. There is no red meat available with Alito. Despite all the time and money we know has been spent in trying to dig something up on him, nothing was found. Despite the best efforts of Dem Senators on the Judiciary Committee, he didn't come even remotely close to appearing like the Judge Roy Bean for which they were hoping. A filibuster will greatly please their base, but it will not be well received by moderates.
3. The filibuster is good for the nation as a whole because a Supreme court justice is an important post. Justices should be acceptable to both parties and the right to filibuster by the minority party is a moderating factor. Alito is feared by half the country.
Then it follows that all SC nominations should be filibustered, which is nonsense. As long as abortion remains a hot button issue, no judicial candidate will be acceptable to both parties. The Republicans proved they are not driven by this single issue when they joined the Democrats in confirming Justice Ginzberg. The Democrats have proven otherwise.
4. I predict Alito will become a Supreme Court justice after a long and bloody fight over the nuclear option.
There will be no filibuster, and Alito will be confirmed along party lines.
5. I predict that this fight will ultimately help the Democrats regain power.
There's not going to be much of a fight
6. We need this fight. The political discussion has been too one sided for too long. Issues of executive power and civil rights are more important than the abortion issue. I hope and think they will take center stage.
I agree, the country needs to debate all of these issues - especially abortion which is why we need conservative judges who will allow these issues to be decided democratically
7. I know I could be wrong and four Democrats will join Sen. Nelson to hand the Judgeship to the Republicans and I will feel a bit silly posting this.-- But I sure hope not.
Hope springs eternal, but you are wrong. (There, now I can feel a bit silly if you turn out to be right)
So, let's have at it.
nimh wrote:McGentrix wrote:There is no one the dems will be happy with on the supreme court.
They went with Roberts didnt they?
Not really.
22 Democrat Senators voted for confirmation and 22 voted against.
Hard to interpret this as acceptance, let alone an endorsement of Roberts by the Democratic Party
FAir enough.
But at least then, to go back to McG's sentence, there are apparently easily plausible candidates that half the dems will be happy with on the supreme court.
nimh wrote:FAir enough.
But at least then, to go back to McG's sentence, there are apparently easily plausible candidates that half the dems will be happy with on the supreme court.
Modify that to "the dems
in the Senate" and I might agree with you.
Roberts would never have gotten 50% of the House Dems to vote for him.
Roberts is a charming patrician. Senators like to think of themselves as charming patricians.
blueflame1 wrote:Bushie is under investigation for illegal wiretaps and for lying us into war. Both high crimes. I dont think he should be appointing anyone to the SC while talk of impeachment is in the air. Especially Alito who seems to be bent towards extending Executive Branch powers.
While talk of impeachment is in the air? When is talk of impeachment not in the air by the sore losers? Who is investigating him??? How is lying a crime at all (and he didn't) much less a high crime. Why don't you go back to talking about how the National Guard case is about to break wide open? You're in a dream world.
Finn d'Abuzz wrote:nimh wrote:FAir enough.
But at least then, to go back to McG's sentence, there are apparently easily plausible candidates that half the dems will be happy with on the supreme court.
Modify that to "the dems
in the Senate" and I might agree with you.
Allright, I'll roll with that.
What about you, McG?
If a filibuster wasn't going to happen before, it may now that Bill Frist stuck his foot in his mouth by saying Alito was the "worst nightmare of liberal Democrats."
The guy obviously can't be a moderate and be the Democrats worse nightmare at the same time.
Source
Finn,
I think the "Democrats must appeal to moderates in order to win" strategy has been completely disproven.
Kerry with his lukewarm war support, opposition to gay marriage, support for tax cuts etc. etc. was an appeal to moderates (in spite of how the right portrayed him). The Republican chants of "flip flop" (which was due to his attempt to carve out the middle of every issue) were far more damaging than their accusations of "liberal".
Kerry lost because he didn't stand for anything, and anyone who is trying to be "moderate" will do the same thing.
Bush is not a moderate. The current Republicans are not moderates. Polling after the election strongly suggest that the Republicans won because they were seen to be standing for something-- even when the majority of Americans polled said that in many cases they disagreed with what they stood for.
The Democrats need to be more like the Republicans. They need to strongly stand behind their core values come Hell or high waters.
The nervous spineless whining of the Democrats who roll over and play dead when challenged by the annoying invective of talk show Republicans is not any kind of strategy.
The winning strategy is to stand on their core liberal values (which are shared by much of the country). If the Democrats reject Alito with a filibuster they will get the chance to make their case to the Country-- and I think there is a message that will resonate with many Americans. Even if they lose a real political debate is good for our country.
Let's bring it on!
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