Bush's Judicial Nominees

[righturnonred]

Republicans launched a 40 hour, round-the-clock debate Wednesday night to counter Democratic filibusters on the nominations of Texas judge Priscilla Owen and California judges Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown. In addition, Democrats have blocked six Bush nominees, including Mississippi judge Charles Pickering, Alabama Attorney General William Pryor and Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada, who withdrew his nomination after losing nine filibuster votes.

All nominees were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and had enough bipartisan support to get the simple majority in a full-Senate vote needed to be confirmed.

Democrats have resorted to unprecedented tactics to block Bush's judicial nominees by using filibusters to prevent an up or down vote in the Senate. Ordinarily, a nominee needs 50 or 51 votes to be confirmed. However, the Democrats, by engaging in filibusters, are forcing a 60 vote super-majority requirement for confirmation. A tactic never before used to block a Presidents judicial nominees.

This Dems are clearly being dangerously childish and it's got to stop.

[Morgan]

I think the Democrats have gone beyond "dangerously childish."

Consider these reprehensible comments by Senator Ted "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy and Senator Diane "Minority Rights Crusader" Feinstein this afternoon after the Democrats blocked the nominations on 3 successive votes:

Democrats continue to block judicial nomination process, Nov.14/o3

"...After the votes, top Democratic senators stuck to their guns. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., said Democrats will continue to resist what he describes as "any Neanderthal" the president nominates.

Noting that Thanksgiving is coming up, Kennedy called on Bush to release his "right-wing turkeys."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said that Democrats have the right and the obligation to block nominees that are too far out of the mainstream..."

Neanderthals? Turkeys? Too far out of the mainstream?

These are the judicial nominees that Democrats refer to as cave people, on the fringe:

- a white woman,

- a black woman,

- a Hispanic man,

- a Catholic, and

- a Baptist

I can see why Zell Miller said the Democrat Party is being destroyed from within. Kennedy, Feinstein, Schumer, Clinton are examples of the new racist, bigoted Democrats who want to take the whole party and country down.

In the next election cycle, about 1/3 of the senators are up for re-election. I think Democrat registered voters who are women, blacks, Hispanics, Catholics, Baptists should vote Republican without hesitation. The Democrats view them as "useful idiots" who lose their sparkle after becoming educated and outstanding in their professions.

And I think Frist and the other country club Republicans should take the gloves off with the Democrats. The refined "quid pro quo" co-operation stuff is maybe suitable when dealing with Democrats of yore, not the Democrats of today. For starters, the Republicans should buy full page ads in all the major daily newspapers and appeal to the people, for goodness sake. The media will not be reporting this issue properly, so the Republicans need to by-pass the "news" reporters and take this battle to the electorate a.s.a.p.

[KrustyKidd]

Dems can't handle the fact that their 'Poster People' stereotypes might actually have common sense and be Republicans. They then fear that they will become "Poster People" for the right. The three 'Cs' Clarence, Condelissa, Colin, they take away every racist argument they wish they could throw.

[liberalman]

Priorities. Ah it is a sad, sad day when I of all people have to discuss this tempestuous word. Now I would never claim that my priorities are in line with the rest of the nations or even my own creditors but even I know that in the right-wing world of Washington as it stands today, priorities are definitely skewed.

Yesterday the Republicans under the notorious Senate Majority Leader Frist began their 30-hour marathon of democrat/liberal/independent bashing. Mr. Frist has real bug up his butt that the Democrats have managed to stop a whopping 4 of the hardcore judicial activists Mr. Bush has nominated to our court systems. That’s right folks they are upset because 4 nominees have not been accepted and they are screaming bloody murder about obstruction by democrats. Of course, when you look at the record instead of the rhetoric you see that Bush has had more judges confirmed this year then President Clinton did in his first seven years in office. Yup folks that’s right seven freaking years and yet we are still forced to listen to the whiners on the right do what they do best….LIE!

But this little rant is not just about judges its also about priorities. Yesterday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) added that Democrats are treating Bush "in a ridiculous and unconstitutional" fashion. He noted that "hardly anything [on the Senate agenda] is more important" than the president's right to nominate judges.

Now I don’t know what world Mr. Hatch lives in but I can think numerous things more important then a bunch of crybaby Republicans acting like children pouting because they didn’t get to eat all their Halloween on the first day. Let me remind our right-wing friends of a few more pressing issues we face here in this country.

JOBS!

Yes we are still watching American jobs head offshore due to free trade concessions put in place by Republican Light Democrats and their greedy, small-minded friends in the GOP. We have lost over 3 million well paying jobs in this country due to the misguided and poorly planned trade treaty that is NAFTA. Once upon a time we had a trade surplus with out neighbors to the south but now we have a 3 Billion dollar trade deficit that is growing larger year after year as Multinational corporations move manufacturing jobs overseas and South of the border where they don’t have to worry about things Republicans want to get rid of anyway things like: workers compensation, healthcare and a slew of other expensive benefits that ALL workers should have access to.

Now before you supply-siders get all huffy and start throwing out stats like, “NAFTA created 30 million jobs” I will agree with you that it did. It created 30 million low paying, Wal-Mart and part-time jobs that pay minimum wage or mayhap a few dollars more that don’t offer health benefits or any other benefit for that matter. Now you may call that progress but I call it robbing Peter (workers) to pay Paul (Fat Cat Corporations and Bush Campaign Contributors). And the one thing you can always count on in that equation is that Peter will be worse off but Paul will be ecstatic at the new profits he can use to by $5000 dollar shower curtains and HumVee’s! Priorities, priorities, priorities….

THE WAR and Veterans!

Now Mr. Hatch might not recall that a war is going on since no one in his (and most GOP politicians) family or circle of friends is over there being shot at but the rest of us poor working class slobs sure as Hell haven’t forgotten. Now I am sure Mr. Hatch has nice American flag (made in China) waving from the antenna of his BMW but unlike this breed of flag waving jump-on-the –band-wagon patriots the real patriots don’t forget our military when they are off fighting or when they come home to a well deserved bit of R&R. But the Right seems to forget them every time.

A fiscal year 2004 budget plan approved by the House Budget Committee would slash $470 billion from domestic spending, including health care and compensation for disabled veterans provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). (Source Veterans of Foreign Wars) But it is not just veterans but also the families of current military personnel who are also screwed. The right-wing controlled congress and the Bush cartel have plans to cut educational and housing funding for military families. This my friends is travesty as these are the last people our ! Priorities, priorities, priorities….

EDUCATION!

The No Child Left Behind Act has to stand out as an area where we need to focus out attention. This landmark legislation that pushes for higher standards does not push for higher spending in the Republican controlled legislature. Mr. Hatch might want to look here for things more important then judges who right law rather then interpret it. Schools across the nation are facing cuts to pay for the tax cuts that have devastated a once prosperous economy. But you have all read how I feel about this issue and so I won’t go into detail here. ! Priorities, priorities, priorities….

These are just a few of the more pressing concerns we have in this country I could list a hundred more like the environment, the homeless, drug policies, draconian sentencing guidelines etc etc etc. Yes the right needs to take a look at their priorities and realize that while the rich may butter their bread, it is the common man that bakes it and to be honest we would rather have a little butter for our own bread then one more fanatical right-wing judge who will crush the very freedoms we need as a democracy.

Mr. Hatch and all his GOP lackeys should take a moment and recognize that their reality is not ours and that soon….very soon they will be cut just like the funding they so love to take away from those most in need...

This is Liberalman signing off and reminding you that an informed public is the best public.

Peace

Liberalman

Aka Casey A. Nees

Questions comments? Write Liberalman and Friends at:

www. [email protected]

[righturnonred]

That’s right folks they are upset because 4 nominees have not been accepted and they are screaming bloody murder about obstruction by democrats.

Yeah yeah, everyone knows this, but what's your point here? The Dems are attempting to pervert the rules governing the confirmation of judicial nominees. It makes no difference how many instances they try to do it, the fact is that this action sets an irresponsible precedent. Also, the judges being blocked are not "hardcore judicial activists" like Ruth Bader Ginsgurg who held a position on the National Board of Directors for the ACLU, the single most radical left wing organization in this country. Maybe you don't understand this but being a Christian does not disqualify someone from serving on the federal judiciary.

Of course, when you look at the record instead of the rhetoric you see that Bush has had more judges confirmed this year then President Clinton did in his first seven years in office.

And you want to why that is, because there's a good reason? The Republicans controlled congress for most of Slick Willie's presidency and his nominations were stopped legitimately. The Dems are a MINORITY here. That's very important to understand, liberal. The Republicans never used filibuster tactics to block Clintons judicial nominees. All the Reps want is an up or down vote on these judges. You can't just change the rules when they no longer suit you.

The remaining verbal garbage in your post belongs in another thread. Try to stick to the topic at hand.

[KrustyKidd]

Actually Right, he is not even acting withing the discussion but simply posting an essay of sorts. It's kind of insulting to us all as he appears to not address any of our posts.

[Craig Read]

No he is just another mindless liberal ranting against trade, innovation, job creation and individualism. As if the destiny of mankind until now has been beholden to the great benevolence of powerful government. This is certainly the Liberal interpretation of history - proven to be true of course by Fascism and Communism.

The Dems have had a history of trying to thwart conservative judges - Borkin was the classic case. They always trot out the usual litany of why conservatives can't be judges - they are not 'mainstream', 'middle of the road' or 'impartial'. Considering that the vast majority of America agrees with Republican values this strikes me as rather fanciful. The liberal-dumbocruds know that extra-legal and non Congressional statutes are their best hope of creating their perfect liberal world - where nothing matters, all is relative and morality has no meaning. This world is only populated by the Harvard trained seals in Upper West Side Manhattan and some counties in California.

[righturnonred]

perfect liberal world - where nothing matters, all is relative and morality has no meaning.

This exact reality was prophesied so accurately in George Orwell's "1984", written 50 years ago (PC = new speak). I'm sure you're familiar with it though. But, did you know there's also a movie based on the novel?!

[KrustyKidd]

The one that illustrates how Canada is going to be in twenty years of so is that tripe flick with Stallone and Snipes called "Demolition Man." It's so close to the direction the Liberals are steering our country that, unlike the movie itself, it is not funny