The process begins today in the United States Senate for the showdown on the Bush’s judicial nominees. Compromises have been offered, faith has been used as a division tactic, and we have come to the moment of truth.
The Republican Congress has followed lock-step with the extremist position of George Bush. They claim to be appalled that judges “legislate from the bench”. The reality is that they are appalled that these judges don’t legislate their extremist right-wing theocratic viewpoints. The vote on the filibuster will “out” the Senators that care more for the President rather than their constitutional role as implementers of the Constitution.
Update [2005-5-18 17:44:41 by Man Eegee]: Senate debate is done for today (5/18/05). It will resume at 9:30am EDT with rotating hours of debate by the two parties. Please contact your Senators! At this last stage, it’s best to call and fax their offices.
Today’s outrage included:
On the same day that a federal judge whose family was assassinated testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about courthouse safety, Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) described Democratic efforts opposing some of President Bush’s judicial nominees as “leadership-led use of Cloture vote to kill, to defeat, to assassinate these nominees.”
Federal Judge Joan Lefkow was a target for assassination, and her husband and mother were murdered in February of this year. Democratic Whip Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) hammered Frist’s comments and asked they be struck from the Senate record.
Update [2005-5-19 11:36:5 by Man Eegee]: Senator Durbin of Illinois exposed the motives of the Republicans by asking for unaminous consent on Thomas Griffith, one of the other nominees Bush is trying to push through the Senate. After an objection by Sen. McConnell (R-KY), Durbin then called for unanimous consent on three other nominees. Sen. McConnell objected again. And we’re the ones obstructing?!?!?!?
The point of this type of parlimentary procedure was to show that the Republicans don’t really care about an “up or down vote” (their favorite term nowadays). They want 100% of their nominees approved–making the Senate a rubber stamp for President Bush and silencing the opinions of Democrats across the country regarding judicial nominees. The Republicans are determined to destroy the checks and balances of our government.
::Continued below::
Update [2005-5-19 19:2:4 by Man Eegee]:
There were a lot of great speeches on the floor of the Senate today (5/19/05). Dembloggers.com has made a few of the them available for viewing. Check it out.
According to Fox News.com:
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist intends to file a cloture petition to end debate on the Priscilla Owen nomination on Friday, he planned to announce on the Senate floor Thursday evening.
[snip]
That petition would require a vote to end debate on Tuesday. If the vote fails — meaning Republicans don’t achieve the 60 votes necessary to break the Democratic filibuster — the stage will be set for a showdown vote on Tuesday to abolish judicial filibusters, the so-called “nuclear option.”
I don’t know about you all, but the Democrats made me proud again today. Whether the nuclear option is invoked or not, the polls are showing the public’s support for the Republicans meager at best. Now it’s our job to make Frist, DeLay, etc. pay for it in the 2006 elections. (end of update)
“In the last two elections, the American people made clear they want judges who will faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench,” Bush told a Republican Party event Tuesday evening.
“I have a duty to nominate well-qualified men and women to the federal judiciary. I have done just that, and I will continue to do so,” he said.
“The Senate also has a duty — to promptly consider each of these nominations on the Senate floor, discuss and debate their qualifications and then give them the up or down vote they deserve.”
The two nominees who will set off this nuclear showdown are Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen. Both nominees have given ample proof in the past of their radically conservative viewpoints. They are hardly the poster children for judges who will not “legislate from the bench”.
This is our last chance to email, fax and call our Senators. Whether you are represented by a Republican or a Democrat, make sure your elected officials know how you feel about the preservation of the filibuster. Here is a handy reference page with contact information.
The Republican Senators who have been wavering between support of the President’s extremism and the traditions of the United States Senate are listed below. Please make the extra effort to contact them, especially if you live in their state:
- Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
- Susan Collins (R-Maine)
- Olympia Snowe (R-Maine)
- John McCain (R-Arizona)
- Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island)
- John Warner (R-Virginia)
- Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska)
- John Sununu (R-New Hampshire)
- Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania)
- Mike DeWine (R-Ohio)
