Forcing the Filibuster

[Langenator]

I'll relate this to guns by noting that Justice Janice Brown, whose nomination should come out of the Judicial Committee soon, is, IIRC, very pro-2A, and her nomination looks like it will face a filibuster. SB 659 may also face the same tactic.

I have heard rumors that Majority Leader Frist is threatening to "get tough" with the Dems on the filibusters. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but one possibility is actually forcing them to conduct a actual, stand on the Senate floor and talk filibuster.

Personally, I like this idea. Let the country see, live on CSPAN, just how obstructionist the Dems are. If they want to be really nasty, they'd force them to start it right before one of the scheduled Democrat candidate debates-forcing Lieberman, Edwards, and Kerry to choose between staying on the floor and attending the debate. If they choose to stay at their day job, it would give more time to Dean, who the Clinton cabal hates.

On the other hand, it gives the Dems, and their media friends, yet another opportunity to grandstand.

What do you all think?

 

[Standing Wolf]

...her nomination looks like it will face a filibuster.

The leftist extremists have been talking about filibusters for quite some time; they haven't, however, actually filibustered.

In case you can't tell the Republicrats from the Demicans, the Republicrats are the elected misrepresentatives hiding under their beds because the leftist extremists have mentioned the word "filibuster." Must be a pretty scary word, I guess.

 

[ojibweindian]

I say bring it on! I'd pay to see Byrd from Virginia up there flapping his gums for 20 hours straight!

 

[Hutch]

Bring it. Let's let 'em stand in the well of the Senate and talk themselves hoarse. Let the nightly news shows publicize this for all to see. You wanna filibuster? Do it right. A REAL filibuster brings all the other bidness of the Senate to a halt. Do it. DO IT!!!!

I used to subscribe to the notion that the country was run by the Evil Party and the Stupid Party. The Stupid Party has been replaced by the Gutless Party. C'mon, guys, show some spine!!! Of what use is the majority position if you're gonna assume the other position for Kennedy, Leahy, et al? Grow some stones!!! You think the Evil Party will have some sort of collective memory of how you made nice with them, next time the shoe is on the other foot? Ho ho, it is to laugh.

 

[treeprof]

My prediction: a forced filibuster will never happen. The Repubs ain't got it in 'em.

 

[cookhj]

FYI - Sen Byrd represents WVA not VA

 

[Jeff White]

No way will the Republicans force a filibuster. CNN and the Washington Post and New York Times might chide them for not being bipartisan. Everyone knows a good Republican cares more about what the mainstream media thinks of him then what the conservative base of the party does.

Jeff

 

[tyme]

Does any democratic senator in the Senate understand any issue well enough to talk for even 12 hours? I doubt it.

 

[ARperson]

Does any democratic senator in the Senate understand any issue well enough to talk for even 12 hours?

They don't have to. Just need to keep the mouth moving. Hence the many references to phone books.

 

[Waitone]

Frist reminds me of one of the replacements to the 3 stooges after Curly died. Then came along Shemp Howard who stayed a while. Then after the original 2 stooges were getting long in the tooth along came a third replacement. I don't remember his name but his signature comment was, "I'll give you such a pinch!" A pathetic attempt at rhetoric and demonstration of complete ineffectiveness.

Bush has got to be getting chapped with Frist's inability or unwillingness to get red-eyed angry.

My premise is truly simpleminded. If the blocking of judicial nominee, regardless of the tactic, is a real problem then spinelessrepublicans will act. If they fail to act the only conclusion I can draw is there is no problem and it is all political theatre.

Spinelessrepublicans have yet to demonstrate to me that they can exercise power if it is handed to them.

 

[Langenator]

Maybe they could read all the names off the Brady's friends list. Then we could know which people to stay away from.

 

[Langenator]

I'll believe it when I see it-but Sen Frist & Co may finally be growing a spine.

-----------------
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,101518,00.html

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

WASHINGTON — After more than two years of waiting, Mississippi judge Charles Pickering (search) will get a Senate vote this week on his nomination to a federal appeals court.

But Senate Democrats are expected to use the vote Thursday to begin filibustering to block Pickering, who wants a seat on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (search) in New Orleans.

Senate Republicans said Tuesday night they would force a filibuster vote Thursday on Pickering, who was one of President Bush's first judicial nominees in 2001.

In 2002, the U.S. district judge also was the first of Bush's nominees to fall to the Democrats, who voted against his nomination on a 10-9 party-line vote when they controlled the Senate Judiciary Committee (search).

Pickering's opponents have complained that he supported segregation as a young man in Mississippi. They also pointed to his votes against abortion and voting rights as a Mississippi state lawmaker and his decisions as a judge, including efforts to reduce the sentence of a man convicted of burning a cross on an interracial couple's lawn.

But Pickering's supporters say he stood up for the voting rights of blacks in the 1960s and led integration efforts in the 1970s and '80s.

Some Republicans also called Pickering a victim of anti-Baptist and anti-Southern discrimination and said that a Democratic filibuster of Pickering could help GOP gubernatorial challenger Haley Barbour in next month's statewide election in Mississippi.

"I'm sure it's going to contribute some anger toward Democrats who blocked this good and decent man," said Republican Sen. Trent Lott (search).

Southern Republicans periodically accuse their Democratic rivals -- no matter how conservative -- of being beholden to a party that is too liberal and out of touch with southern beliefs.

It requires 60 votes to break a filibuster and move a nominee to confirmation. Republicans control the chamber by a two-vote margin, with 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats and independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont, who usually sides with the Democrats.

Democrats already have filibustered three of President Bush's nominees, one of whom dropped out after the GOP failed to break the blockade.

The Republicans have yet to break a Democratic filibuster this year.

 

[dshimm]

It's about time the GOP forced a filibuster. Let's see if they have the spine.