We’ve been talking about the great debate over judicial nominees and the filibuster rules for weeks. Armageddon may now be upon us.
NYT: Free Reg
Whether by design, or through media connivance, the debate is being framed as a straight-up culture war smackdown. And the Holy Warriors are primed and ready to rumble.
While I agree with Dobson that nothing good happened last November, only the potential for something good, I take exception to his intention to take my playground away. The Frog-Pond in sacrosanct.
Bill Frist appears to be moving forward, prodded by Dobson, and other lunatics.
While the Republicans are aware of the polls showing the unpopularity of changing the Senate rules, they think perceptions will change once the Democrats begin to retaliate. And they have their talking points, and popular bills lined up to use as examples of Democratic obstructionism.
“My own judgment is that this operates in our favor,” said Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas. “It would just cement their reputation as obstructionists.”
He and other Republicans say they are convinced that Democrats will confront a backlash if they are seen as throwing a tantrum that kills legislation that could benefit a struggling economy.
I’ll say this for the GOP, they do not shy away from unpopular moves. They are going to try to shove asshole judges down our throats, tear up the Senate rule book, and call us babies if we complain about it. I hope Senator Reid has his troops amassed and his battle plan ready. This is going to be reminiscent of another big Washington rumble:
“This business about women being afraid of me and so forth was just preposterous,” Bork said.
As for the current nomination battle, Bork said, “I think it’s nastier than it’s ever been probably. A lot of people say it started with me, but I think it’s grown increasingly nasty. I was in town when Nixon was going down. Oddly enough, the town was less bitter then than it is now.”
AP: Guardian
Yes, it is more bitter because Bush is a bigger prick than Nixon, and the GOP is not interested in building consensus for anything they do. This is going to be a wild ride folks. And we have to come out of it victorious.
Extracted from John Dean’s article on FindLaw.
The Blob meets the Mule? Dems need to hammer home that the debate is not limited to nominees for the court alone, but is a blatant attempt at a takeover of our government. Remind people that the Republicans control two branches of government. That this is their attempt at a sweep. Byrd was right:
Dean on what it means if they win:
You’re right about the wild ride. Let’s see where it goes.
This is the most frightening time I can remember in this country, we’re so close to being overwhelmed by fanatics and it feels so hopeless sometimes. I’m going to make my calls to plead with my reps. to stand up for us, write my emails and hope for the best. I don’t think the Republicans care if we’re outraged or not by their power plays, and if they continue to control the election process they don’t have to be. Scary times.
write your reps, especially Senators.
“Bring it on” to quote fearless leader. Now that the silliness quotient has been filled by Corny n why not see where the cards are?
By my count all 44 D’s are w/ Reid, add McCain, Chafee, Stowe, Jefferies, and now it appears Hagel and quite probably Warner and maybe Collins and it’s over. Reid hands Frist his hat and we go back to business as usual…not that that’s a pleasant spectacle in and of itself.
Too much time and attention has been diverted by this issue already and, frankly, the people’s business should addressed.
Win or lose, Reid has made it clear there will be consequences and I, for one, do not think Frist can pull this off. Let’s move forward, heh.
…should be addressed…
preview is my friend, preview is my friend…
Jeffords is a definite. McCain, too. I think both Snowe and Collins, and I hope Chaffee. Hagel and Warner…??? I hope. Hagel has presidential aspirations, though, and this would kill him with the lunatic fringe that is the Republican base. I am still holding out hope for my own Senator Specter. In his last term, and sick, why should he care about the radical right? He is a lawyer and should have some respect for the rule of law. Maybe? So, that would be 52. So, we could lose either Hagel or Warner or Specter… But not any two of them.
I am less optimistic than you are. I expect it may instead go 50-50 with DICK breaking the tie. Armageddon. It’ll be a wild ride.
Hagel made some remarks on the Sunday shows that lead me to believe he is against changing the rules.
But it’s hard to read Frist. He seems ready to rumble. Does he not know what his votes are?
Will he go forward without the votes?
I don’t know.
If they shove this one through, the NeoCons will have America on a down-hill ride, with no brakes.
God help us, when it hits the bottom !
So other than write our Senators, which I have, what do we do? Just sit by and watch our country be taken completely over by these extremists? Didn’t the concerned public in Germany wait until it was too late? This really scares the crap out of me my friends.