Posted on 11/19/2004 2:02:09 AM PST by Always Right
Updates:
11-19 Update: By now you are all aware the Specter has the support of the nine current GOP members of the Judiciary Committee which will be more than enough to secure his position as Chairman. I know many of you are disappointed and perhaps angry at the loss, but don't be. This battle was not about Specter being chairman, this battle was about laying the groundwork so that good legislation would get pass and conservative judicial nominees would get confirmed. From that perspective, I think we scored huge and important victories:
1. The Senate is on Notice. Senator Graham noted that he received more calls on this than any issue since Clinton's impeachment. Reports from other Senator offices note the same. We have been heard loud and clear.
2. Specter has been Neutered. With Specter's statements and promises to every GOP Senator and to the public, it will be very difficult and politically impossible for Specter to unilaterally bottle up legislation or shelf judicial nominees. If Specter goes back on his word, there will be enormous outrage and sufficient cause to remove him from the judiciary. Who Chairs each committee and which members serve on each committee is determine by majority party rules, so there are solutions to Specter should he should become a problem.
3. New Judiciary Members will be Conservative. I think I am extremely safe in saying that the one or two additional GOP appointment to the Judiciary Panel will be conservative. If Frist and Santorum mess this up, they deserved to be shot and killed on the spot.
4. 'Nuclear Option' is Viable. My feeling was that the Senate had never really considered this as a viable option, but now I have heard numerous Senators, including Frisk, talk about changing the Senate cloture rules. The so-called 'nuclear option' would limit the use of filibusters to legislation only, so filibusters could not be used against judicial nominations. This is an extremely positive development and will only require 51 votes. The biggest disappointment is that Frist may only resort to this on Supreme Court nominees. We need this option alive for all nominees.
5. We still have 55 GOP Senators. So we have extracted our pound of flesh from Specter and we have focused the Senate on getting judges confirmed, all while keeping our Senate majority firmly in tact. Sure there are 3-4 RINOs and few other unreliables, but we made our point and haven't really lost anything.
I know there are many naysayers out there who believe Republican Senators are a bunch of spineless wimps, which is true to an extent. However, I really think this effort has empowered conservative Senators to act conservative. So before everyone condemns the Senate, don't do so prematurely. Let's judge the real results, the judges and the legislation. I am very optimistic that we may have apparently lost this battle, but are on the way to winning the war. In the end, this may have been the best possible outcome.
So let's remember folks, we control the White House, the House of Representatives, and well, we are working on the Senate. But this is the best position conservatives have ever been in. So let's not get all negative and doom and gloom. Let's get busy.
Allies:
Thomas Sowell, Laura Ingraham, Grassroots.PA, Coalition for a Fair Judiciary, Stop Specter Now!, National Right to Life Committee, NRO - The Corner, The Conservative Voice, Focus on the Family
Confused Conservatives:
Petitions on the Web:
We Want a Strong Leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee - GOPUSA
"New Pro-Abortion Senate Judiciary Chair?" - Voices Heard
Arlen Specter MUST NOT become Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. - nospecter
Pull chair out from under RINO Arlen Specter - Conservative Petitions
Petition to Republican Senators Opposing the Election of Senator Arlen Specter - AFA
THE FAIR JUDICIARY OATH - Coalition for Fair Judiciary
On-line Petition - gopwing.com
Latest News Stories:
NEW! Specter Effectively Wins Senate Judiciary Chair - Reuters 11-18-04
NEW! Republicans on Senate Judiciary Panel Endorse Specter as Chair Bloomberg 11-18-04
NEW! Specter secures judiciary chairmanship after issuing statement The Philadelphia Inquirer 11-18-04
Pro-choice Specter faces GOP test Chicago Trib 11-15
Frist withholds Specter support Washington Times, 11-15
NY Times: Frist Sees Hurdles for Specter NYT 11-14
For Specter, a Showdown Over Judiciary Chairmanship Washington Post 11-14
The Specter Campaign National Review 11-11
Focus on the Family ups effort to block Specter Rocky Mountain News 11-11
Embattled Specter upset at HRC snub NY Blade 11-12
As Specter seeks a chairmanship, it's payback time for conservatives Phily Inquirer 11-12
An ominous Specter: Part III Thomas Sowell 11-12
Specter's voting record Washington Times, 11-11
Specter asks to appeal to peers AP via Washington Times 11-11
Specter sees 'a battle for balance in the Republican Party' Philly Inquirer 11-11
An ominous Specter: Part II Thomas Sowell 11-10
Specter Seeks Meeting with Fellow Republicans - Reuters 11-10
An ominous Specter - Thomas Sowell 11-10
Specter Still Not in the Clear - Fox News 11-9
Spat over Specter may be subsiding - Pittsburg Post-Gazette 11-9
Conservatives target Specter - Washington Times 11-9
GOP Senators Struggle with Specter Chairmanship Focus on the Family 11-9
Under Fire, Specter Gets Only Tepid White House Support NY Times 11-9
Why the Specter flap matters - Boston Globe 11-9
The Left's View on Specter - Limbaugh 11-9
Specter Campaign Crumbling - Human Events 11-8
Senate Chairmanship in Question for Specter - NPR 11-8
Specter Opponents Pressing Senate Leaders - AP 11-8
A Specter of Trouble - OpinionEditorials 11-8
Specter: "I not only voted against Bork, I led the charge aGrassroots PAgainst him." - Grassroots.PA 11-7
Specter says he won't slow anti-abortion court nominees - CNN 11-7
Arlen Specter - "Bork" Him - Intellectual Conservative 11-6
Judges Following No Law (why Arlen Specter must go) - ****Robert Bork, 8-12-04
Keep Arlen Specter off chair of Judiciary Committee! - WND 11-6
Who's spinning? Specter or reporter? - WND 11-5
All eyes on Sen. Specter - Washington Times 11-5
Conservative wing raises fuss over Specter's views - New York Times 11-5
Specter faces battle for Judiciary chair - Washington Times 11-5
Sen. Specter Ignites Firestorm of Opposition - NewsMax 11-5
Suffering Specter - Pittsburg Tribune Review 11-5
Specter's Remarks Trigger Protest - Focus on the Family 11-5
Lawmaker wants Grassley on judiciary panel - Des Moines Register 11-5
Specter 'Borked' Himself from Senate Judiciary Committee - Concerned Women for America 11-5
Pro-Life Pray-In Planned to Stop Specter - CNSNEWS 11-5
Will Specter Chair Judiciary? - Human Events 11-5
Thank You, Arlen - National Review 11-3
GOP Sen. Specter Vows to Block Bush's Nominees - NewsMax 10-29
The Northeastern Liberal (Kerry and Specter, two peas in a pod.) - Evan-Novak 3-11-04
Background:
Actual Transcript of News Conference Wherein Specter Threatens Bush's Judicial Nominees
Specter's "Clarification" of his Threats to Pres. Bush's Judicial Nominees
Another Soros Specter Connection (The Bush-Soros Pick)
SPECTER SLAMS CONSERVATIVES IN CAMPAIGN LETTER, ATTACKS PRO-LIFERS, CHRISTIANS
Contact Information:
Bill Frist: E-mail: senator.frist@senate.gov
461 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON DC 20510
PHONE: (202) 224-3344
Web Form (Email his office): http://www.frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.ContactForm
Contact Information for all Senators
Sen. Orrin Hatch, UT, current Committee Chair PH: 202-224-5251 FX: 202-224-6331
Sen. Jon Kyl, AZ PH: 202-224-4521 FX: 202-224-2207
Sen. John Cornyn, TX PH: 202-224-2934 FX: 202-228-2856
Sen. Charles Grassley, IA PH: 202-224-3744 FX: 319-363-7179
Sen. Mike DeWine, OH PH: 202-224-2315 FX: 202-224-6519
Sen. Jeff Sessions, AL PH: 202-224-4124 FX: 202-224-3149
Sen. Lindsey Graham, SC PH: 202-224-5972 FX: 202-224-3808
Sen. Larry Craig, ID PH: 202-224-2752 FX: 202-228-1067
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, GA PH: 202-224-3521 FX: 202-224-0103
Homepages of Judiciary Committe Members:
Orrin Hatch Chuck Grassley Jon Kyl Mike DeWine Jeff Sessions Lindsey Graham Larry Craig Saxby Chambliss John Cornyn Arlen Specter
Media Contacts:
Special@foxnews.com; rush@eibnet.com; hannity@foxnews.com; editor@weeklystandard.com; beltwayboys@foxnews.com; tblankley@washingtontimes.com; jmccaslin@washingtontimes.com; gpierce@washingtontimes.com; jseper@washingtontimes.com; Templar119@aol.com; malkin@comcast.net; letters@charleskrauthammer.com; ben@cspc.org; adams_mike@hotmail.com; ballen@t3energy.com; greg@therightbalance.org; VAlpher@aol.com; friends@atr.org; ruddy@spectator.org; editor@spectator.org; rjbacak@sbcglobal.net; online.editors@barrons.com; me@glennbeck.com; carol@carolbernhard.com; jennifer.biddison@heritage.org; kotta@foxnews.com; briankbodine@yahoo.com; jimbohannon@1050wevd.com; JeffBolton@woai.com; wackerma@bowdoin.edu; chrisb@unt.edu; erniebrown@americaatnight.com; bucc@bucknellconservatives.org; calpundit@cox.net; chairman@cyr.org; joshcampbell@mail.utexas.edu; info@capitolhillblue.com; castellanopj@earthlink.net; charles@littlegreenfootballs.com; bobcole@clearchannel.com; cn@isi.org; letters@commentarymagazine.com; lauren.conner@bba02.bus.utexas.edu; dj@flipsideshow.com; copleyd@wharton.upenn.edu; tom@anncoulter.org; info@collegegop.org; cugop@colorado.edu; crider@mail.utexas.edu;
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Previous Threads:
Priority 1: Remove Specter from Judiciary (Thread 1)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judciary (Day 2)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 3)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 4)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 5)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 6)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 7)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 8)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 9)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Days 10-12)
Priority 1: Remove Specter from the Judiciary (Day 13)
Thanks for the threads and updates. I do intend to keep a close watch and when (not if) Specter oopses out of the lines, it will be interesting to see what will happen. It's not clear to me what leverage there is when he reverts to being himself, but I suspect that the leadership feel that they have some.
Laura Ingraham as I am writing this, is pointing out that Specter had to scramble to assure his fellow republicans. She points out that conservatives across the land are educated and mobilized to the importance of the Judiciary and its processes. It's overall a victory.
We are going to get Filibuster reform.
We had an effect. We are integral in the process now. And she continues to point out that we are ready to fight the next fight.
Hadn't heard that, but sounds like an excellent move on Bush's part. Bush ran a solid campaign, but in hindsight supporting Specter may have been his biggest blunder. But at the time, PA was an important battleground state. One would have assumed Specter might actually help Bush, but it might have surpressed more conservative voters. Who knows, I am not even sure hindsight is 20-20.
BTW: here's the public statement he made:
November 19, 2004
"...If a rule change is necessary to avoid filibusters, there are relevant recent precedents to secure rule changes with 51 votes. "
Oh, don't you know that they are "put on notice"? Yeah, right, and they continue to ignore the notice.
I want Specter GONE, REPLACED, now, it that clear enough? Lessee, what do they not understand about that?
RB
Thanks, I don't get to hear Laura around here only when I get up towards Chicago. She did a wonderful job on this and was the most vocal big name host leading this issue. We are in a real grey area on what can be done to Specter down the road. I know in the 40's there was a Senator who did not even show up for a couple years but retained his chairmanship, so getting rid of one would be new ground. The GOP rules dictact who they appoint, so I assume every two years the GOP can appoint whomever they please. During a session is a lot more questionable.
We'll see what happens, but I think it would be a great move, especially if Toomey wants to go after Rendell!
Thanks for posting that to this thread. I hadn't seen his final statement yet, and that is a positive sign. That statement is going to raise the fur of some Democrats. I am convinced that Specter will hurt us a couple years down the road, but over the short term things look good.
Why would Specter have to watch his step? He likely will never run for election again, and a little bit of flack from the vast right wing is just part of the job.
One possibility (believe it or not) is impeachment. If Specter fails to do his job, impeachment charges can be brought against him in the House.
I found out about this "nuclear solution" a few days ago, and haven't had time to investigate it thoroughly. But we do have a stronger voice in the House, and tort reform (opposed by Specter) is high on their list of things to do.
Wouldn't that be the first great irony of the 21st century -- impeaching a Senator who follows Scottish law.
OK, maybe you were right, but at 4:00 in the morning it sounded alright. Of course it was just figuratively speaking, but I should have used more appropriate language such as 'hung them up by their toes' or something nonlethal.
We dont get Laura in our area either, so we have been listening to her online.
KRLA (LA) and WTNT (Wash DC) both carry her from 8:00-11:00am central time.
KRLA link
http://www2.krla870.com/listen/
Interesting history lesson on senate chairmanships. It will certainly be very interesting to see how things unfold. I feel very optimistic. I just have a very strong belief that the actions taken by those who love this nation and are concerned by the issues of pro life, 2nd amendment, tort reform and others count in ways that we dont see. It is hard for me to believe that our Father hasnt heard the prayers and seen the committment of His children who are speaking out. Many of us have prayed fervently for Him to take command and work only His Will in the situation. I just feel very optimistic that He is truly in charge and taking into consideration our deep concerns.
It is true that we need to continue our vigilance and willingness to take action, but I am willing to watch for a bit to see what happens. God has given all of us free will, and that includes our Senators. If they are following God's guidance, all will be well. If they have chosen their own will and have made poor choices, then they have set themselves up to be accountable to our Father, and He will deal with them according to His own timing. So, imho, that also means that all will be well, as long as each of us individually continue to raise our voices in prayer and in righteous action.
Constitution?...We Dunt Need NO Steeking Constitution....
Given all we have on Arlen 'Magic Bullet' Specter...allowing him to take the Senate Judicary Chair is like putting John Gotti in charge of the church bingo hall...and then telling us he will be carefully watched?
But what the heck anyone who can pull off covering up the JFK murder...should be just fine as Senate Judicary Chairman...what harm could he really do....
What a 'Band of Brothers' our leaders are....
IMO
Given all we have on Arlen 'Magic Bullet' Specter...allowing him to take the Senate Judicary Chair is like putting John Gotti in charge of the church bingo hall...and then telling us he will be carefully watched?
But what the heck anyone who can pull off covering up the JFK murder...should be just fine as Senate Judicary Chairman...what harm could he really do....
What a 'Band of Brothers' our leaders are....
IMO
I thank you for YOUR personal efforts to corral Specter.
I hope your analysis is a correct one. However, my personal expectations for the Republican members of the Senate have been substantial lowered.
Hope you're right, but have my doubts. Above all else, the Senate is a "very exclusive club", and they, above all else, protect each other. The "elites" always do. What this episode has demonstrated is just how impotent "we the people" really are. Another example of "we the people" not having power is the very dangerous illegal immigration problem. The vast majority of Americans want the southern border protected, and the politicians now this, but continue to ignore the will of the people. We will pay dearly!
I beleive he has to be careful of what he does simply because he will receive A LOT of pressure from his fellow Senators, who will be receiving pressure from their constituents.
Good post! Now let the whiners and naysaying commence ;)
Read later
"Good post! Now let the whiners and naysaying commence ;)"
Nah, us "whiners and naysayers" are content for now to just shake our heads ruefully and wait for the "spin dust" to settle, while looking at the scoreboard, which now reads:
Spector: 3
Conservatives: 0!
Our time will come down the road. ;)
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