A Judicious Compromise Democrats Should Take the First Step to End the Filibuster Fracas

The Washington Post ^ | Sunday, April 24, 2005 | David S. Broder

[ricks_place]

...Here is what should happen: The Democratic Senate leadership should agree voluntarily to set aside the continued threat of filibustering the seven Bush appointees to the federal appeals courts
...
In return, they (Democrats) should get a renewed promise from the president that he will not bypass the Senate by offering any more recess appointments to the bench
...
(Democrats also get a) pledge from Republican Senate leaders to consider each such nominee individually, carefully and with a guarantee of extensive debate in coming months.

[ricks_place]

David Broder sometimes makes sense
but to suggest that the President surrender his constitutional prerogatives
and that the majority Senate surrender its constitutional responsibility to the minority party
is extrodinarily destructive to the country and inane.

[MikefromOhio]

well generally when you are working in politics with a rational opponent this would be the way to go. however, the Democrats are not rational or honorable or really even more than political hacks.

[BushWonGore'sDone]

I think the republicans need to quit trying to help the Democrats. The republicans need to ACT in the manner of which the people who have elected them, by leading and implementing the conservative policies they have been put into office for in the first place!

[BibChr]

The title tips me off right away ("First step" -- because the Republicans have done nothing right). Then that it's David Broder. Fuggeddaboudit.

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[Emmett McCarthy]

Broder's idea does seem reasonable at first glance. It's only when a person realizes that Democrats have never kept up their end of the deal in any bargain that one sees that it's worthless.

That being said, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the Republican leadership would go along with it because it would give them political "cover". They could keep claiming that they're "on our side and did their best" but that the Dems lied and so things continue to slide downhill. We've given Republicans all the power they'd ever need to do what's right and, as fas as I'm concerned, they either do it now or they're finished.

[MikefromOhio]

they can't stop a philabuster right now. They dont have that much power.

they might after the 2006 election cycle, but as of right now, they are just short of where they need to be.

[AmericanChef]

-The Democratic Senate leadership should agree voluntarily to set aside the continued threat of filibustering the seven Bush appointees to the federal appeals courts-

As if the Rats would ever keep such a promise. Unfortunately, the Republicans would keep theirs, and then we'd be out 2 for 2.

[skinkinthegrass]

I didn't know Harry Reid (NV-'RAT) writes a syn. column for the WaPo...who's next; Bubba "little willie"/$hrillary "the Red Queen" Klintoon and Nancy "Botox" Pelosi

[muawiyah]

Agree. David Broder sometimes reveals his true colors ~ that of arch traitor to America.

Can we ship this guy to France or something, so he can discuss the new EU Constitution.

[ricks_place]

"Broder's idea does seem reasonable at first glance."

Broders idea that the President would surrender any Constitutional powers delegated to the Executive Branch,
and create new extra-Constitutional powers to a Minority of the Legislative Branch
is not in any way reasonable.

[Emmett McCarthy]

They can use the "constitutional option" whereby filibusters are not used to stop the vote on judicial nominees. Another election cycle is just a vision of Republican'ts asking for more and more money to "really turn things around this time."

[MikefromOhio]

but between the RINOS and idiots like McCain, they barely have a majority most of the time.

Add to that, it will be a complete PR nightmare and you have to be real and know they are thinking about that too.

[deport]

(Democrats also get a) pledge from Republican Senate leaders to consider each such nominee individually, carefully and with a guarantee of extensive debate in coming months.

---

That's the problem now David. It isn't the Republicans who control the debate length but rather 41 of the democrats. They have debated and debated on some of the nominees but won't let the debate end and a vote take place. If they would then the mess we are in now wouldn't be there.

[catpuppy]

Except for Clarence Thomas, who was supported by only 11 Democrats, every single Supreme Court nominee of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton was confirmed with the support of the overwhelming majority of opposition-party senators.

Robert Borke will be as surprised as I was to learn this. David Broder needs to hang it up.

[Emmett McCarthy]

It's just my opinion, but I think it's past time to engage the battle one way or the other. I think what you're calling "a PR nightmare" would actually have quite the opposite effect if it were to happen at all. First, I think we could actually win the battle, or I wouldn't suggest we go into it, but, second, I believe that even if we didn't, it would just serve to galvanize the right-thinking voters. On the other hand, if they do nothing - or if they go along with some phony compromise - the voter base shrinks.

[MikefromOhio]

but they arent going with some "phony compromise". That was only suggested in the article and its completely baseless considering all the signals we are getting out of Frist at this time.

[expatpat]

Sounds to me like the 'rats are starting to cave.....

[Emmett McCarthy]

Frist is one of my Senators (the other being Alexander who seems to be MIA) and I hope that I'm wrong in my opinion that he doesn't seem to be up to the job.

[expatpat]

The WaPo is the house organ of the 'Rat Party, so why not? You would expect a Commie to wite for the Daily Worker. It's not as if it were a respectable independent newspaper.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah well he's got that dispassionate doctor's thing going on and I dont know if that is exactly the type of personality needed to be Senate Leader you know?