Posted on 05/17/2005 9:02:54 AM PDT by smokeman
Orrin Hatch Talks to Beltway Buzz
05/17 11:52 AM
Just spoke with Utah Senator and former Judiciary Committee Chair Orrin Hatch. I began by asking Senator Hatch if he thinks the votes are there to pass an end to judicial filibusters. Hatch said, “Frist can get the votes if he wants it. The votes are there.”
On the attempted compromise over filibusters led by Senators John McCain and Ben Nelson, Hatch said, “You never know. McCain is working as hard as he can and he has some help.”
Hatch says if there isn’t a vote to end judicial filibusters or if that vote does not pass, “It would be a tremendous injustice to the president and to these judges. It might be tough for the Republicans if we can’t stand up for these people. Seven people with bipartisan, majority support. That could be tough for our party.”
Hatch says Democrats are fighting a losing battle in opposing Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown. “The might give up on Owen. There is absolutely no reason to be against her. The Democrats would be stupid to not let her through. She was elected with over 80 percent. And Brown was elected with over 60 percent. They are both high-quality people.”
In addition to their respective qualifications, Hatch makes it clear Democrats are contradicting values they claim to represent in blocking several of Bush’s nominees. Janice Rogers Brown is an African American and the daughter of sharecroppers. Priscilla Owen has made great strides as a female justice and a third blocked nominee, Henry Sadd, Hatch notes, “to the best of my knowledge is the first Arab American nominated to the circuit court of appeals.”
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Seems we possibly have a winner, finally!
Awesome! Thant's what we wanted to hear. No wonder Frist told Dingy Harry to pound sand.
btt
Please....no more "next week" remarks from Frist. Do it now.
FYI
I am hoping that he gets the vote out of the way soon! I am not satisfied with the fluff piece about a vote within "moments".
I agree with you. I can use the real phrase about what Frist should do "or get off the pot."
Then he better call for the vote ASAP. Minds don't stay decided forever. Use the leadership he's been appointed to.
Hurry up. I don't think the American people are upset that we're trying to pass this, I think they're getting annoyed at how long it's taking.
Should read, Frist has the votes if needed, but since he will cave to the RATS, they are not needed.
He needs at least a formal objection to taking the vote on a nominee, before he would be motivated to implement any sort of procedural change.
He might even move for cloture, but I think that concedes it is appropriate to invoke a mechanism that includes a 60 vote hurdle to get to the vote. Anyway, if he ignores my advice and files a cloture motion, the timing of motivation to change procedure is when the cloture motion fails to pass. If the cloture motion passes with 60 votes, then the vote on the nominee goes forward, and there is no motivation to change the rule AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
The alternative is a frontal attack on the requirement for a supermajority to move to the vote on a judicial nominee. That could be made at any time, but won't be. File a resolution to change Rule XXII, and bring it up for a vote.
Do it Senator Frist - do it.
I will be so happy when they use the "Nuclear Option". Once this and the "Bolton" battle are finished we can move on. The only question I will have is if the tide turns the other way in the future----a Dem. president or a loss of Rep. senate majority, will the Republicans want to change the rules back again? There should have never been judicial filibusters to begin with.
Now. Not next week.
Hatch said, “Frist can get the votes if he wants it. The votes are there.”
What price will have to be paid and will it be worth it in the long run? Negotiating with the Democrats is like negotiating with a kidnapper, which is what they are, kidnapping our parlimentary process and holding it for ransom. A compromise is a loss in this case. When you pay a kidnapper, or give in to a Democrat, you just assure more of the same.
It's not ever going to happen. He won't do it. This is like when you're in Wal Mart and there is some little terror kid running around causing problems. And his parents constantly warn him, count to 10, threaten etc and the kid never even slows down. You just know that this parent will NEVER do what they are threatening.
It's not going to happen.
Do you know when they will vote?
Big deal. Frist will not, I repeat, WILL NOT force the issue. The GOP will cave yet again.
When the dems get back into majority, the first agenda item will be to eliminate the judicial filibuster. They will not be so stupid to let the issue fester for four years. There will be no time for counter arguments and lobbying, they will eliminate it, day one.
Git-R-Done!
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