Estrada filibuster may galvanize Latino voters

The Detroit News ^ | Tuesday, April 29, 2003 | Ruben Navarette

[BOBTHENAILER]

After several failed attempts by Senate Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster, it's starting to look as if Miguel Estrada may never make it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The controversial Bush nominee may have to settle for the strangest of consolation prizes: his name plastered on bumper stickers in the 2004 election.

[BOBTHENAILER]

YOu can't use vile methods when it chooses your fancy just because you think you have the 'high ground' in an issue. It helps in the destruction of everything this country was built on and feeds the monster that will consume us all if we aren't careful.

What vile methods have been proposed in friendly's post?

The only thing vile I see in it is the FACT that he posited:

No devout Roman Catholic Hispanic will EVER be allowed by the democrats to run for national office or be appointed to a judgeship.

That is a RAT tactic, not Bush or Republican. Anything being advocated here is the TRUTH. A very effective tool to use with a well informed public.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Thanks for the correction. OOOppps.

[nanny]

These two factors can not be over emphasised. Democrats work on race we work on merit.

Come again??? Have you read the posts here? Hispanic this and Hispanic that and he is a hero in Central and South America. It will get us the Hispanic vote, yada, yada, yada. That is racial politics pure and simple and it is just as reprehensible for the Republicans as it is for the Democrats - that is why the Republican party is changing - those old conservatives who can't stomach "anything to win", "as long as he wears the Republican title" are just sitting home. The newer group is running things, there is no doubt about that.

[FryingPan101]

"galvanize Latino voter?"

Not Hispanic voters? LOL

[nanny]

You are just being a little disingenuous aren't you? Mr. Estrada was nominated and is being touted as the first Hispanic - not just as a man who will do a good job. There is no way you can deny it. Then when the Democrats played their usual games based on their political philosophy - the Republicans decided to use this, yes vile, racial politics to drum up public opinion. If something is bad for the Democrats - it is equally, if not worse, bad for the Republicans.

Now yes it is vile that, if the Democrats have not passed anyone based on anything but their character and ability to do the job. Bush is just as bad for nominating for that reason. But the statement, that they haven't "and Bush has some suprises in store" means he is going to nominate some based on things other than their character and ability to do the job.

You know you can't have it both ways - this should not be a anything to win situation. The Republican party needs to maintain some degree of integrity. How can anyone remark about the Democratic racial proclivities when we just had the Trent Lott debacle - supported by the President for his own agenda. The nomination and touting of 'the first Hispanic' for his own agenda and not see it as something horribly wrong.

We do not have the moral high ground here. Now if that doesn't matter - have the courage to say it doesn't. Don't pretend the Democrats are dastardly for doing the same thing we are doing.

Do not - just don't waste the space to try to say that Mr. Estrada was not nominated because he was Hispanic. That doesn't mean he is not qualified for the job - but he was nominated and touted because he was Hispanic - just plain wrong and you can't spin it fast enough to blur the truth.

[texastoo]

I live and work in a community that is probably 98% hispanic. I have yet to hear one hispanic mention Estrada. However, they talk a great deal about their novelas.

These people are always conservative when it is their money. However, when it is your money, they line the ERs.

I suggest you take a look at the red and blue map. The hispanic population has voted for the Democrats and for abortion for years. Besides that they have a very high drop-out rate in highschool.

[yoe]

RUSH JUST REPEATED A FANTASTIC IDEA FROM SOMEONE AT THE CATO INSTITUTE - RECESS APPOINT ROBERT BORK!!!!! FAX THE WHITE HOUSE THIS TODAY!!!! RECESS APOINT ROBERT BORK!!

[gcruse]

anti-Catholic... bigots of the DNC.

What was JFK, chopped liver?

[grapeape]

Where is Hispania anyway? You don't know do you? Because Hispanic was a meaningless term invented by the Census department to try to galvanize all of the different ethnic groups against the Republicans.

If you think you are going to get an extended argument on a ridiculous topic such as the one you posed, you are sadly mistaken. Racial politics is the cornerstone of the Democratic Party. This is the last second I will spend on it.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Mr. Estrada was nominated and is being touted as the first Hispanic - not just as a man who will do a good job. There is no way you can deny it.

Do not - just don't waste the space to try to say that Mr. Estrada was not nominated because he was Hispanic.

I take it by these two quotes you have some "inside" knowledge as to why Estrada was nominated. Despite your effort to TELL me what I can and can't do, here it is, and I could care less what you think about my ability to deny it. Miguel Estrada was nominated because he is an emminently qualified party (see ABA approval rating), NOT because he is Hispanic, Black, Indian, Hindu, Muslim or anything else.

but he was nominated and touted because he was Hispanic - just plain wrong and you can't spin it fast enough to blur the truth.

Again with your inside knowledge. Following your logic, that all nominations have a dastardly political motive, give us the benefit of your insider motive for Pickering, Owen and Sutton, just for starters.

We do not have the moral high ground here. Now if that doesn't matter - have the courage to say it doesn't. Don't pretend the Democrats are dastardly for doing the same thing we are doing.

Sorry, but we do have the moral high ground here. Remember the "activist judges" writing their own Florida law, against Florida law, remember the Ninth Circuit "activist" judges making the usage of God unconstitutional in the Pledge of Allegiance? You want more of that? Having the moral courage to stand up for judges who believe our Constitution means something, is worth every knockdown dragout fight with the RATS we get in. We're talking about a country I happen to love and the nicey, lovey-dovey tactics you seem to espouse will get us run over every time. This, my friend, whether you see it that way or not, is political war on a grand scale and saying we have to fight "nice" is like saying we were mean to use overwhelming force in Iraq.

[BOBTHENAILER]

This is the last second I will spend on it.

my post #70 is my last second with nanny.

[votelife]

I think you have misunderstood the Estrada issue. Estrada is EXTREMELY qualified. Clerk for Justice Kennedy. Argued 15 cases before the US Supreme Court, and WON 10 of them. Excellent law credentials. But the left could care less about his credentials. They don't like to see a Hispanic stray from liberal ideology. So many on the right have taken to using liberal speak to support the nominee, which must infuriate the left. But, make no mistake about it, Estrada is supremely qualified.

[votelife]

if you think Estrada is qualified, which I assume you do, than you're basically saying that Bush shouldn't push for him, in other words, don't try to get the first Hispanic on the Court. Ridiculous. America should see plain and simple the racist double standard the Democrats use with minorities...liberal good, conservative, bad minority. President Bush is doing the nation by showing minorities you can be conservative and succeed. Of course, this helps the GOP, as well...

(see Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice, Colon Powell, Linda Chavez, etc.)

[syriacus]

Schumer just spoke. He said Bush shouldn't think he can "swing a two by four" at the Senate to get his nominees confirmed.

Schumer also made his usual comment that ordinary people he talks with agree with him. He seemed to say that more people are coming around to his point of view, contrary to earlier warnings that resisting Bush' nominees would lead to political repercussions.

[votelife]

sounds like Schumer is trying to send another "Shot across the bow" like he did with Ashcroft.

Methinks Schumer is 1. trying to raise money and 2. feels like he got hit with a two by four.

your letters are getting to Schumer!
all of our letters/calls/etc are getting to the Dems, otherwise this would have been a CLOTURE vote!

[votelife]

ESTRADA Activism thread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/847037/posts

[nanny]

Ah, we strike and run. I have no idea what constitutes Hispanic and neither does anyone else.

YOu can run and deny by you can't hide the fact the Republicans are not above racial politics and the President is fully capable and willing to engage in this very destructive action.

Now if it was meant to galvanize 'everyone' against the Republicans - then the Republicans are doing the same thing. YOu can't claim high moral ground when you are wallowing in the same mud. No way around it. It matters not what they are calling them.

[nanny]

YOu are just spitting in the wind here - my goodness just read the posts on this thread!! Everytime I hear a Republican talk about him it is 'the first Hispanic' blah, blah, blah. 'The Democrats won't pass on him because he is Hispanic", etc.

Now that is racial politics. I have never questioned his qualifications - have heard almost nothing about them except he is an immigrant who went to Harvard.

Just look at the title of this thread 'energize the HIspanic vote' - and that is not racial politics.

No moral high ground at all - just same dirty politics.

[nickcarraway]

JFK would not even be allowed at a Democrat convention today.

[nanny]

I have never said he is not qualified - never - I really haven't heard much about his qualifications. What I have heard, on and on, is his Hispanicness - as I posted to someone else - just look at this thread.

I have no doubt he is qualified - but he has not been touted as qualified - but as 'the first Hispanic'. That racial politics - any old way you look at it. Just because it comes from the Republicans does not make it somehow cleaner.

So many on the right have taken to using liberal speak to support the nominee, which must infuriate the left. But, make no mistake about it, Estrada is supremely qualified.

It should infuriate anyone on the right who hears this talk. It does me. So it is OK for the right to take on liberal talk and politics although it taints the Republicans and gives life and energy to a very destruction practice - and it isn't racial politics? What exactly do you call it?