Lawyers' party hits a new low

Orlando Sentinel ^ | May 16, 2003 | Peter A. Brown

[nickcarraway]

Perhaps they are just isolated incidents. But if the aren't, Democrats ought to seriously consider the long-term damage they may be doing to our political system with their ends-justify-the-means mentality.

I'm talking about Democrats in the U.S. Senate using a parliamentary device to block confirmation of federal judges who have the number of votes needed for confirmation, and the laughable -- if it weren't so serious -- decision by Texas House members to flee the state to stop the Legislature from doing its business.

[elephant]

It it my hope any prayers that the Democratic party does away with itself! They are making a wonderful start.....2004 is looking good for Bush & Co.

[longtermmemmory]

This is a disturbing development. Consider in 2000 it was fought in the courts but it was completed after the courts spoke. The democrat party will not die quietly. They will yell and scream. Did you see the news story on CNN about a conservative on a diversity panel who had the audacity to say calling someone right wing was the same as insulting someone with the word N*ger? The left had false hissy fits because they want to remove the man. The truth does not matter only the aquisition of power.

The rats needed to stop redistricting in texas to save their jobs. If it is enacted later will this affect upcomming elections in time?

[Billy_bob_bob]

This whole episode proves something I've been thinking for a long while now, and as of now I'm convinced of it. Laws are for losers. Losers follow the laws and lose every time. Winners ignore the laws and win every time. Laws are for losers. Winners do what they like.

This is no longer a nation of laws, this is a nation of men. Laws are for losers.

[banjo joe]

Correct, and that's the rationale the Klintons popularized. If you're shrewd, if you're smart, if you skate up to the edge, over it and then away, leaving someone else holding the bag but you emerge without taint, then you're eligible for "the club".

[cwb]

So sad, but it seems to be true. When I hear people talking about the virtues of democracy and the "will of the people," I kind of cringe. It is not so much the will of the people that makes democracy (or republic) a good form of government...it's the rule of law. And Iraq's a perfect example of this were liberals say, "hey, if they want to vote for an Islamic Republic, we can't stop them. After all, that's the democratic way." Unfortunately, there's alot more to democracy than just the majority vote; a rule of law that represents everyone (including the minority) is the foundation of real democracy. And just as they're havng a hard time finding it, we're having a hard time keeping it. So sad.

[Dane]

The Democratic tactics reek of the "win-at-all-costs" trial-lawyer mentality. Not only are they the largest source of Democratic campaign contributions, but whether it's governors or state or federal lawmakers, you see lawyers much more dominating party ranks than among Republicans. Four of the last five Democratic presidential candidates were lawyers, but just one of the five Republican candidates was.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a filibuster leader, claims "history will look kindly on us."

You have to wonder whether he actually believes that horse manure.

Probably not.

He's a lawyer.

He'll say and do whatever he needs to get his way

How true. How very true.

[longtermmemmory]

not all lawyers are democrats and not all lawyers do these sleazy manuvers. I find the ones you really have to watch are the ones who have never worked in the real world. Government jobs are a real mental problem for lawyers. Not only lawyers but NO CANDIDATE should never have held a job or owned a business in the real world.

Doing good lawyering and representing your clients cause to the best available is far different than just winning. This trick is a sleazy manuver has little to do with laws or lawyering. It is equal to the universities prohibiting diversity of political thought, or enron's shell partnerships, or torecelli's incictment or wellstone's funeral.

The democrats are using the oldest sleaze trick, use the letter of the law to violate the spirit of the law.

[Dane]

not all lawyers are democrats and not all lawyers do these sleazy manuvers.

Ok, only about 90% of lawyers. The fact is that the vast majority of the legal profession are democrats and fully supportive of their policies and tactics, which this article pointed out very well, IMO.

[Gritty]

COMMENTARY: PETER A. BROWN

Lawyers' party hits a new low

Peter A. Brown

May 16, 2003

Perhaps they are just isolated incidents. But if the aren't, Democrats ought to seriously consider the long-term damage they may be doing to our political system with their ends-justify-the-means mentality.

I'm talking about Democrats in the U.S. Senate using a parliamentary device to block confirmation of federal judges who have the number of votes needed for confirmation, and the laughable -- if it weren't so serious -- decision by Texas House members to flee the state to stop the Legislature from doing its business.

In both cases, Democrats are making a mockery of majority rule. Say what you want about Republicans giving Bill Clinton's nominees a hard time, but the GOP held the congressional majority then.

Throw in the Democrats' threat earlier this year that unless they were given equal committee membership and staffing -- virtually unheard of for a minority party -- they would shut down U.S. Senate business. And what about the case of Robert Torricelli, a scandal-tainted U.S. senator from New Jersey? Last fall he was forced off the ballot by his party on the correct assumption that a Democratic court would ignore filing deadlines and let the party substitute a candidate more electable than Torricelli.

You have to wonder if there's more legal sleight of hand and disdain for democracy to come from a party that has sold its soul to trial lawyers. When "Larry and Laurie Lawyer" replace "Joe and Jill Sixpack" as the Democrats' driving force, chicanery is no surprise.

Obviously, unrelenting partisanship has increased on both sides of the aisle in recent years. But the Democrats' actions take it to a whole new level and threaten our government's ability to function.

For those screaming "What about the 2000 election?", remember that it was Al Gore's campaign that began the court fight. And Democrats insisted on a recount only in Florida's four largest Democratic counties, not statewide. If they had wanted the truth, not just victory, they would have sought a statewide recount.

The U.S. Supreme Court, a narrow majority of whose members were appointed by Republican presidents, merely reversed the decision of the Florida Supreme Court, six of whose seven members were Democratic appointees.

Senate Democrats are holding up the confirmations of Miguel Estrada and Patricia Owen to the U.S. Court of Appeals. They can't defeat the nominees, but they have the 41 senators needed to make sure no vote is taken.

Democratic senators acknowledge that their tactics -- and the likelihood they will filibuster more of Bush's nominees, perhaps even his eventual Supreme Court choice -- are not about qualifications. Both judges-in-waiting have the stamp of approval of the American Bar Association, not exactly a GOP-friendly body.

This is all about politics. Democrats are candid that they don't like the ideology of the Bush nominees. But so what. When the American people elected George Bush, they didn't mean for Teddy Kennedy to decide who sits on the federal bench.

In Texas, where Republicans now control both the Legislature and govenorship for the first time in 130 years, Democrats ruled with an iron fist for a century. During their reign, they treated Republicans like dirt. Until 20 years ago, Republicans could caucus in a phone booth.

But with Texas Republicans trying to implement their policies -- as presumably voters who elected them desire -- virtually all House Democrats skipped the state to deny the quorum necessary to do business. They holed up in an Oklahoma hotel, beyond the jurisdiction of state troopers empowered to arrest them and return them to the Capitol.

Since the deadline for the Texas House to pass legislation was Thursday, their plan was to thwart the House's ability to function. Of course, Republican Gov. Rick Perry has promised to call special sessions to do the business not dealt with.

The Democratic tactics reek of the "win-at-all-costs" trial-lawyer mentality. Not only are they the largest source of Democratic campaign contributions, but whether it's governors or state or federal lawmakers, you see lawyers much more dominating party ranks than among Republicans. Four of the last five Democratic presidential candidates were lawyers, but just one of the five Republican candidates was.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a filibuster leader, claims "history will look kindly on us."

You have to wonder whether he actually believes that horse manure.

Probably not.

He's a lawyer.

He'll say and do whatever he needs to get his way.

Let's hope he and his fellow Democrats don't damage the country in the process.

Peter A. Brown can be reached at 407-420-5276 or pbrown@olandosentinel.com

Copyright © 2003, Orlando Sentinel

[Publicus]

...And if anybody asks you for an example, refer them to the "Ithaca" threads and have them look into the articles describing what lawbreakers and their corrupt cronies are doing to Tom Pine, a widow and other suckers- I mean productive, law-abiding citizens- with taxpayer- i.e. YOUR- money no less!