Specter: Nuclear Option Would Put Senate 'in Turmoil'

CNSNews ^ | 2/25/05 | Jeff Johnson

[TWRepublican]

It could be now or never. I will not vote in 06 if they choose not to do the "constitutional" thing. Many, many people are watching on this one. This is what we have prayed for and fought for. To have the Senate majority and the numbers we now have and to let us down when we are the reason they are there. They had better listen this time or they will be gone. This country will be doomed to have freaks for judges for a long time.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Time for him to go.

[Lazamataz]

Specter: Nuclear Option Would Put Senate 'in Turmoil'

Arlen Sphincter MUST GO.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

"If we have the nuclear option, the Senate will be in turmoil and the Judiciary Committee will be hell," Specter (R-Pa.) told reporters at a Capitol Hill press conference.

We tried really hard to keep this guy out of the committee chair!

We knew he was a wuss!

He kept his illness hidden until after the election.

Too bad Penn governor is a Democrat.

We will have to clench our jaws and wait 2 years to get a Republican governor who can replace Specs.

[jonlane]

well, i hate to remind everyone of this (and I am sure I'll get flamed for it), but when we were the minority, we also used the filibuster. and democrats tried to stop us then as we're doing now. eventually, after their slimy ways became evident, the tides started turning, and we got the majority in the house.

so, while i think its terrible that these judges can't be voted on, it would be far worse for America and for the republican to start changing every rule that doesn't suit us. The elder republican senators know this, and a number of them oppose this rules change, which is why there probably aren't even enough votes.

and besides (maybe I'm missing something), but couldn't the democrats just filibuster a rules change anyway?

[Vaquero]

not 1/10th of the way THEY use these tactics.

Its worth it.

[Area51]

In other words if it happened my importance an opportunity to royally f#$% the conservatives would be greatly diminished.


Poor Snarling Arlen. A legend in his own mind.

[Qwinn]

"well, i hate to remind everyone of this (and I am sure I'll get flamed for it), but when we were the minority, we also used the filibuster."

False. The Republican "filibusters" were quite temporary, in line with the actual intent. No judge who had enough votes to get confirmed was permanently denied an up or down vote the way Bush's nominees were.

If you don't believe me, then actually name a judge sponsored by liberals that had a majority willing to confirm him that didn't get his vote.

Qwinn

[goodnesswins]

Depends upon what the meaning of "turmoil" is......in my mind, TURMOIL in the Senate is GREAT! and badly needed!

[hermgem]

Spector already is at it again.
He likes to sit, ride things out with compromises and at the end of the day gets nothing done.
Just pushing tasks or problems ahead, passing them along and declaring victory is not a solution.
Spector might want to spend some time on what the consequences are for doing nothing.
Democrats are fully prepared for total confrontations to block any nominee not worthy of their nomination.
How good to let Democrats know what Spector's avoidance maneuvers are.

[votelife]

202 224-3121
that's the Capitol Switchboard, then ask for Senator Frist.

[M. Dodge Thomas]

For conservatives this may well be a case of "be careful what you wish for"; once the filibuster rile is suspended for one reason, it's going to be much easier to suspend it for another and historically the filibuster has operated in a "conservative" fashion by increasing the bargaining power of smaller, less urban, and more sparsely populated states.

Once you release that brake, you can expect that Democrats, if they return to power, will be just as ready to take advantage of this shift (or even more so, as they tend to attract larger numbers of urban votes) than Republicans.

So I’d suggest conservatives take a long hard look at the Red/Blue map before deciding that diluting the power of the filibuster for short-term gain is a good idea.

[hattend]

When the rule was changed to what it is now, did it create chaos and turmoil? Of course not.

Specter should have never been allowed to get this chairmanship.

[elephantlips]

Spector doesn't seem to understand just who he represents in congress. The will of the people is highly obvious and his efforts to represent the "moderates," is nothing more than his vainglory rather than the will of those who elected him.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

"Senator (Harry) Reid (D-Nev.) has said in un-artful terms -- these are not my words these are his -- that if the nuclear option is tried and succeeds, he'll 'screw things up,'" Specter recalled. "It only takes one senator to throw a monkey-wrench into the entire Senate. If you have the Democratic leader who's going to 'screw things up,' I think it would likely be bedlam in the Senate."

I say do it anyway, if you have to. Ultimately, the GOP has majority rule, so they could nuclear-option anything Harry Reid wants to "screw up." Specter is sounding like a weenie here.

PING!

[Tabi Katz]

He IS a weenie. I'd have a lot (well, maybe just a little) more respect for him if he re-registered as the DemocRAT he is. I love Bush, but I hope he's kicking himself good and hard for parading this bozo around PA and leaving a good, solidly conservative, VIABLE candidate out to dry.

[festus]

Can't the GOP just remove Arlen from his chairmanship ?

[Mudboy Slim]

Specter's a RINO PUNK...I hope he gets well and RESIGNS...MUD

[votelife]

Go here to email Frist and tell him to use the Constitutional option!
http://frist.senate.gov/

[Republican Wildcat]

Filibusters would not? This man is just weird.