Posted on 05/24/2005 2:46:51 AM PDT by Liz
The real winner in the Senate judge deal could be President Bush — because it opens the way for Congress to finally start getting things done.
Right after the deal was unveiled, Democrats were visibly relieved while Republican conservatives were livid, fuming about a "cave" by centrists led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Talk radio and conservative bloggers went wild.
Why? Because the odds were that if push came to shove, Republicans would have had the votes to kill all filibusters of judicial nominees and humiliate Democratic leaders.
No wonder Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was cheering, even though the deal guarantees confirmation of jurists Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owens and William Pryor — all of whom he's blasted as unacceptable extremists.
"Armageddon has been averted, and thank God," said Schumer, well aware that Democrats could have come off much worse.
That's why conservative Republican activists in the key states of Iowa and New Hampshire are already vowing revenge against McCain if he runs for president in 2008. But the White House put on a positive spin — after all, Bush will now get three of his top-priority appeals court judges confirmed.
And, if the Senate had come to what Democrats called "the nuclear option" — a vote to strip them of filibuster power over judges — all hope for cooperation in the Senate would be over.
Now the success of the judge deal could encourage centrist Democrats — perhaps Sens. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) — to start working toward compromise on other issues, as Bush has been hoping.
A Democratic staffer predicted one result will be the confirmation of Bush's controversial nominee for U.N. ambassador, John Bolton "No one is going to want to filibuster him now," the staffer conceded.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yes, a good deal...if the GOP gets out front on the public relations angle.
This deal was only possible because 7 Dem senators had to admit their party has abused their "minority rights" by invoking the filibuster against Bush's judges. That's what the compromise boils down to.
This was only a battle in a war that's been raging for a long time. The Dems' strongest weapon in recent years has been SPIN (given the media's complicity with their obstructionism). Last night they surrendered that weapon. Without going into all the details, it's going to be virtually impossible for Reid to tag future nominees as "extraordinary" (extreme). Also, keep in mind that the media and the dems have been trying to convince us that the public supported the dems' filibustering. But, if that were true, they would never have caved. They realized, once the nuke vote was taken and the public witnessed up/down votes taking place, the public would swing and say "Oh, that seems fair".
As for Frist, his backbone made this deal possible. Without his steely determination, the Dems would never have come to the table. Frist had the votes, Reid didn't. Believing Frist would pull the trigger, the dems capitulated rather than face defeat.
Though I despise having to put up with media adulation of McCain, I think public attitudes will favor the GOP after they see votes take place on Bush's nominees. After that, it will be extremely difficult for the dems to gin up this battle again.
Let's see how many Dems vote to confirm these extreme judges now.
Oh good (sigh of relief) ....we sorely need the Chappaqua perspective right about now.
I am indeed frustrated............The party in Michigan is even more spineless than the RINO's in the senate.....what can be done about it? You talk, write letters, send e mails, talk on the phone, and are basically ignored!!!! At least stabenow ( a lib demo ), who i despise, has the courtesy of sending back a form letter!!!!!! and for what it is worth, will tell me her views, weather i agree with them or not!!!! what can you do? jeez, i try to talk to the phone solicitors for the repub. party, and they hang up on me when i ask questions!!all they seem to want is my money, and don't give a d@^n about my views.
We are better off when they can't "get things done" because after 200+ years Congress has proved they really are pretty worthless and we'd be better off if we stopped passing new laws. We have 1000's already. Isn't that good enough?
Welcome, Sky.
I'm starting to think this is correct. Leave the loser an honorable back door to save face rather than crush them and have permanent enemies.
I'm content with the deal. I didn't like it, as to me it merely legitimized the filibuster-ability of the President's nominees. But, if we're going to get the three most "extreme" judges voted upon, how in the world can they pull this stunt again?
Me thinks the Dems are visibily relieved for very, very good reason.
Nice, very nice take. The country was better off when they were citizen/politicans---who met periodically---then went back to their home states to work at their jobs and professions.
I must admit that I was outraged when the deal was first announced.
Then, after thinking about it, I realized that my most vociferous reaction was to its being McCain in the spotlight. I have that kind of visceral reaction to the media's love affair with him.
Once I left his name out of it and looked at the deal, I was satisfied.
McPain's going nowhere---he is a divider not a uniter.
If you have time, could you explain your reaction. I value your opinion and am trying to find a bright side in this. I have to leave for work shortly, but will check back when I get there. There is no obligation to respond :)
I know everyone's worked up over what they see as a lost opportunity. But can't we leave the personal out of this? Graham will rise or fall on his record...there's no need to insert that kind of speculation into the debate. Goodness knows, politics is ugly enough at the moment.
OK....we all need another caffeine jolt.
See #58. If it's still not clear, let me know. I've read responses across the political spectrum and I'm convinced this will work to the GOP's and Bush's advantage.
That's about the nicest thing you could say about McMeMeME.
Dan
Me, too. I want to poke him with a stick, just to see him squirm. As for McCain, what's the old addage about p*ssing on someone if they were on fire?...
Nice deconstruction. The statement by the 7 Dems did look curious at the time---kinda out-of-focus. Wonder what they got from Frist for their trouble?
please ping me to your epiphany then, I could use some good perspective. Looks pretty bleak from where I sit, I can't even bring myself to turn tv news on and hear the gloating in the reporters voices and the RAT interviews.
It's going to be fun when the gang of 14 starts eating each other.
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