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A civil war over US courts
The London Guardian ^ | March 13, 2009 | Dahlia Lithwick

Posted on 03/13/2009 2:53:58 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Last month, former US solicitor general Kenneth Starr sent out a warning to President Barack Obama: GOP senators won't readily forgive the president for his Senate votes against supreme court justice Samuel Alito and chief justice John Roberts.

"Long-simmering resentments over Democrats' treatment of President Bush's nominees," he said in a Boston speech, "will leave Mr Obama hard-pressed to call for bipartisan help confirming judges or even an up-or-down vote".

Then, on Monday, all 41 GOP senators threw down the gauntlet. In a letter to the White House, they "regretfully" made it clear they were itching for a fight over judicial nominations. If the new president wanted to "change the tone in Washington," they suggested, he could renominate Bush picks who weren't confirmed over the last eight years. Right.

The country may have voted for change in the fall, but it looks as if we're facing the same old partisan civil war over the makeup of the federal judiciary. The Democratic majority in the Senate may introduce some new rules in the way this war will unfold – procedural games involving blue slips and filibusters are now on the other foot – but the fighting isn't going to end. And that means there's no end in sight to the vacancy crisis on the federal bench, or to the looming crisis in confidence in the process.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: agenda; bho2009; bho44; congress; judiciary; obama; republicans; scotus
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The GOP will fold like a cheap lawn chair when it matters: They always do.
1 posted on 03/13/2009 2:53:59 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Specter, Collins and Snowe will bend over and grab their ankles when the time comes.


2 posted on 03/13/2009 2:55:09 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: txnativegop

That doesn’t count Hatch. Hatch will fold too.


3 posted on 03/13/2009 2:57:01 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: txnativegop

Or Juan McCain, Linseed Grahamnesty, et al...


4 posted on 03/13/2009 2:58:16 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet ("To insist on strength is not war-mongering. It is peace-mongering." Barry Goldwater)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And I am sure that the Democrats will never change the rules to require only a majority approval.


5 posted on 03/13/2009 2:58:48 PM PDT by rbbeachkid (The ONLY ones able to fix the economy - Small Business Owners!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The list is rather long, isn’t it.


6 posted on 03/13/2009 2:58:58 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

There are three Democrats flying under Republican colors in the Senate that will make all these things relatively easy for the Party nominees.


7 posted on 03/13/2009 2:59:15 PM PDT by arthurus ( H.L. Mencken said, "Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And where is the GOP going to find this backbone it’s never had?


8 posted on 03/13/2009 2:59:44 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: txnativegop
Collins and Snowe did not bend over, they got hard cold cash of $800 million for their votes.
While it's good for their home pockets, to hell with the rest.
9 posted on 03/13/2009 2:59:48 PM PDT by hermgem (Will Olmr)
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To: txnativegop

The court will definitely be more conservative while it is shorthanded.


10 posted on 03/13/2009 3:01:01 PM PDT by SmithL (The Golden State demands all of your gold)
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To: txnativegop

Here and now, regarding htese three, they are no longer to be called RINO’s These three are hence forth NRR’s. Not Really Republicans.

The women are really Democrats who had to act like the Republicans to get in the Country Club.


11 posted on 03/13/2009 3:01:14 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . John Galt hell !...... where is Francisco dÂ’Anconia)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
To the GOP Senate - you really need to get one of these

12 posted on 03/13/2009 3:01:57 PM PDT by DaveyB (A government's ability to give is proportionate to their power to take away!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
From the article . . .

Because courts have so much power to shape our lives...

So true and so wrong; not what the founding fathers intended. The courts, almost from day one back in 1789, started over-stepping their bounds, and should have been put in their place then (or in jail).
We have paid for allowing judicial activism ever since. It is time to rein in these pseudo-king tyrants.

13 posted on 03/13/2009 3:04:10 PM PDT by jeffc (They're coming to take me away! Ha-ha, hey-hey, ho-ho!)
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To: hermgem
so they are whores soiled doves. LOL!!!
14 posted on 03/13/2009 3:05:08 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: bert

Call them all Snacilbuper Senators. Cuz they’ve got everything backwards!


15 posted on 03/13/2009 3:06:05 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: SmithL

But will any cases come before it during the interim.


16 posted on 03/13/2009 3:07:02 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: bert

NPR = Not Really Republicans I like it.


17 posted on 03/13/2009 3:08:28 PM PDT by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: DaveyB

“What is that a picture of?”

signed, RNC


18 posted on 03/13/2009 3:11:11 PM PDT by dynachrome (Barack Hussein Obama yunikku khinaaziir)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Did you notice the source at the bottom?: L A Times

That explains this nonsense: “He[Obama]has shown himself inclined toward moderation, and that probably will extend to his judicial nominations.”

Moderation ?!?!?!?! Yeah right.


19 posted on 03/13/2009 3:11:44 PM PDT by conservativegirl
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To: txnativegop

For 4 years?

Seriously though, the Republicans can’t prevent a recess appointment like the Democrats have done, but they can prevent a permanent appointment.


20 posted on 03/13/2009 3:15:42 PM PDT by SmithL (The Golden State demands all of your gold)
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