George F. Will: The Constitution’s balance of powers is at stake in Estrada nomination

Union Leader ^ | 2/27/03 | George F. Will

[kattracks]

THE PRESIDENT, preoccupied with regime change elsewhere, will occupy a substantially diminished Presidency unless he defeats the current attempt to alter the constitutional regime here. If at least 41 Senate Democrats succeed in blocking a vote on the confirmation of Miguel Estrada to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Constitution effectively will be amended.

If Senate rules, exploited by an anti-constitutional minority, are allowed to trump the Constitution’s text and two centuries of practice, the Senate’s power to consent to judicial nominations will have become a Senate right to require a 60-vote supermajority for confirmations. By thus nullifying the President’s power to shape the judiciary, the Democratic Party will wield a Presidential power without having won a Presidential election.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

George Will, as usual, dead on target.

[bybybill]

Mr. Will, you have just hit a grand slam home run. Answer that, Chuckie.

[MHGinTN]

The President said publicly today that he will stand besdie this man until he is confirmed! It is up to we the net folks to publicize the treachery of the democrat Seantors against our Constitution since we know damn well the lamestream media will not tell the truth and we hear the Senate Democrats lying every day!

[Lurker]

George Will is a lot like that proverbial blind pig who occasionally runs across the proverbial acorn.

This is one of the times he manages to root one up.

It's too bad he wasn't all that concerned about the Constitution when the AWB was being debated.

L

[Pan_Yans Wife]

to self for later reading

[Tax Government]

Most of the time, I'd give anything to have Congress frozen in its tracks for a few months. This Filibuster comes close to accomplishing that. Why the rush to end it? As long as it continues, democrats are hamstrung more than republicans.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. The Dems need to get their anti-freedom agenda pushed through Congress more than we need Miguel Estrada confirmed. All we have to do is just sit tight and let the other side sweat.

[Experiment 6-2-6]

"occasionally"?

For all the times I watched him on "THIS WEEK", he was the only member with a brain.

But perhaps you know of someone who is consistantly better?

[Lurker]

It's spelled 'consistently' and yes, I could come up with a good short list.

Thomas Sowell for one.

Walter Williams for two.

Ann Coulter would be a third nominee IMO.

Give me about 10 minutes, and I could name a dozen.

Regards,

L

[MEG33]

I've been watching the Senate debate. The Dems were standing on jello. Frist isn't going to cave easily. Hatch was great. Sessions and lindsey Graham gave speeches after the debate that were great. I'm not giving up.Free Estrada!

[AlaskaErik]

Mr. Will, you have just hit a grand slam home run. Answer that, Chuckie.

I would rather have the Republicans answer that with a full court press. Time to stop pussy-footing around.

[Kangaroo Court]

The RATS are in the process of changing our legislative system. It is not just on judicial nominees. Last year little Tommy. as majority leader required the 60 vote super majority vote on anything he didn't want passed. They have sent the message that as long the people elect 40 dimwits, then it will be the dimwits that control the agenda.

[Bonaparte]

"By thus nullifying the President’s power to shape the judiciary, the Democratic Party will wield a Presidential power without having won a Presidential election."

Yes. And when a democrat is next in the White House, he won't get a single one of his nominees through the Senate unless he has a super-majority. The end result of what the democrats are now attempting is that we will no longer have a judiciary.

[Bonaparte]

"Frist isn't going to cave easily."

He can't cave at all. Estrada is the test case. If his appointment is shot down, Bush won't be able to get anybody through Senate confirmation. The democrats will be in complete control. Frist and the Republicans either win this one or lose the whole enchilada.

[JZoback]

And if the President does not wage a fierce, protracted and very public fight for his nominee, he will display insufficient seriousness about the oath he swore to defend the Constitution

This will be the legacy Bush 20 years from now, he will be remembered for.

Not replacing Saddam.

[Fledermaus]

Solution? Get as many DemRats as possible out of Congress.

Oh, but that would require some backbone by our freinds, the Republicans.

Sorry, if we don't force them to sleep in the aisles on cots 24/7, then it's a farce. I don't care how many poor, put out GOPers might miss their fancy dinner in some posh Georgetown restaurant.

I'll run for Frist' seat here in Tenn if I have to. I'll be happy to take on the likes of Schumer and Lehay on the floor 24/7! I'm naturally wired and a night owl big time. Those pasty doughboys won't have a chance!

[Fledermaus]

It's too bad he wasn't all that concerned about the Constitution when the AWB was being debated.

Oh no....is Congress trying to outlaw the Average White Band?

[MEG33]

I agree, I used weasle words!

[Bonaparte]

Hehe, they do have their use. ;-)