LIVE THREAD: Estrada Hearings: The Seige Continues

http://www.freerepublic.com ^ | February 23, 2003

[Howlin]

Live discussion thread for the Estrada confirmation "semi" filibuster.

[jwalsh07]

Miss Marple tells me that my post #346 is a violation of the Washington Post protocol. I copied and pasted from Hartford Courant online.

If so could you remove it and let me know, thanks.

[NeoCaveman]

Been frustrating not to be able to counter immdiately when the naysayers get started!

Ahh naysayers...
I think they fall into one of two camps:

1. Negative people, a small but not insignificant percent of conservatives are naturally negative just as a percentage of liberals are too
2. Pretend conservatives who really do not want Estrada on the bench (this percentage is probably smaller than the naturally negative people)

[sinkspur]

I think they fall into one of two camps:

Actually, there's a third camp:

3) Conservatives who live in the real world, who see that Frist is stymied, that Bush is not selling this candidate to the nation as strongly as he might were he not distracted by an impending war, and that the nation is simply not paying attention and that gives the Democrats the upper hand here.

Unfortunately for Estrada, the timing of this nomination sucks.

[NeoCaveman]

Democrats the upper hand here.

1. If having bad press: Sure most people don't care, but do they ever?
2. A disunified caucus (we already see 4 defectors minimum)
3. And a reliance on procedure
4. A tight rope walk between angering a large constiuency AND their financial supporters
If that having the upper hand, I'd rather be the underdog.

[hobbes1]

Actually, we have already discussed that camp. See 373.

Frist is Hardly stymied, as days go by he gets closer to 60, while the Dems trash themselves in the process, if not for their Patrones in the media blacking this out, it would already be over.

And this is a Smaller battle in a larger war (SCOTUS), and your input notwithstanding we are winning both.

[hobbes1]

Apparently, those in the know agree with Me..

Sources say the Republican leadership has still made no decision on whether or when to call for a vote to cut off debate and force an up-or-down vote on the nomination. At the moment, Republicans, who have all 51 of their own votes plus four Democrats, would fall five votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate. But Republicans believe they are making progress and that the filibuster is beginning to take a political toll on moderate Democrats who are so far supporting the filibuster. Thus, the talking will continue. "We are on this next week," one Republican says. "We're committed to it."

[NeoCaveman]

I think you, me, and York are right.

[hobbes1]

Well, more peole would be right, if they sat back and tried to look at each step as an exercise in Political Strategery,
and realised the the Ultimate goal is resteeting the Government on Bushs principles of Progressive conservatism.

[hobbes1]

resetting...sheesh.

[sinkspur]

Frist is Hardly stymied, as days go by he gets closer to 60, while the Dems trash themselves in the process, if not for their Patrones in the media blacking this out, it would already be over.

If Frist had stayed on this last week, it would be over. Instead, he let's everybody go home.

Unless the Republicans can figure out a way to elevate Miguel Estrada in the minds of more Americans, the war is going to overshadow anything the GOP might try.

I wish it were otherwise. Did you read about what happened yesterday? If anything, the Democrats are becoming more emboldened. They're now trying to filibuster in committee.

[hobbes1]

but THEY LOST THE Fili in Committee.

And Frist LET THEM GO HOME, so they can hear it from their constituents.Apparently it worked, as we keep inching toward 60.


The Idea is to let the war overshadow it.
To Wit:The Democrats are trying to play the "The Republicans are shutting down the government Game" but to no avail because of the war, while the intended target of this exercise, the Print media, and the Hispanic population are still paying attention....


The Print media will be useful when they attempt to place Janice Brown on SCOTUS, and the wedge with Hispanic voters endagers an already paper thin minority voting bloc, the dems cant win without...Get it?

[greyfoxx39]

and mild-mannered Orrin Hatch is thinking about all the times that he 'compromised' with Democrats. Hatch has taken heat from other Republicans over the years for 'compromising' on issues or votes. He is now at long least learning that it is impossible to 'compromise' with a democrat and expect the same kind of 'civility' in return.

I haven't had time to read all the posts on all the threads on Estrada so someone may have mentioned this before, but Hatch's performance lately makes me wonder if he got word from the White House that his nomination to a Supreme Court slot depends on the outcome of this battle.

[VRWC_minion]

Unfortunately for Estrada, the timing of this nomination sucks.

I agree which leads me to what I think is part of the larger strategy. If the R's can keep this issue on the stove but avoid bringing it to a boil they can maybe peel off enough rats and win without Bush. However, if they brought it to a full boil now and applied the scorched earth strategy you want to see the Rats woudl surely win and the R's would have no recourse. So what to do ?

The thrid option is the one I suspect is in place and it shows why folks who are hto headed and have hot headed ways fo solving problems fail so often. The option is to continue bringinin added pressure but not so much added pressure that the whole thing boils over early. The time for the R's and for President Bush to nail the rats is after the war with Iraq. His popularity will be sky high and his political power can either be spent immediately or lost in time.

I suspect this is why Hatch is moving candidates to the floor as quickly as possible also. This is setting the stage that a very popular president with approval ratings that are sky high will be able to clearly show that his judges are being blocked by a rat minority and that this rat minority has been given every opportunity and every courtesy possible and that its now time for them to yield to the wishes of this popular president.

Your plan would be like Sonny in the godfather who giot himself killed. Bush's plan is like Michaels.

[PhiKapMom]

Leahy comments, 26 Feb 2002

Please go visit this thread with Leahy's comments on Estrada and you will see why the RATs HATE Estrada. It is so plain when reading the bolded parts. Thanks!

[hobbes1]

373, 411.


that is the strategery.

[hchutch]

It sounds right.

And Bush... he knows how to get things done. He, Rove, and FRist have gotten us results so far. Why the heck is it so hard to trust them?

[votelife]

Dear President Bush, With the Surpeme Court session getting ready to close, it may well be time for perhaps the most important domestic decision of your presidency: the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice(s). The main reason why I supported you in 2000 and why I wanted Daschle out of power in 02 (and 04) has to do with the courts. I want America courts to interpret law, not write law. During your presidential campaign you said Thomas and Scalia were your two model justices. Those are excellent models. The High Court needs more like them. Clarence Thomas recently said to students that the tough cases were when what he wanted to do was different from what the law said. And he goes by the law. This should be a model philosophy for our justices. Your father, President Bush lost his reelection campaign for 3 main reasosn, as far as I can see. 1. he broke the no new taxes pledge 2. David Souter 3. Clinton convinced people we were in a Bush recession (which we had already come out of by the time Clinton was getting sworn in)

I urge you to learn from all three of these: 1. on taxes, you're doing great. Awesome job on the tax cut. 2. good job so far on judicial appointments. I want to see more of a fight for Estrada, Owen, and Pickering, but I commend you on your nominations. 3. by staying engaged in the economic debate you'll serve yourself well

I have been thoroughly impressed with your handling of al Queida, Iraq, and terrorism. You have inspired confidence and have shown great leadership.

But I want to remind you that your Supreme Court pick(s) will be with us LONG after you have departed office. I urge you to avoid the tempation to find a "compromise" pick. Go for a Scalia or Thomas. Don't go for an O'Connor or Kennedy. To be specific, get someone who is pro-life. Roe v Wade is one of the worst court decisions I know of, and it's the perfect example of unrestrained judicial power.

I know the temptation will be tremendous on you to nominate a moderate. But remember who your true supporters are. I am not a important leader or politician. I am "simply" a citizen who has been an enthusiatic supporter of you. I am willing to accept compromise in many areas of government but I will watch your Court nomiantions extremely closely. What the Senate Dems are doing right now is disgusting, but as the President you have the bully pulpit to stop it. Democrats will back down if you turn up serious heat on them.

Moreover, I think public opinion is shifting towards the pro-life position. Dems will want you to nominate a moderate, but almost all will vote against you anyways. Pro-choice Repubs will likely still vote for you if you nominate a Scalia, after all, you campaigned on it. So Mr. President, I urge you to stick with your campaign statements and nominate justices who believe in judicial restraint, like Scalia and Thomas.

Happy Memorial Day and may God bless you and your family.