A Wake-Up Call - We failed Miguel Estrada and allowed Senate Democrats to erect a glass ceiling.

Wall Street Journal ^ | 9/5/2003 | Virginia Thomas

[steveegg]

Not only is this a sad day for Miguel and Laurie Estrada, but we have all let something unfortunate occur in Washington. We allowed the U.S. Senate to erect a "glass ceiling" in our courts--you can do all the right things in America, but if you do not agree with Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, you need not apply as a federal judge. This is the message that Democrats hope minorities, in particular, get from their victory as they succeeded in repelling a talented man, who happens to be Hispanic, from public service. For the hard left, Miguel Estrada was not qualified to be a federal judge because he would not march to their drumbeat.

[goldstategop]

No Conservatives Need Apply To The Federal Judiciary. The Commandment Of Chuckie Schumer and Ted Kennedy.

[spudsmaki]

Look at all the legislation and policy that Ronald Reagan passed by going over the heads of Democrats directly to the people. It can be done.

George Bush II engaged in the practice of triangulation. He put up nominees with appeal to conservatives to garner their support. He did it with the intention of not actually getting them confirmed, to appeal to liberals. He gets to have things both ways.

He's done it as often as his daddy did, but he thinks he'll still have his second term. Seeeeeeeeeeee yoooooooooooooou in Noveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeember, President Dean.

[Luke21]

Because the GOP is a bunch of cowards. They don't have the guts to really take on the Communists and their socialist windbags in the press. No guts. No glory.

[SpinyNorman]

Would that our politicians had to enjoy such relentless scrutiny as these poor ba$tards must endure. Chuckie Schumer would certainly be in the toilet, as would that other NY senator.

It would be such poetic justice if Mr. Estrada ran against Chuckie in the next Senatorial election. It would be hard for him not to win, assuming of course, that Chuckie played fair, which is almost unimaginable.

On another note, Frist and the rest should be ashamed of the lackluster support they gave Estrada. If I were one of the other candidates being disputed, I would have to assume that I would be similarly left to twist in the wind. The Republican "leadership" has given the ultra left carte blanche to perform similar liberal exorcisms of those they consider "unfit" ("not Hispanic enough?") for public service. Thanks guys.

[steve8714]

The GOP should face its fair share of blame in this. The Dems never even had to break a sweat to kill this good man's nomination.
Why elect people who care more about institutional collegiality(mostly a myth)than good government?
Santorum or Nickles would be much better majority leaders than Frist, President Bush's hand picked mou..er man.

[LarryM]

Bush never really fought the Rats on this, just like he never fights the Rats on anything. Both the Rats and the Jihadists see him as a weakling. There is blood in the water. The question is whether his presidency will completely unravel in the next six months or he will toughen up and take on his enemies.

[Elkiejg]

Moderator - I just posted this same article - sorry.

Excellent points by Mrs. Thomas --- she's been there, she knows. What the GOP, Administration and American public allowed the few anti-America Democrats and special interest groups do to a more than qualified man is criminal. My disgust with ALL politicians right now is overwhelming. What has happened to our country when someone of the stature of Mr. Estrada is smeared and denied service to his adopted country because it fits into the political agenda of some slimeball not worthy to carry this man's shoes? Wake up America -- we're losing our country to sleezy people like Shummer, Kennedy, etc., etc. because we're not fighting for qualified people like Estrada -- shame on us.

[steveegg]

George Bush II engaged in the practice of triangulation. He put up nominees with appeal to conservatives to garner their support. He did it with the intention of not actually getting them confirmed, to appeal to liberals. He gets to have things both ways.

Is that simply conjecture on your part, or have you actually talked to either Bush or Rove before unleashing that "gem"?

He's done it as often as his daddy did, but he thinks he'll still have his second term. Seeeeeeeeeeee yoooooooooooooou in Noveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeember, President Dean.

You may not see a difference (heck, for all I know, you may prefer to try that "cleansing fire"), but it's there. Bush hasn't been any great shakes on the domestic front, but even I realize that any of the RATs, especially Dean, would push things beyond the point of any hope of return.

Besides, didn't we try that "cleansing fire" in '92 on Pappy Bush? Outside of a limited Contract with America and a lucky avoidance of HillaryCare, it sure didn't work too well.

[Irene Adler]

Does anyone think that this whole Estrada nomination was deliberately done by Bush in part to get Hispanics mad at the Rats and increase Republican voting by Hispanics? My guess is that Bush would have been delighted if Estrada had been confirmed but that, on the other hand, he is not too unhappy to see Rats get tarred with the brush of being anti-Hispanic. Moving Hispanic voters into the Republican camp is pretty clearly a long-term plan of Bush's. I think the Estrada nomination was an early stage of the plan. I have seen one survey that shows that a significant percentage of Hispanics are quite aware of who Estrada is and what has happened to his nomination.

I really think this whole event was deliberate on Bush and Rove's part. Bush is looking at future significant Republican gains in a large and growing subpopulation of the U.S. If we could garner even half of the Hispanic vote, I think we would be in darn good shape in a lot of important states for a long time to come. Bush knows that. Remember, he has a Harvard MBA. The Harvard MBA program emphasizes strategic planning. I teach basic strategic planning in an intro. to management course on the university level. I believe I can recognize what Bush is trying to do regarding the Hispanic vote with the Estrada nomination and in a lot of smaller ways like giving speeches in Spanish.

[Paloma_55]

1954: Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the communist party???

2004: Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Christian Faith???

[steveegg]

One slight difference; the Jihadists SAW him as a weaking (do note the tense). Afghanistan/Iraq have done wonders to solve that, wonders that a continued muddled Israeli policy can't completely erase.

[mikeb704]

Too much talk and not enough action

[Fred Mertz]

A Wake-Up Call - We failed Miguel Estrada and allowed Senate Democrats to erect a glass ceiling.

What's with the we stuff, kimosabe?

[FITZ]

I don't think Republican race pandering is going to work. Should we support Bustamante in California now because he's a hispanic? The democrats will -- plus Bustamante comes from Mexico, Estrada didn't --- that's going to certainly appeal more to the voters from Mexico.

[Petronski]

"We?"

[Trueblackman]

Project 21 and the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary will hold a rally in front of the offices for People for the American Way, located at 2000 M Street, NW in Washington DC on Monday, September 8th at 10:00 AM EST to protest the appalling and unfair treatment of Miguel Estrada during his nomination to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Miguel Estrada was the first Hispanic nominated to the DC Circuit Court and was rated unanimously well qualified by the American Bar Association. Members of the coalition will meet at 9:30 am at Longfellow and Witherspoon Parks located at the corners of 18th Conn. Aves and M Street.

At 10:00am we will marry on the headquarters of People for the American Way.

[steveegg]

Not a prob. I just finished my formatting a bit faster, that's all (and you had the WSJ print title there, while I used the OpinionJournal title).