'Justice Sunday' May Weigh on GOP

LA Times ^ | 4/23/05 | Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten

[Crackingham]

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will draw a chorus of amens Sunday when thousands of evangelicals across the United States hear his call to put more conservative judges on the federal bench. But even as the Tennessee Republican addresses "Justice Sunday" -- a 90-minute simulcast to conservative churches that enthusiastically backs a Senate rule change to speed nominations -- the leader faces apprehension from another key GOP constituency.

The country's leading business lobbying associations, close GOP allies in recent legislative efforts and political campaigns, have told senior Republicans that they will not back the Frist initiative to force votes on judicial candidates. Business leaders say they fear the move would shut down Senate action on their long-awaited priorities -- as Democrats have threatened to do if Frist moves ahead with a rule change they claim would drastically alter the traditions of a body designed to respect the rights of the minority party.

"If we do that, then all else is going to stop," said Thomas J. Donohue, head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, during a meeting with reporters Friday.

He then reeled off a list of business priorities that could be delayed for months in the resulting partisan uproar. He expressed the same concerns directly to Frist's office in recent days.

The reticence by business presents a dilemma for Frist, who wants to build ties with the Republican base ahead of his likely 2008 presidential bid, but now must balance competing demands from two pillars of Republican politics: evangelicals, who can marshal millions of voters, and businesses, which donate millions of dollars. Both groups played pivotal roles in securing Bush's re-election last year and expanding the GOP majority in Congress -- and both have made clear that they expect to be rewarded.

[hipaatwo]

[writer33]

Isn't that what they're really saying?!?

Yep. It's you holy-rolling, Christian right, fascist thugs that want to burn a cross into the Consitution that are messing everything up.

:) Denote heavy sarcasm.

[smoothsailing]

Holy Roller

Holy Roller is a term used to mock members of fundamentalist Christian sects, notably Pentecostal, who will fall to the floor and roll around while under the "Spirit of the Lord".

The Holy Roller was a game-winning play in a football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.

In 1975, the Scottish Rock and Roll band, Nazareth, recorded a popular song with the title "Holy Roller" whose lyrics are a reference to these Christian fundamentalists.

Lyrics:
Holy roller, lookin' down
Where you think you know
All the answers
Arrogance and pride are sin

Better look to your own chances

CHORUS:
Holy roller can you save your own soul
Can you save your own soul
Holy roller
Standin' up for Jesus
That's your thing
But you're standin' on peoples hearts
Charity is a virtue
To be praised
Better get back on Jesus' track

CHORUS:
Holy roller, practice what you preach
Heaven, it's still within your reach
Holy roller, don't you judge
What you think is goin' wrong

Chris,even I couldnt make this up. :)

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"...both have made clear that they expect to be rewarded."

LATimes: You say that like it's a bad thing.

If Christians and Conservative Jews get the Capital Punishment WE want for rapists, murderers, arsonists and traitors, it's only fair that Christians and Conservative Jews get the tort reform and reduced taxes WE want...

...'cuz WE WON.

[Coldwater Creek]

If Bill Frist goes through with his speech on Justice Sunday, I will have a new respect for him as my
Senator, but I will never vote for him for President in the primaries.

[StonyBurk]

EXCELLENT Observation.TonyRo76. The biz nest community
is governed by fear. They fear the homosexuals will cause
a controversy and they might lose money so they capitulate to the irrational demands of a queer nation.
Same with any other Reprobate group-those that make the most
noise get the attention of the community that worships
making money.Day Traders worship a false god.

[StonyBurk]

Were you aware that John Kerry Served in Viet Nam?

[Soul Seeker]

All this means is that the business interest groups and coalitions such as the NRA are too weak kneed to take a few public relation hits from the MSM to protect the Constitution. They will be more than happy if it results in a Judiciary that follows the Constitution and doesn't punish them as the activist courts do now, but they don't want to be involved in the correction for fear of backlash.

Christians don't have that same fear.

I'm going to have to try to find a way to watch this if at all possible.

[gunnedah]

I tell you what if the Chamber is so intent on having their way tell them millions of Americans will switch and vote for Democrats who really look out for their interest.
America has become so selfish that we are willing to throw the Constitution and our values away so a few hundred more corporate business leaders can bilk us out of billions.
Do these idiots not realize that the Democrats are even now ruling while in the minority simply by controlling the Judicial System and rewriting law to suit them.
How stupid has America become.The Minority rules!

[nj26]

Although I will be the first to oppose an activist judiciary, Frist needs to be careful that he is not aligning himself with the wrong elements to achieve that goal. He needs to make sure that he does not get on stage with any anti-Catholic or anti-Semitic figures.

Even a faint association with those elements will cost many votes for the GOP in the northeastern and midwestern states (including PA and RI in 2006), as Bob Jones University hurt George W Bush in 2000.

[rcocean]

The Democrats don't need an EXCUSE to slow down the senate.
They would do right now, except they need Business contributions, just like the Repubs.

Their threat is nonsense, the MSM, especially the WaPO, LA Slimes, NYT, want liberal justices, and will write stories slanted that way. The truth be dammed.

[writer33]

That was interesting info. :)

[mo]

they may well NOT need business contributions...IMHO campaign finance "reform" was designed to maximize the ability of 501c3's and the Soros' of the world to finance DEMS.....

[stitches1951]

Their threat is nonsense, the MSM, especially the WaPO, LA Slimes, NYT, want liberal justices, and will write stories slanted that way. The truth be dammed.
.......................................................
The problem is that it is a dissolution of the "base" I worry about. The media is slanting Iraq news enough that the "feel good" of elections is fading fast and the weak-kneed are already collapsing. DeLay's Shivo obsession (certainly righteous, but handled badly)helped fuel the left's indignation. The split between conservative Catholics and Cafeteria Catholics over the Conclave's choice and the fundamentalist Protestants' rhetoric against Catholicism in general further causes cracks to appear. The MSM has been having it "their way". Bush's apparent obsession with SS and failure to show any action on Protection of Marriage, the Religious Right sees no bones coming their way. La Times is nothing but a disease, but it is a contagious one, especially with swaying reeds like McCain and that ilk. This is showing in the Bolton hearings and will only get worse if the administration doesn't focus more attention on domestic social concerns, including the porous borders, the judiciary, reining in rouge Legislators, gay marriage and less effort on feeding corporate concerns. There is plenty of time for economic issues after 06, now binding the Party needs to come first.