Posted on 05/23/2005 8:58:22 AM PDT by rmgatto
Byrd changed the filibuster rules four times during his tenure as Majority Leader, abetted in at least one instance by former VP Walter Mondale, who now writes silly op-eds about the danger of such maneuvers to the Republic...
No one expects the GOP to eliminate the filibuster for legislation. Legislation originates within the Senate and is therefore an internal process, and the Senate is well within its power to regulate debate on its own terms for that purpose. However, the confirmation of executive appointments and treaties involve the power and responsibilities of the executive branch, and the Senate does not set the rules for those purposes. Those rules are governed by the Constitution, which calls for supermajorities only on specific items -- none of which are judicial appointments. This attempt by Democrats to apply an internal control to an external, interbranch function and Constitutional responsibility amounts to a usurpation of power by the Legislature, and worse, by a minority within the Legislature.
(Excerpt) Read more at captainsquartersblog.com ...
I wonder if the Democrats, after losing this vote, will have the gall to file a lawsuit over the issue.
Whose opinion does he think he's gonna change with this aritcle?
The moonbats aren't buying any argument other than a majority cave-in, and we "real" Americans already have decided who runs this Nation through our elections.
Maybe the author was talking to the GOP Senators?
After they've shopped for the right leftwing judge.
That would be funny, because the argument would be that filibusters are not constitutional because the Senate has the power to set its own rules, but should not have the power to set its own rules to setermine what its own rules will be.
Been waiting for a good explanation. This is it!
Bingo.
When is the freakin vote??? Sheeze. 4 days for one nominee?
Let's get it on...
57% of Americans say that "Senate rules should be changed so that a vote must be taken on every person the President nominates to become a judge." That's unchanged from two weeks ago.
Maybe we ought to tell our U.S. senators about this poll, and also tell those "swing" senators.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2005/Judicial%20Nominations--May%2014.htm
Rush Limbaugh said that senators are wavering back and forth, partly because of pressure from the public - our phone calls, folks. Let's get more phone calls and/or e-mails than the other side does.
Even if none of these WAVERING senators is your own senator,
please call 'em, anyway.
The last I heard the key GOP Senators are John Sununu (NH), Collins (ME), DeWine (OH), Hagel (NE), Murkowski, Specter (PA), and Warner (VA). Frist can afford to lose only two, because McCain, Chafee, and Snowe have declined to end the judicial filibusters.
We can call toll-free at 877-762-8762 .
Fax or e-mail info can be found here (but phone calls are more effective):
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm
Urge each to FULLY SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTERING
RULES CHANGE.
Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist Paper 76 that the Senate's role is to refuse nominations only for ``special and strong reasons'' having to do with ``unfit characters.''
The libDems think "unfit characters" means different ideology.
'Whose opinion does he think he's gonna change with this aritcle? '
How about Sen. John McSuckup? If not for him this issue would have been resolved long ago. It's what made this so difficult for Frist to get the votes. McC claims he is saving the judicial filibuster for Republicans to use in the future yet he opposed using it for Clinton nominees.
He is hurting the party to help himself. I suggest he run on a Hillary-McCain ticket. What a jerk!
There was also discussion by the founders of a supermajority requirement for the rejection of a nominee.
Not only that, IIRC Fritz was the Majority Leader in 1975 who lowered the cloture threshold from 67 to 60 by a simple majority vote.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.