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| Senators show they DON’T have cajones concerning Estrada |
| 2003-09-05 |
| New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and her Massachusetts colleague Ted Kennedy have defeated the Bush administration in its 28-month-long fight to install Miguel Estrada on the federal appellate court. (Not once did the REPUBLICANS take the Democrats to task on the filibuster.) In a letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Estrada tells the White House that he is withdrawing his nomination to return to private practice and "to regain the ability to make long-term plans for my family." (Fed up withe this BS he threw in the towel) The Journal credited Clinton and Kennedy for playing hardball politics against a GOP that remains all too willing to accept their outrageous tactics. (Two shining examples of ’cooperation’ in the Senate) "[Estrada’s] withdrawal should embarrass Republicans who have been outwitted on judgeships by Ted Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who are orchestrating the first filibusters of appellate-court nominations in American history," the paper said. "Democrats have paid no political price for raising the ’advice and consent’ standard for Senate confirmation to 60 votes from a simple majority." (Outwitted by a boozer and a loser? Hang your heads in shame.) Instead of forcing Democrats to stage the far more arduous traditional Senate filibuster that would have forced their members to participate in a round-the-clock ordeal, Republicans allowed the Senate to continue with its regular business. My point exactly! If the Demoncrats play hardball and the Republicans play slow-pitch softball. Come on people! Stand up to these bozos and show them who is in charge! If they don’t grow a set (and fast) I am changing parties. |
| Posted by:Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) |
| #13 Well, Frist did say this isn't over. We'll see. I'm VERY disappointed by the Admin and pubbies on this. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-9-7 3:55:48 AM |
| #12 Cowardly of Bush not to recess him. Unless he means to appoint Estrada directly to the Supremes anyway -- which would be a hell of a payback. Otherwise, Bush screwed it. |
| Posted by: someone 2003-9-5 8:57:52 PM |
| #11 Recess appointments. Bush did appoint Pipes during the recess. I don't think he can do the same with judges, though. Saw Hatch on Fox with Tony Snow tonight. He left me with the impression that the Seante will pass a budget and possibly the supplemental for Iraq. They will then use the nuclear option to change the requirement to 51 votes at which point things will get really ugly in the Senate -- like it was in the House a month ago when they were calling each other "fruitcakes" and buzzing for the cops. This will be done just in time for the campaign season during which the GOP goal will be to end up with a super-majority in the Senate. I may be wildly off base. If I am right this will be quite entertaining. EMS will need to be standing by to provide assistance to Kennedy. He doesn't look like he lives a healthy life. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-9-5 7:42:02 PM |
| #10 As much as I applaud the President's performance in many areas, he let this good man and all the rest of us down. He needed to back up his words with action and instead left him hanging. That worries me about the future. |
| Posted by: Sgt.D.T. 2003-9-5 7:03:16 PM |
| #9 Has the WHite House ever heard of recess appointments? Granted the senate republicans are gutless wonders, but Bush doesn't seem to have the fire in his belly for domestic politics, unless it is signing liberal legislation. |
| Posted by: Douglas De Bono 2003-9-5 6:05:35 PM |
| #8 I am a registered independent, and see the dems for the self-destructive units that they are. But here are the republicans, with a majority of the public wanting safety, freedom, and some assurance that their values of decency and family are preserved. The Republicans could run with this and make some things happen, but they are afraid that the dems and the liberal left will yell at them. So they try to smooth things over and keep getting run over. Where do the majority of responsible and concerned Americans go? The republicans are (wussy pussies)^2, and they deserve our contempt. Bloody invertibrates. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-9-5 5:26:17 PM |
| #7 It seems the republicans have all the ideas and not an ounce of guts to implement them, its just sickening |
| Posted by: wills 2003-9-5 5:15:18 PM |
| #6 I've heard the excuse that the GOP had to keep 51 senators there vs 1 democrat. If true they should still have found a way to get these nominations through. The one bright side is that if the GOP is smart it will a winning issue for them in the 04 elections (i.e. Dems blocking hispanics, women, minorities). However, unless the GOP gets a filibuster proof 60 seats the Dems can keep doing this. |
| Posted by: AWW 2003-9-5 4:30:14 PM |
| #5 I agree, Cyber Sarge. I think the Senate Republicans found their sleep too precious to give up. I'd have loved to see those goof-balls reading from Chinese take-out menus on the floor of the Senate at 3 am. It's not too late to take a stand on at least ONE of these nominees... eL |
| Posted by: eLarson 2003-9-5 3:38:19 PM |
| #4 mhw: I find it real difficult to swallow that the party in control of the Senate was powerless against the minority. They either wouldn't or didn't want to make this a battle. They have been outfoxed by the Dems too many times. It's time for them to draw a line in the sand and dare the Dems to cross it. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-9-5 3:28:15 PM |
| #3 To do the round the clock thing, the republicans would have had to keep a quorum round the clock. The dems only needed to keep one anti Estrada person around. The Senate committee rules are stacked in favor of the kind of device used by the dems this time. |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-9-5 1:40:54 PM |
| #2 Don't forget Schumer, MALDEF, and like-minded organizations. Estrada just wasn't "Hispanic" enough. The Repubs gave in to the diversity-by-pigmentaton crowd. No guts. This event is another reason I'm not feeling good about WOT and 2004 election. If Repubs. start to treat our opponents domestically and internationally as victims of the Angry White Male, God help us. We need diversity in thinking to tackle problems, friends. BTW, Cyber, which party are you thinking of joining? |
| Posted by: michael 2003-9-5 12:59:29 PM |
| #1 RTFO Cyber Sarge. Sad fact is the spineless Reps didn't even force the Socialists into a real filibuster. Next go around this has got to be the strategy....I predict 36 hours and the Socialists will fold. This is tyrrany of the minority, and it has to be stopped now! |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-9-5 12:56:55 PM |