How Republicans can end the logjam over judicial nominees

[bluestateguy]

I am not usually in the business of giving advice to my political enemies, but I think resolving the never ending cycle of political retaliation would ultimately be a good thing. Don't think for a moment that the Goopers won't try to block all of a President Clark or Dean's appointments to the federal bench.

Here is my suggestion that I call on the Senate Democrats to propose. Democrats will lift fillibusters and allow for cloture on all Bush judicial nominees--though they will still vote against them--provided that the follwing conditions are met: 1) The RNC, Senate Republican Caucus and the Bush Administration issues a formal apology and admission of wrongdoing for blocking Bill Clinton's judicial nomination, 2) Judge Ronnie White, who was smeared by Sen. Ashcroft in 1998, is reappointed to a US District judgeship with the endorsement of both of Missouri's Republican senators and a cloture vote is guaranteed and 3) Republicans pledge not to block the next Democratic president's judicial appointments from coming up for a vote.

[Brucey]

1. Yes, those seem like reasonable suggestions.

I'll bet they never thought of them.

[Salviati]

2. With republicans in charge these days

I'd trust any pledge of theirs about as much as I'd trust Herr Gropenfuhrer with my sister...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. even if the GOP agreed they are NOT to be believed!

Democrats passed 168 of bush*s judicial nominees only blocked 4 of them....the GOP on the other hand NEVER even gave Clinton's nominees a hearing over 100 of Clintons never even got HEARING

imho....FUCKING NO WAY !!!

[snippy]

7. Exactly. 168 approved and 4 blocked. What log jam? Could they be lying?

[fob]

4. A few more demands...

ALL Clinton nominees who didn't get a hearing, let alone a vote should be submitted by bush* as a goodwill gesture, and be GUARANTEED a hearing AND a vote. With the pool of current bush* nominees and past Clinton nominees that should fill every void.

And, NO MORE submitting, Pickering, Estrada, etc.

AND Orrin Hatch can no longer be head of Judicial Committee for Repukes.

Then I agree.

fob

[ElsewheresDaughter]

5. OK you won me over with those demands...

[Tito]

6. I can live with that

this really stems back to a fundamental flaw in the amendment system, an amendment was made (forget wich one again) that gives the people the power to elect senators, it was orrigionally to be done by the govenors, this takes out career polititians, wich are never supposed to be anyway ( thats why pay was orrigionally so lousy) so that the people work as educated, responsible human beings as the "brake" to our system of govenrment, nowadays they are just a house of representatives with far more power

[msmcghee]

8. Everyone seems to forget the underlieing values here.

Judgeships are not a part of politics. They should never ever be treated as a political payoff or partisan football.

I know it is being treated that way now by the pukes. But I, as a citizen, have the right to expect that when I or any other citizen enters a US court of law, as a defendant or as a plaintiff, that the sitting judge will have allegience to only one set of values - applying the law, as written in spirit and intent, equally to every citizen.

No judge with an ideological bent, left or right, has a right to sit on any court in this country. If they do not have a love and passion for the fair application of our judicial system - above any other possible ideology or political party or religion, then they are nothing but frauds and political hacks.

Any legislator who advocates (or allows) any such person to be appointed to any court in this nation - or uses judicial appointments for political trading or payback or whatever - is vile scum who should be impeached for shitting on the values that brought this nation into existence - and then jailed for treason.