Listening to Spector, he SEEMED reasonable

[LittleClarkie]

But I have a few questions.

He seemed to indicate that Democrats started this tit for tat under Reagan by slowing down the approval process for judges, so that the Republicans retaliated, and now the Democrats are retaliating for that retaliation.

Question: Why were Reagan appointees slowed down? Anyone remember? I suspect it was because he was our most Conservative president to date, and some of them probably were to far to the right. But I don't know.

Whatever our reason at the time, I wouldn't put it past the Republicans to disregard the reasoning and just retaliate out of spite. It sure it how they act now.

Another question: why would Frist go through all the trouble of a Justice Sunday, and then the rhetoric of a runaway judiciary gone amok if this was just about payback time for Democrat obstruction. It certainly LOOKS like a power grab as opposed to just mere tit for tat.

Not to mention that we're only talking about 10 judges. Bush has a 95 percent approval rate in this area. Why is that not an acceptable number?

I reject Spector's reasonable sounding words. It sounds to me like a pretty coverup for what's really going on.

Probably self evident to most of you, but this is the first Congress I'm properly paying attention to, so forgive me if I state the obvious.

[sandnsea]

1. I thought that too

The last time I listened to him. Until he said there were 3 judges the Democrats said they would let through, so let's let them through. Uh, wait a minute. Those 3 judges are part of a deal to keep the 6th circuit balanced. Add a liberal leaning judge to keep the court balanced, and they'll let all 4 through. Spector failed to mention that. I quit thinking of him as reasonable at that moment.

All the rules that had been previously used to block judges, by both parties, have been ignored or changed by this bunch. Democrats are left with nothing except the filibuster now. That's the problem.

[specimenfred1984]

2. Correct, It's a Coverup

Neo-cons want fascist, pro-corporate judges ONLY because the neo-cons are paid-off whores.

Might as well learn it now, it helps translate everything.

[DemBeans]

3. Specter is an interesting character

I don't necessarily trust him, but I do believe that he's sincere in his disagreement over the nuclear option. He's been around the Senate for a long time, knows this is corrupt, and he's already a target of the far right so he has little to lose by opposing Frist. Also, I doubt he'll live to see another term so that might give him a bit of spine as well.

He's using the GOP talking points because he's afraid he'll lose his chairmanship of the judiciary committee, and he probably will anyway before this thing is over. That's probably the only thing that's held him back from openly breaking with Frist to this point - and Frist is so politically inept that he might well strip him of his chairmanship after today's floor speech, pissing off the moderates and giving us the votes we need. It'll be an interesting weekend, to say the least.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. There is nothing wrong with tabling appointments.

That is why the constitution gives the senate power over executive appointments - it is part of the checks and balances built into our system that prevent one party majoritarian rule.

Yes indeed both sides have blocked appointments they object to, and both sides have had to compromise and nominate accpetable alternatives. That is the system we have lived under for 200+ years.

What is new is that the republicans would like to do away with the ability of the minority party to block unacceptible nominations. The republican party is attempting to establish one party rule. This is massively dangerous and perhaps represents the end of our republic as we know it, as it has existed since the founding.

A radical rightwing cabal is in control of the republican party and they see this moment as their golden opportunity to transform our nation into their twisted fanatical vision of a Christian Republic. They are in an alliance of corporatist greed heads who will go along with this nonsense as long as they continue to feed at the trough, and imperialist neoclowns who will go along with the American Taliban as long as they can persue their dreams of world hegemony.

The three factions of the cabal are approaching the moment of truth: the point where their actions and intentions are no longer obscured, they appear to be ready and willing to take the plunge.

These are not good times at all.