Orrin Hatch is a shameless weasel, thinks we are idiots.

[Inland]

So he is on NPR, and he says, and I paraphrase and break up for analysis

"I'm all for a compromise (on judicial nominations, filibuster rules)

IF

a) every nominee THAT MAKES IT OUT OF COMMITTEE

b) GETS A VOTE ON THE FLOOR"

The gall to call that a compromise. Not only does it simply remove all the means to stop votes that the dems have today, but it approves the means Hatch used to stop Clinton's nominees from getting a vote, by bottling it up in commitee, remains.

So it's necessary for every nominee to get a vote unless Orrin can just never schedule a committee hearing---AND THAT'S WHAT HE HAS THE AUDACITY TO CALL A COMPROMISE! Up is down, good is bad, war is peace, a compromise is whatever gives me the most power and options over you. What a dick. What a tool.

[Vickers]

1. So, is he endorsing a return to blocking them in committee?

Didn't think so. :eyes:

[Inland]

3. Of course he does, because a minority can't block in committee

Orrin didn't give Clinton nominations a hearing, because he had a majority. That's why he was careful to qualify, so that the next dem pres. with a pub majority in the Senate won't get a single nominee confirmed even though the filibuster is deleted.

So much for the "constitutional option.

[shoelace414]

5. a minority can't block in committee

since Bush took over power. before then they could.

[Vickers]

8. Go do a search on "blue slip orrin" and see whatcha find (eom)

:P

[Marnieworld]

2. Gee Orrin what would total victory be?

That would probably be the exact same thing. Douchebag! Excuse me. Senator Douchebag.

[Inland]

4. Exactly. He asks for unconditional surrender, he just uses a bunch

of words and qualifiers and provisos to get there.

[sui generis]

6. I heard that yesterday

me, driving down the highway all redfaced yelling at the windshield like a crazy person.

The up or down has been given. Go ahead, remove the fillibuster. If you can do it, do it, otherwise quit pretending you have a bargaining chip.

You see Mister Hatch, (I only use the term "Senator" when I feel some respect is due), what comes around goes around and we will make absolutely sure it bites you in the ass. When the democrats are back in power, you will not be able to fillibuster our picks for the judiciary (I believe you agreed to fillibuster 70 of them last time), and we won't have to play recess tricks and other underhanded corrupt games the way you did because you will have laid the groundwork to just put in an entire judiciary en masse.

In fact it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't float a bill revoking judicial appointments that were done as a matter of republican corruption, or at least making it easier for democrats to impeach any Bush nominee or any republican that disagrees with us, using an up or down vote of course.

If you want to preserve senatorial decorum and checks and balances, we will be your best allies, however, if you want a cultural and political war, we will deliver it to you.

-sui

[Inland]

9. I agree. They want to pretend its still the old Senate

rather than a bunch of guys just marching to the partisan beat. They want to keep the form while functioning like the house, due to these sorts of "compromises".

If they want to have a bitterly divided senate, okay. If they want decorum and checks and balance, okay. But this solution where they have bitter partisanship and we have nothing but polite surrender is bullshit.

[smartvoter]

7. I H A T E Hatch for exactly this behavior. He is dishonest as hell. nt

[wicket]

10. I heard him on NPR yesterday

I was in a cab and it was on the radio, I was seething by the time I got home at the blatant lies being told by Hatch :grr:

[housewolf]

11. How many of us would it take

to move to Utah to get him unseated????

[cestpaspossible]

12. He was even worse on the Senate floor

How many truckloads of straw are required to form his arguments, that's what I'd like to know.