Just skim over this,I think you'll get the gist of it---the pieces are falling in place
Filibuster Rule Change Opposed
By Richard Morin and Dan Balz
Tuesday, April 26, 2005; Page A01
As the Senate moves toward a major confrontation over judicial appointments, a strong majority of Americans oppose changing the rules to make it easier for Republican leaders to win confirmation of President Bush's court nominees, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.
>snip<
But by a 2 to 1 ratio, the public rejected easing Senate rules in a way that would make it harder for Democratic senators to prevent final action on Bush's nominees. Even many Republicans were reluctant to abandon current Senate confirmation procedures: Nearly half opposed any rule changes, joining eight in 10 Democrats and seven in 10 political independents, the poll found.
A total of 1,007 randomly selected adults were interviewed by telephone April 21-24 for this Post-ABC News poll. The margin of sampling error for the overall results is plus or minus three percentage points.
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CBS News Poll. May 20-22, 2005. Adults nationwide
"As you may know, there are 100 senators.
How many senators' votes should it take to move ahead to confirm a federal judicial nominee? Should a majority of 51 votes be required, or is this something that should require a larger majority of 60 votes?" Form C (N=328, MoE ± 6)
5/20-22/05
51 Votes-35%
60 Votes-63% Unsure -- 2%
"Looking ahead to the long term, do you think that eliminating the filibuster for judicial nominees would do more good than harm to the U.S. political system,
more harm than good to the U.S. political system, or would that have no long-term effect on the U.S. political system?" N=655, MoE ± 4
5/20-22/05
More GoodThan Harm--18%
More HarmThan Good -37% No Effect ----------23%
Unsure ------------22%
PEW-
"How do you feel about this issue? Do you favor or
oppose changing the rules of the Senate to stop the use of filibusters against judicial nominees?"
5/11-15/05 .
Favor---28%
Oppose--37% Unsure--35%
Above Polling numbers are from here-
http://www.pollingreport.com/congress.htm#miscSantorum reads nuke polls, applies the brakes
By Alexander Bolton
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), a leading advocate of the “nuclear option” to end the Democrats’ filibuster of judicial nominees, is privately arguing for a delay in the face of adverse internal party polls.Details of the polling numbers remain under wraps… . . .>snip< . . . “People see checks and balances as Democrats checking Republicans, not the legislative checking the executive or the judiciary checking the legislative,” Santorum said.
Filibustering presidential nominees was not something the Founding Fathers envisioned as a tool for balancing power between the branches, he argued. In other words, Democrats have managed to convince the public of their right to check Republicans in the Senate.
Santorum’s raising of reasons that Republicans should delay the constitutional option may surprise conservative activists . . . >snip< . . . Many Republicans and conservative activists had thought the Senate GOP leadership would trigger the tactic next week to end the judicial filibuster. . . . >snip< . . . But GOP aides said Santorum has made known to the leadership reasons for why Republicans should not move forward on the nuclear or constitutional option.
Rest of story—
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042105/santorum.html--------------------------------------------
Kos on Gallup poll---
Do you favor or oppose the use of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate?
Favor 52
Oppose 40
Frist is boxed in by the Republican fringe. He backs down, his presidential ambitions are finished. He moves forward, he risks a public backlash and potential losses in 2006.
Personal ambition will of course win out. Frist doesn't have his party's welfare in mind, just his own. And the biggest beneficiaries will be the Democrats.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/5/9/94937/94011-----------------------------------
After some googling, I read some Republican Blog comments. I think I see a pattern. The Republicans seem to be whining about reasons filibuster polling is not reliable. And every filibuster poll that comes out with DEM friendly numbers, is well. . . just more proof that the polls are not reliable. LOL.
NAACP & YMCA support a no vote/filibuster.
What is interesting is Rick Santorums attempt to re-frame the issue of Americans seeing the issue, as Dems checking the Repubs. Which he sees as wrong, he sees it as Congress trying to curb the Executive. Which is Bullshit. Randi Rhodes and others have spent the last year framing this as one party rule, I dont think Santorum will turn that around any time soon.
For all the Whiners moaning about how the DEMs should have gotten started earlier on the Filibuster- Now we know why the DEMs didnt start on the Filibuster untill 5 days ago. Based upon a year of the Frame "one party rule", DEMs get to re-frame the issue just prior to the vote. Kerry and Kennedy may have played their cards just right. I wondered why some DEMs (Schumer) seemed to go after Alito in the hearings, in a "gotcha mode". It seems they were just setting the stage.I almost dont dare to say it-- I think we have momentum
WOOT WOOT WOOT - give ALITO the BOOT