Reid Blasts GOP Filibuster Threat

[raysr]

"WASHINGTON — An historic confrontation over the federal courts and the rights of legislative minorities continued to escalate Saturday, as a key Democrat sharpened his criticism of Republican threats to eliminate the filibuster for judicial nominations.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada charged that barring the use of the filibuster against court nominees would reduce the Senate to "a rubber stamp for the president." "When it comes down to it, stripping away these important checks and balances is about the arrogance of those in power who want to rewrite the rules so that they can get their way," Reid said in the weekly Democratic radio address."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-judges10apr10,0,3157587.story?coll=la-home-nation

[sellitman]

1. They are going Nuclear and there ain't a dam thing we can do about it.

This is getting to look less and less like America. We are outside looking in. I don't know what it will take besides armed revolt? I fear that isn't far off.

[Pepperbelly]

2. oh yeah there's something we can do and Reid knows all about it. nt

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. And that is....

?

[Pepperbelly]

5. ending unanimous consent.

It locks the Senate up like a kinked bowel. :D

[starwolf]

6. Newt and his gang brought the hill to its knees

and the Pugs got trashed. Same thing will happen if the Reed does that, perhaps worse.

[Pepperbelly]

9. bullshit ...

what got them in trouble was the revelation that Gingrich started the mess because he was forced to ride in the back of AF1 going to Rabin's funeral.

This is the Senate, not the House and the conditions are totally different. This is being done to PREVENT the total domination of one point of view on national policy when in fact, the whole country does not want it. Hell, only around 35% would go for gops ramrodding everything.

I do not think it is paralell. Not at all.

[sellitman]

13. Hogwash

You know how the mass media would spin it. Do you really think the public would be so sophisicated? I don't.

Not for a NY minute.

[Pepperbelly]

14. The media would be an encumberance, no doubt of it.

However, their "moral reletivism" has made little difference in the public opinion regarding SS, Schievo, or much of anything else lately. It is not nearly as powerful a tool as it started out being.

[sellitman]

16. I hope you are right.

I don't feel as confident as you do on this.

My fingers are so singed from the flames I hesitate to wanna play with matches.

[starwolf]

17. My point exactly

You tie up the budget or other high vis parts of the operation of Government and you get pilloried. Additionally the media is much less favorable to our side than it was in Gingrich's heyday.

Pragmatism is important in much of this, and it is at times lacking hereabouts.

[sellitman]

8. That would shut down the government.

Remember the last time the Repukes did that? Did they come out on top?

Nope. They looked liked the enemy...shutting down the Government. That's what we would look like after the Mass Media spun it that way.

We would loose again in 2006 under that scenario. (Or even harder counting in the machines control)

[Pepperbelly]

10. see my post above. nt

[mmonk]

15. We lose ANYWAY if the filibuster is ended.

They would control the government through the courts. The courts would be partisan concerning ANY legislation if it were stuffed by radicals. ADA is on a death watch and is why my family may have to leave.

[ohioan]

22. The difference this time

is that Dems have more control over the process this time than Republicans did. Unlike Republicans, who once the government shut down, could not make portions of it work - it was all or nothing - Dems can pick and choose what legislation they will allow to go through. Thus, if they see fit, they can make sure that essential activity continues while still keeping the Republicans from operating as they please.

[Mass]

11. First he has to hold his caucus together on this one

If one Dem ends voting with the Republicans, I dont think he will have a thread of credibility any more as he made this issue his central issue with SS, so he better watch Nelson who said he was agnostic on the question.

[Pepperbelly]

12. I bet Harry knows exactly upon whom ...

he can count when the nut-cutting begins.

[Mass]

18. I am sure he knows

This is not the point. I hope he does better than holding together the obvious ones. He also has to hold the ones that are not obvious (such as Lieberman or Ben Nelson) or he is not much of a minority leader.

[dansolo]

24. Has Reid even mentioned this?

Reid should make this threat, NOW!! The Republicans must know that ending unanimous consent will block much more of what they want to accomplish than the filibusters ever would.

[Catamount]

19. If Reid stands up for our rights--damn the consequences!

At least he'd be showing some balls and not kow-towing to the repugs.
Let the msm do what they want, they'll change their tune if we win on this point, sooner or later.
:grr:

[Catt03]

4. Time to march down Pennsylvania Avenue

and invite the rest of the world to join in.

We need a new Port Huron Statement. Would work today
http://globalangst.blogspot.com/porthuron.htm


Where are those college kids when you really need them?

[0007]

7. Texans are raising to the ocassion by calling their Senators

'nuclear option' is working and people are becoming aware!

Don't let anyone fool you. Here are the results for Texas. Yupster are you reading this?

Call on Your Senators to Protect the Courts

Our Progress So Far
So far, we've made 46,400 calls.

Great work! We've achieved 103.1% of our new goal of 45,000 calls....Texas is as RED as it can get.

Select your state: (Texas in my case)

Please call each Senator's office, then check the box if you were able to get through.

You can just give a short statement to whomever answers (or the voicemail): such as, "Hello.
I live in Texas, and I would like to urge Senator Hutchison to oppose the 'nuclear option' to eliminate the right to filibuster judicial nominations. I believe in fair judges, and checks and balances.
Thank you very much."

Sen. Kay Hutchison (202-224-5922)
Sen. John Cornyn (202-224-2934)

[StudentOfDarrow]

20. Reid is looking better by the day.

We need more fighters like him.

[ohioan]

23. Reid is as tough as they come - folks underestimate him at their peril

[Hippo_Tron]

21. The more I think about the consequences...

The more I realize that they all outweight the fact that the Democrats are FINALLY ready to show some BALLS. They are finally ready to stand up to the GOP and take ACTION against their bullshit. This may bring us down a few points in the short term but you can damn well bet that it will give us the kind of momentum that we had going up to the election.

BTW Reid said that he will allow unanimous consent agreements on national security and appropriations bills, so it won't be a complete and utter shutdown of the federal government, only a halt to the GOP's agenda.