From Media Matters: The Top 10 filibuster falsehoods

[RobertSeattle]

Simply an outstanding piece countering all the BS spewed by the Right Wing. Bookmark it!

http://mediamatters.org/items/200505180004

[NYCGirl]

1. David Brock's on Franken' show RIGHT NOW! NT

[wryter2000]

2. Kick

Media Matters rocks! I think they almost single-handedly stuck the Repugs with the moniker "nuclear option." The Repugs tried to bury that term, but we didn't let them, largely because of what Media Matters posted.

[pbartch]

3. I am listing the LIES as mentioned on the mediamatters.org site

Falsehood #1: Democrats' filibuster of Bush nominees is "unprecedented"

Falsehood #2: Bush's filibustered nominees have all been rated well-qualified by the ABA; blocking such highly rated nominees is unprecedented

Falsehood #3: Democratic obstructionism has led to far more judicial vacancies during Republican administrations than Democratic administrations

Falsehood #4: "Nuclear Option" is a Democratic term

Falsehood #5: Democrats oppose Bush nominees because of their faith, race, ethnicity, gender, stance on abortion, stance on parental notification ...

Falsehood #6: Public opinion polling shows clear opposition to judicial filibusters, support for "nuclear option"

Falsehood #7: Filibustering judicial nominees is unconstitutional

Falsehood #8: Clinton's appellate confirmation rate was far better than Bush's rate

Falsehood #9: Sen. Byrd's alterations to filibuster rules set precedent for "nuclear option"

Falsehood #10: Democrats have opposed "all" or "most" of Bush's judicial nominees

[Czolgosz]

4. That's a great article

My favorite talking point out of the article:

Republicans initiated a filibuster against a judicial nominee in 1968, forcing Democratic president Lyndon Johnson to withdraw the nomination of Associate Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas to be chief justice. Then-Sen. Robert Griffin (R-MI) recognized at the time that denying nominees a vote was already an established practice. "It is important to realize that it has not been unusual for the Senate to indicate its lack of approval for a nomination by just making sure that it never came to a vote on the merits. As I said, 21 nominations to the court have failed to win Senate approval. But only nine of that number were rejected on a direct, up-and-down vote," Griffin said, according to a May 10 New York Times op-ed by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME).

Cloture votes were also necessary to obtain floor votes on Clinton judicial nominees Richard A. Paez and Marsha L. Berzon in 2000, and Republicans attempted to filibuster the nomination of U.S. District Judge H. Lee Sarokin to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1994. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), who is leading the Republican opposition to Democratic filibusters, voted against cloture for the Paez nomination.

[knowbody0]

5. thanks RobertSeattle

excellent! bookmarked and EMailed.

[msrbly]

6. Very very educational

I'm obviously against doing away with the filibuster but this article was very educational. Thanks for providing the link.

[blondeatlast]

7. Read this at work--MMfA needs to be on the tube and in print.

The last great gasp of journalism.

[JRob]

8. KICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Call your senator NOW!

Bombard them in DC! This is the last stand for Democracy! And IT'S ON, right now in the Senate!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1481907&mesg_id=1482835

[lady lib]

9. Excellent work.

I hope our senators use this info.

[katinmn]

10. Thank you! bookmarked.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. kick! n/t

[chomskysright]

12. FENCE SITTING SENATORS E MAIL CONTACTS HERE

Mike DeWine of Ohio: http://dewine.senate.gov/

Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania: http://specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

John Warner of Virginia; http://warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; http://murkowski.senate.gov/contact.html

Chuck Hagel of Nebraska: http://hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

John Sununu of New Hampshire; http://www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html

Susan Collins of Maine: http://collins.senate.gov/low/contactemail.htm


made up his mind -- but wouldn't hurt to let him know where you stand on this issue before Tuesday.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200...

Sunday, May 22, 2005
Senator DeWine center of debate to end filibuster

By Malia Rulon
Gannett News Service


WASHINGTON - Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who has emerged as a key Republican holdout in a congressional battle over whether to end judicial filibusters, is getting pressure from both sides over a pivotal vote that would make it easier for President Bush to get his nominees approved.

The Senate could take up the issue as early as Tuesday if lawmakers vote on Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, one of several controversial nominees Democrats threaten to block with a filibuster, a stalling tactic intended to thwart votes on nominees or bills.

DeWine said he has made up his mind but won't tell whether he'll side with Republicans, who plan to use a so-called "nuclear option" if Owen's nomination doesn't get the necessary 60 votes to stop a filibuster.


OTHERS who won't say which way they are voting:

The seven Republican senators who haven't declared whether they'll support the GOP plan to scrap judicial filibusters and force the approval of President Bush's nominees: