Republican Senators May 'Go Nuclear'

expriest writes "In an attempt to confirm Bush's most conservative nominees to the federal bench, Senate Republican leaders are considering a nuclear option. Under this procedure, the person chairing the Senate rules that filibusters of judicial nominations are unconstitutional. Republicans claim a simple majority (51 senators) would be all that is necessary to uphold this ruling, and therefore give them the power to confirm judges. The problem with this procedure, however, is that the Supreme Court could still overrule the Senate, and the status of the then improperly confirmed judges would be unknown."

Comments

Simple solution

[jackjumper]

Have *all* judicial nominees require a 2/3 vote to confirm. Then no idealogues on either side would be affirmed.

Re:Hispanic community

[Anonymous Coward]

But that Hispanic judge was spectacularly conservative, and thus not especially representative of the Hispanic community.

It's sort of like Republicans and Clarence Thomas-- the Democrats can't fight his appointment without losing face, because he's black, even though underneath the skin he's about as conservative as your average white CEO.

Sneaky thing, that. And if you don't think the Republicans wanted that Hispanic judge so they could push the issue in the first place, you're pretty naive.

Re:Huh?

[josepha48]

Actually both sides have used the supreme court to get what they want. I think last year (Texas case) the left used the supreme court to throw out sodomy laws, but it was the right that used the supreme court in the 19(70's or was it 80's) to enforce sodomy laws (Georgia case).

The Republicans realize that in todays society, that laws made by the states that limit peoples rights or take them away, are eventually going to go to court. If the Republicans stack the federal judges and supreme court with thier judges then suddenly they can take away people rights and the federal judges and supreme court with do nothing about it. The Democrates realize this too, which is why there is so much filubustering going on from BOTH sides.

The reality is that states should only be adding rights to people not taking them away. Also the states should be protecting the minority from the majority.

My problem with Republicans today is that they are more interested in using religion to justify hate and distruction of the environment. In 21 states it is unhealthy to eat the fish, because of the mercury levels. Bill Clinton was tring to pass an environment law ( which takes about 8 years to do ) to prevent the factories that dump mercury into the water supplies from doing this. This law ended up on GWB desk and he tossed it aside. If you live in one of those states then I hope you don't like fish or don't eat the fish from your state! This is just one example of what our Senators and Reps are doing to f*** over the common man ( me and you ) so that they can make more money.

Personally I hate both parties, however I see democrates as the lessor of two evils, but on some things I agree with the republicans thus I'm a registered independant.