The potential deal, spearheaded by Sens. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), would involve at least a half-dozen Senators from each party signing a letter or memorandum of understanding that signals how they would proceed to vote on all matters related to judicial nominations.A memorandum of understanding? Does Senator Lott actually think that this so-called memorandum would bind the Democrats to this promise? That's not even the best part. This is:
Perhaps more importantly, the six Democrats would pledge to vote for cloture to end filibuster attempts on all other judicial nominees named by President Bush, including Supreme Court picks, except in “extreme circumstances,” according to a senior aide familiar with the discussions.Since Senate Democrats are already saying that the blocked nominees are too "extreme" for their liking, and thus, they argue, deserve to be filibustered, what makes Senator Lott think that any nominee put forward by this president, especially a Supreme Court nominee, would NOT be considered an extreme circumstance to the Senate Democrats? In fact, "extreme circumstance" as defined by Democrats, mean "nominated by President Bush"? Let's get real, people. Any nominee by Bush will be called an extremist who wants to reinstate slavery, force women into incubation camps, throw Jews into ovens, make everyone go to church, and commit the other items on the list of "turn back the clock" atrocities that conservatives supposedly desire. Enough howling by lefty pressure groups like MoveOn, NOW, and PFAW, and the Senate Dems will find that the circumstance is extreme. Otherwise, George W. Hitler might get to appoint a supreme court justice. Oh! The horror! An elected president appointing supreme court justices! What is the world coming to?
If it isn't clear to Senator Lott, or other spineless GOP Senators who claim to support ALL nominees getting a floor vote, but apparently don't want to actually do anything about it, if you don't want to lead, get the heck out of the way and lets get someone in there who will. Its time for the GOP to force its will and overpower the Democrats on this issue. This filibustering has gotten out of hand and no deal that allows it to continue is worth the paper its written on.
The Dems are making fools out of the Senate GOP. If the Republicans were doing the same thing to the Democrats, does anyone think that they would allow it to go on for one second? Heck no! The Dems would pound the GOP down into oblivion in the bat of an eye - "minority rights" be damned!
Memo to the GOP in the Senate: The only acceptable "compromise" is one whereby the filibuster is eliminated for judicial nominees and all nominees get an up or down vote by the full Senate. Understand?
