Democratic Recalcitrance

Ed Morrissey discusses Harry Reid's latest proclamation and threat to shut down the Senate if the Republicans refuse to cave in to the unconstitutional filibuster of the President's judicial nominees. Reid naturally rehashes the same LIE that the President has had certain judges "turned down" by the Senate. This is false because NONE of the President's nominees has been denied a judicial appointment on a vote on the nomination, only on "cloture" votes -- votes to break the filibuster. The fact that this tactic has been employed for only about a dozen of Bush's 200 nominees shows more about how clearly unconstitutional it is that the Democrats would only select to demagogue certain nominees, than how "fair-minded" the Democrats have been. After all NO OTHER SENATE EVER COMMITTED THIS TYPE OF MINORITY OBSTRUCTION OF JUDICIAL NOMINEES IN U.S. HISTORY.

The Democrats' position is unconstitutional, immoral and a naked power play. The Republicans are weak fools for allowing this situation to drag on since 2002. Break the filibuster, shut down the Senate if necessary and break the Democrats. It is time for power politics.

Simply stated, since the 2001 Congressional session began, the Democrats have made it their sole purpose to prevent President Bush from achieving major domestic policy triumphs and from installing his unquestionably qualified judicial nominees. The strategy is pure obstructionism as a reaction to the Florida 2000 election (remember, Bush won EVERY recount). Thus, the Democrats are akin to a European Opposition party, not a deliberative group that may agree to certain Republican policy proposals. The Republicans should treat them as such, and ram through the nominees and as much of their legislative agenda as they must. Weakness only emboldens the bully.