Will Republicans Go Nuclear?

[BrklynLiberal]

Will Republicans Go Nuclear?

By E. J. Dionne Jr.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005; Page A17

Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, called an urgent meeting last week with leaders of civil rights, civil liberties, environmental and women's groups. His message: The Senate faces a nuclear winter that could engulf them.

What emerged at that meeting was an order of battle that could mark American politics for years. Reid told the participants that he had learned from friendly Republican senators that Bill Frist, the majority leader, intended to push forward with what has come to be known as the "nuclear option," a fiddling with Senate rules that would block filibusters of judicial nominees.

And Reid warned the groups that the Republican effort to curb the rights of the Senate minority would not stop with judges. If Frist won on judges, Reid predicted, Republicans would be emboldened to roll other legislation through on narrow majority votes.

The battle over the filibuster seems like an insider's game. In fact it is a historic fight over the structure of U.S. government that could affect almost every issue in the public realm.

The details are clear enough: Democrats filibustered 10 of President Bush's first-term judicial nominees while confirming 204 others.
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more.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55429-2005Mar21.html

[alfredo]

1. Let them try it

and see them ensure their rightful place as a minority party.

[AuntiBush]

2. Me thinks they already are.

House of Chimpy cards are not falling; they're tumbling!

[hughee99]

3. That's why I think they might not do it...

Many repukes remember being in the minority, and may cross the aisle to prevent this for fear that it will "bite them in the ass" down the road.

[NEOBuckeye]

4. This is why the Republican Party must be Abolished

The Republicans obviously hate America, Democracy and the Constitution. They have no respect for the law, except where it suits them.

They are the true terrorists of the American people.

[0007]

13. It is not a "Party" it is a crime "Family"

No difference between them and the Mafia

[cascadiance]

19. Yup, I applaud Mike Malloy for aptly naming them that...

... and reiterating it on his show constantly.

[slackmaster]

14. Be careful what you wish for

Our whole system of government is inherently adversarial. Whichever side you are on, it's in everyone's best interests if every extreme viewpoint is checked or balanced by a different one. Single-party rule would suck the big wazoo.

[NEOBuckeye]

22. I know just what I'm wishing for -- Multi-Party Proportional Parliament

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~csallen/parl-soe.pdf

Sure beats the daylights out of what we've got right now.

[Piperay]

5. They'll be sorry if they do because

no matter what one day they will be the 'out' and then turnabout.

[Theduckno2]

6. I'm not so sure they won't try it....

The Republicans took the blame for shutting down the government under Clinton's watch and came back to grab the White House and Congress. They may see a right tilted judiciary as a worthwhile prize. Given the ease with which they got a man of exceptional qualities (George W) elected President they don't really need a Republican to filibuster anything. There will be a price to pay for the nuclear option, but they may be willing to pay that price.

[redqueen]

12. I tend to agree - they've done such things before.

I see no reason to believe they won't do it again.

[alfredo]

15. The times were different. The GOP was seen as benign

back then, also their hate radio propagandist were riding high. I think the Dems have done a good job of pointing out how radical these judges are.

The Republicans have crossed the line by meddling in the affairs of a family. That's going to hurt them. The social security debacle will hurt them, cuts in education and veterans benefits will hurt them. These things build on each other.

[chicagojoe]

7. That's spelled newkyaler.

[radfringe]

8. the "ignition" point may be the outcome of the Shavio case

If the judge sides with the removal of the feeding tube -- the reich will be screaming about "activist judges"

[katsy]

9. You are absolutely right...

:nuke:

[74dodgedart]

11. They should ask the nominees about their opinions of Schiavo case

[Jose Diablo]

10. Lock it down

Nothing, nada, zilch gets through the Senate. Close them fucking doors until '06. Then clean their clocks.

[Strawman]

16. Go ahead, payback will be the bitchiest bitch of all time for Repugs

When we take back all three branches of government Repugs won't be able to stop national health insurance, progressive tax reform, election reform, media reform, and everything else that we have been just dying to implement for decades. We can play hardball right back and pack the SCOTUS and undo whatever damage the Scalia Court does while we're at it.

Once we give the people things they need, it's a real bitch to try and take them away, witness Social Security privatization. You and your fat cat buddies have got a good things going with the status quo, Mr. Frist. Do you really want to overreach here?

[bearfan454]

18. How can we take back anything with

electronic vote stealing ?

[Strawman]

20. once they have unchecked power to shit the country up for awhile...

public opinion won't be close enough evenly split to allow any cover up of stolen votes. ultimately they serve a very narrow segment of the population. they can't get away with fucking the rest of us much longer. there's not much further they can reach without overreaching.

[bearfan454]

21. I hope you're right. n/t

[coffeenap]

17. I cannot stand the use of this term by the RW--

they are getting us all accustomed to the term so when they talk about a real nuclear weapons program we won't all blanch at the sound of the word. It is like the anti-abortion world starting the term "pro-life" to describe their campaign against women's rights. This is how they win!!!

[jazzjunkysue]

23. More likely, they'll go nuculer.

[alarimer]

24. will Frist go nuclear because of Schiavo?

I've been thinking that the wingers in the Senate might decide they need to confirm these especially right-wing nominees in light of the decisions made in this case. Even though most people are against Congress's meddling in this case and seem to believe the judges were correct in their decisions, Republicans in Congress seem to feel otherwise. I am just wondering if they are more likely to use this option now.

[GetTheRightVote]

25. I hope the repubs are hurt badly by pushing us around w/ Terri

being the best example of their abuse.

:kick:

[VegasWolf]

26. Will Republicans go sane and become something other than farm

people?