WP: GOP Is Fracturing Over Power of Judiciary

[DeepModem Mom]

GOP Is Fracturing Over Power of Judiciary
Democrats Say Conservatives Are Targeting Filibuster Rules on Court Nominees

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 7, 2005; Page A04


The Terri Schiavo case has reinvigorated a drive by congressional conservatives to discipline and curtail the power of federal judges, just as Senate Republicans are trying to repel Democratic claims that the GOP is extremist and overreaching in its bid to shape the federal judiciary.

The debate is causing tensions within the Republican Party, whose Senate leaders distanced themselves this week from an attack on judges leveled by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

Party insiders say Congress is unlikely to impeach judges or dramatically limit the courts' jurisdiction, as DeLay has repeatedly threatened to do. But Democrats, sensing a political opening, have pounced on DeLay's comments -- and similar remarks made by other conservatives -- in their campaign to prevent Senate Republicans from changing filibuster rules that have enabled Democrats to block several of President Bush's appellate court nominees.

"If they don't get what they want, they attack whoever's around," Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters this week. "Now they're after the courts, and I think it goes back to this arrogance of power."

For years, DeLay has called for disciplining or even intimidating judges he considers too liberal and active. But rarely, if ever, have his remarks coincided with an event that galvanized public attention as did the case of the brain-damaged Florida woman who died last month. DeLay rebuked judges who refused to order her feeding tube reinserted, saying, "the time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior." He has asked the House Judiciary Committee to recommend steps for Congress to take against "an overactive, out-of-control judiciary."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32485-2005Apr6.html

[aquart]

1. Using the word "conservatives" is deliberately misleading.

It makes the Republican party sound as if it were divided into conservatives and moderates. The designations "neocon" and "paleocon" are more useful if your goal is telling the truth.

[UpInArms]

3. radical rightwing ideologues comes to mind ........ eom

[TahitiNut]

4. I prefer simple, succinct, and accurate. Fascists.

:shrug:

[UpInArms]

7. that came to me, also,

but I had already hit "post"

:)

[aquart]

6. Also good.

But a pain in the butt to type.

[UpInArms]

8. TahitiNut summed it up with one word - Fascists

easy to type :hi:

[reality based]

11. There is now more than a "whiff" of Fascism in the air

The prototype may be the Franco regime in Spain with a little Mussolini thrown in for foreign adventurism. They are not conservatives. We should take pains to recognize the difference.

[UpInArms]

12. well, okay - perhaps we should throw in totalitarianism

also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism

The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. According to these historical approximations, totalitarian regimes are more repressive of pluralism and political rights than authoritarian ones. Under a totalitarian regime, the state controls nearly every aspect of the individual's life. Totalitarian governments do not tolerate activities by individuals or groups such as labor unions that are not directed by the state's goals. Totalitarian regimes maintain themselves in power through secret police, propaganda disseminated through the media, the elimination of open criticism of the regime, and use of terror tactics. Internal and external threats are created to foster unity through fear.

...more...

[caligirl]

2. Tom Delay just shot the Repug party in the ass. He over does it and screws

them by doing so.

I love it.

[Stand and Fight]

5. The comments of these men...

They go too far! Here are some excerpts from the article that were particularly alarming to me -- especially if you read between the lines. These are the sorts of things Hitler and his Nazis said before they dismantled the opposition in Germany... Fascism? No doubt in my mind, but you decide for yourself:


- Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), who said this week that violence against judges might be linked to a perception that they make "political decisions."

- Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a Judiciary Committee member and DeLay ally, said in an interview: "That kind of judge needs to be worried about what kind of role Congress will play in his future." King said it is not clear what steps his committee might take, but he said most people do not realize the power Congress can exert over courts if it chooses.

- "We have the constitutional authority to eliminate any and all inferior courts," he said, referring to district and circuit courts. King said some federal judges refuse to answer questions from Congress unless they are being impeached, so "that may force our hand."

- Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, said few lawmakers would support impeachments, but congressional hearings to probe judges' roles in the Schiavo case are likely. "I think this series of recent events will help those of us who would like to use existing constitutional authority to restore the proper balance between the branches of government," Pence said.



How can we continue to let this happen? They are a gang of demagogues, reckless tyrants. Don't the people of this country see what will happen if the delicate system of checks and balances is further upset? I am astounded that they are getting away with this, and frankly I am horrified and at the same time quickened in my dedication to rise politically so that I can help in putting a stop to this madness.

[Straight Shooter]

9. "If they don't get what they want, they attack whoever's around."

The Republicans are now the party of militants. Reactionary militants.

[DulceDecorum]

10. The US Supreme Court opened the door to this massacre

by their activist decision in Bush vs Gore.

Lay the corpses at their feet.

[Wright Patman]

13. We have met the "activist judges"

and they are us.

Yep, the Supreme Court of the United States sowed the seeds of the destruction of its branch of government in Dec. 2000.

The judges should have to face the wrath of the Diebold machines just like all other politicians. It's the GOP way.

[dbt]

14. Hold it, hold it, HOLD IT!!!!!

The GOP has been whining about "Law and Order" since 1968. For thirty-seven freaking years they've been squawking "Law and Order" with every other breath.

Most of the judges have been appointed by Republicans during those thirty-seven years, to say nothing of the Clinton nominations that were blocked by the Republicans.

Now, ALL OF A SUDDEN, "Law and Order" has been discarded by those who appeared to hold it as the Holy Of Holies for a GENERATION? Now, "no man is above the law" (which we all heard ad absurdum during the Clinton Penis Hunt) is, to use the Nixonian phrase, an "inoperative statement?"

"You can't have it both ways." Let's see. Which Bloated Toad Of The Airwaves has been croaking about that for twenty years?

:wtf: