DailyKos: Feingold not happy

[Fleshdancer]

Feingold response, blocked judges
by kos
Mon May 23rd, 2005 at 19:35:18 PDT

For those who want to be angry at the deal, Feingold is with you:

"This is not a good deal for the U.S. Senate or for the American people. Democrats should have stood together firmly against the bullying tactics of the Republican leadership abusing their power as they control both houses of Congress and the White House. Confirming unacceptable judicial nominations is simply a green light for the Bush administration to send more nominees who lack the judicial temperament or record to serve in these lifetime positions. I value the many traditions of the Senate, including the tradition of bipartisanship to forge consensus. I do not, however, value threatening to disregard an important Senate tradition, like occasional unlimited debate, when necessary. I respect all my colleagues very much who thought to end this playground squabble over judges, but I am disappointed in this deal."

edit: forgot link - www.dailykos.com

[SmokingJacket]

1. Yep.

What she said.

[smartvoter]

3. He. nt

[SmokingJacket]

23. Whoop. Thanks. nt

[lovuian]

2. Well I guess she would have been happier if the Fillabuster

was gone and Cheney got to destroy the Republic!!!

[Fleshdancer]

5. It was Russ Feingold fyi. n/t

[PowerToThePeople]

6. The republic is already gone..

ALl the nukular play would have done is prove it to more that don't believe it yet.

[Fovea]

11. No, I think she would be happy

if we fought this now, while there are still a few moderate repugs in office. That will not be the case after Rove/Delay get done sabotaging their small planes, as it were.

[Selatius]

15. Your assertion begs the question that the Repubs had the votes to nuke

I wouldn't say it was a safe bet the Republicans had enough votes to change the senate rules. Am I wrong? Or did Frist really have the votes???

[markus]

26. Six of Frist's 55 were sitting in that room

Man, with all the people watching poker on TV, you think more could read an obvious bluff bet.

Or was it?

And now comes the "compromise" which moves the bar for nomination from Right Wing Whacko to Deranged Wingnut Freeper and gives us nothing.

Somewhere, I guy named Karl is laid back in his Barcalounger eating an entire pint of Hagen Das in his boxers and laughing his ass off at cable television. And he's not watching South Park.

[CTLawGuy]

4. this deal is horrible

essentially, they get 5 judges, and they retain the right to bring the nuclear option if they think we are not filibustering in "extraordinary" circumstances, which will be ANYTIME WE FILIBUSTER, according to them. that will put us back at square one.


We gave them 5 judges for free.

Go Russ!

[Erika]

20. The nuclear option works both ways

Use on either side stops government. Yes, we've retained the right to retain the nuclear option. We gave them nothing for free. These people are still up for cloture vote, as the vast majority of our people felt was right.

The big psychological factor that is being overlooked in this agreement is that this group said Bush should submit names to both parties for feedback before he nominates them. That by itself is a biggie.

[Erika]

7. he's just playing her role & biding time n/t

[Spiffarino]

8. Exactly...stand on principle for once

They're a bunch of lily-livered varmints.

I hope Feingold runs for Prez. He's got his finger on the pulse of the pissed-off wing of our party.

[aquart]

9. That's my reaction, too.

The Republicans won. Frist lost. But they got some of their completely worthless judges.

Something else I can thank Lieberman for.

[realFedUp]

10. it is just an agreement between 14

influential but still a small group

[Mass]

12. At least one senator reacting as I hoped

I was really disappointed by Byrd signing on this deal.

[Fleshdancer]

13. I'm still on the fence about this situation

I completely understand both sides here on DU tonight, but I can't help but think we won't truly know if this is a win or loss until later.

[Vincardog]

17. Lets see how the votes go on the Judges that got their votes

I want to believe that there may be more to the "deal" than they are telling us. Suppose they agreed to give Owens her vote but she doesn't get the 50%? Dare to dream.

[Fleshdancer]

21. that's exactly what I'm wondering

The very fact that McCain wouldn't go into the details of the "deal" told me that there was more coming. I would be convinced that this was a victory if two of the three judges didn't get a majority vote. However, it's a dangerous game of chicken because if, say, Owens doesn't get voted in, then who will * choose next? Someone more corrupt to challenge the concept of "extraordinary circumstances" prior to the SC nominee circus?

Damn. just too soon to know for sure.

[Raksha]

19. My sentiments exactly.

It's hard to see how we "won" anything, but if Dobson is unhappy it can't be a total loss anyway.

[Fleshdancer]

lol, and pissing off freepers is pretty damn fun too

and to see Frist melt down in to a babbling puddle of insanity is always a joy. :)

[Zorra]

14. Exactly. n/t

[ultraist]

16. HA! Exactly my thoughts since this "compromise" was announced

[KingOfLostSouls]

18. THANK YOU Russ "F*ckin" Feingold!

although my logical side says, we shall see when the votes are cast for or against owen, brown, and griffin

my heart and soul knows we're gonna get screwed in the end


thank you russ feingold for saying what we all know deep down inside is true

[Erika]

22. This group said Bush should submit names to the GOP &

the Dems, prior to nomination. That in itself is a huge victory to stop the extremism of Bush.

[cal04]

24. Dorgan called agreement "legislative castor oil

Sen. Byron Dorgan (news, bio, voting record), D-N.D., called the agreement "legislative castor oil. It averts the showdown vote tomorrow, but I doubt it's over," he said.

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., issued a statement saying that "Confirming unacceptable judicial nominations is simply a green light for the Bush administration to send more nominees who lack the judicial temperament or record to serve in these lifetime positions."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050524/ap_on_go_co/filibuster_fight_153

[moondust]

29. "I doubt it's over."

Will the whole ordeal not just repeat itself the first time someone decides to use the filibuster?

[asjr]

25. I feel the same as Russ Feingold does. But we do not really

know yet, or at least I don't, what this so-called compromise actually means. I take some consolation in the fact that Bill Frist seems to have lost this. And this business of filibustering in "unusual circumstances" can cut both ways. If we try it the Repubs can say it is not unusual circumstances. Does it all come down to semantics? There are more devious minds on the Hill than we can comprehend.

[JDPriestly]

27. Feingold is right.

It would have been better had the Democratic senators simply walked out of the Senate and refused to go back until they had the right that minorities have always had -- to filibuster. Let the Republicans vote everything from now on up or down all by themselves. What's the difference? The "compromise" just allows the Republicans to distract from their dismal failure in running the country who knows how much longer? Because of this "compromise," the Democratic senators will get blamed as much as the Republicans for the mess the country is in.

What in the world do the so-called "moderate" Democrats who made this deal think they will get out of it. The Republicans vote in a solid block. The Democrats, no matter how nice they treat the Republicans, are always on the outside looking in. Leave the Republicans to themselves and they will stop voting in a block and start fighting with each other.

Look how much good it did Kerry to play along with the Republican center. He was called a flip-flopper because he voted one way and then the other in order to cooperate. The Republicans do not respect compromise.

I was one of four children. We had a neurotic little neighbor girl who could only play in groups of three. That meant that she would play with two of us, but if the other two or even just one of us sisters tried to join in, she would pick on the newcomer. My mother gave us some good advice: if this little girl won't play nicely with you, just go off and have a really good time by yourself or with your remaining sister. When this silly girl sees what a good time you are having, she will get curious and want to join in. It worked then with her. And it would also work with the Republicans. If the Republicans refuse to allow us Democrats on their playground, we should find another place to play. Democratic Senators could come home, meet with constituents, help their constituents to resolve their problems outside the Senate and build the Democratic base in their home states -- and protest loudly against the Republican stranglehold on the government.

[pstans]

28. Feingold stands on principle

and that is why he could win the next election for President. His voice needs to be heard more instead of Biden, Lieberman, and some other Democrats that are just there for face time.

[Ms. Clio]

30. I don't know why Dobson and Malkin are getting so much attention

Who the fuck cares what those loony toon losers think? They simply can't bear the thought of even the pretense of "compromise" and won't be happy until there are no more Democrats on the face of the earth.

I'd say this is much more important reading.