Knock off the pessimism!

[Pacifist Patriot]

Politics is about perception and marketing. The Republicans hold a majority in congress yet could not risk bringing the nuclear option to a vote. They agreed to a compromise that allowed for fillibuster under extraordinary circumstances. Folks that is a direct translation for Supreme Court nominee.

I have been working my precinct today, a heavily Republican precinct, and was pleasantly surprised by what I discovered. This precinct isn't nearly as Red as the Supervisor of Elections would believe.

See here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1803102&mesg_id=1803102

No one ever "wins" in a compromise, but someone sure as heck has the opportunity to look like they have the upper hand. Start acting and talking victorious and you're the victor. Watch. Both sides are going to be claiming victory. The last one to be heard is the one who will be right. Don't get suckered into the pessimism.

This doesn't mean the neocons have been check mated by any means. "Built on trust" my ass. But they have been checked. This is the time to build pressure not moan losses. Let the freepers lick their wounds.

Next!

[LittleClarkie]

1. I think it's the matching wingnuts on our side

that are as unhappy as the extreme on the other side. I'm relieved myself. The Senate didn't blow up. We didn't lose 200+ years of tradition. It is a good day for America. Not us, not the freepers, AMERICA.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. Bingo

[spooky3]

4. well said

[Singular73]

11. Wrong. This is a solid dem victory.

I just can't understand why people don't comprehend this.

It boggles the mind.

[LittleClarkie]

13. You misunderstand me. I agree. A Dem win was a win for America

some of us can't see that, for some reason though.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. On wingnuttery:

Where has the Democratic spine been in the last 5 years? It's been blocking a handful of nutjob court nominees. While 95% of nearly-as-bad picks sail through the Senate, the Dems finally draw a line and say "No!" Political hyperbole ensues. A deal is struck. Dems give the Repubs a third of the candidates on the other side of the line as long as the Dems can move the line in the sand a little further away.

Onward Victory! Onward matching wingnuts!

Where's the victory?

Only if these nominees get voted down can a "victory" be declared.

[MichiganVote]

3. Watching C-Span Senate floor. Republicans arguing about

how much time they get to speak vs. the Dem's. Brother, if that isn't an indication of republican sour grapes I don't know what is. The issue is not one of win or lose re: political parties. Did we, as Americans, lose the power of our Senate to the Bush regime? No. That's a success. One the Senate will pay for.

[NightOwwl]

5. Agreed. I said it before and I'll say it again...

The Democrats just stopped a complete takeover of OUR government by the religious extremist fundamentalists. Capiche?

[LittleClarkie]

8. Right on!

The Republicans wanted to kill the voice of the minority. They did not succeed.

This is a GOOD day. If you doubt me, go over to Freeperville. You will find it... entertaining.

[deadparrot]

6. Ditto to the OP and everyone else. nt

[Lexingtonian]

7. no pessimism

This is just part of a longer process and longer game. Frist and Cheney took one in the kisser today, let's see how things look tomorrow.

This 'deal' has to hold for at least 15 hours. Let's see what happens next.

[LittleClarkie]

9. The cherry on MY sundae will be if Rush is going apeshit tomorrow

As extreme as he is, I think he will be going bananas. Oh I hope so. He absolutely can't stand "squishy Moderates." He's going to be going nuts all over McCain and all the Repubs in the gang of 12.

[Ksec]

10. My thinking

Im thinking the Moderate Repubs made a deal with the Dems to allow a vote and then they would vote against them.

They would vote down the two crackpots to avoid the nuke and their credibility loss.

[LittleClarkie]

12. Could be. We will see. When is the vote for those judges going to happen

This week? Tomorrow?

[Lexingtonian]

17. tomorrow, 12 noon

is the cloture vote on the Owens nomination. If cloture is agreed to, the motion to vote on the nomination of Owens is the next logical step.

[IChing]

14. We'll see if this agreement moved us further right.

by this compromise, yes the country didn't go totally to the right but I think the agreement shifted the party a little further right. So I will wait and see.

[housewolf]

15. I agree with you...

this has been a good day for America, for the institution of the senate and for the dems.

We gave a little but we stood to lose that and much more if the vote happened tomorrow.

The big loser here is Frist, he has a pack of blood-thirsty canines at his heels, angry because he didn't deliver "us" to them. Frist's power-garnering ploy failed, we still stand as an opposing force. He lost. His "base" is not happy.

We should be happy, but cautiously so.

[longship]

16. This is bullshit

Let me understand this.

The Repugs hold the Senate hostage to judicial nominees. They make a deal that basically says that the Repugs get everything they want in exchange for not blowing up the Senate.

When a fucking terrorist makes threats, you've gained nothing if all you've accomplished is to give them what they want.

Furthermore, there's absolutely nothing in the deal that prevents them from doing the same bullshit again. After all, it worked this time!

I pray that the election machinery isn't too fucked up in 2006 that Dems can't win back majorities. I fear that it is. We're going to have to get super majorities on the ballots to make sure that Repugs will have to really screw with the outcomes.

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. Well Dobson disagrees with you.

That puts a smile on my face. Feel free to Eeyore it all you want, but I smell weakness and I'm going to take advantage of it.

[blondeatlast]

19. And we've held onto our power to deal with SCOTUS nominees.

We have a much better chance of preserving the Constitution now.

Thank God.