I was torn when I heard the news of "The Compromise". In my heart, I wanted the D. leadership to force a vote, to take a real stand, even if it meant ultimate defeat. We're Democrats; we need to actually stand for something, don't we?
My head, however, has remained unconvinced over the past few weeks. While voters may view our actions as the ultimate in integrity now, how would they feel after a year of Democratic filibusters of every bill and procedure, which would be necessary if we actually lost the pending vote on judicial filibusters. Bill Clinton dodged a huge, freaking bullet back in the '90s when he played this game of chicken, and I don't know if our luck could hold out as well as the Golden Boy's.
Maine is unique in this debate, as, not one, but two, of our Senators are embroiled in the heart and soul of the matter. Senator Snowe has openly objected to the banning of the filibuster, and Collins has been suspiciously tight-lipped on the matter. Without at least one of their votes, Frist would have a tough time making quota.
So how do Maine Conservatives feel about this so-called compromise?
If they feel that way, maybe it isn't so bad. Maybe.
Posted by MB Williams at May 23, 2005 10:06 PM | TrackBackI like the fact that Myers, Kavanaugh, Haynes and others are toast but the GOP got up or down vote on the three worst of the lot in Brown, Owen, and Pryor.
In addition, the three worst get lifetime appointments while the nuclear option is off the table only for this Congress.
On the other hand, By taking the nuclear option off the table for this Congress, Democrats can decide for themselves whether or not to block a Supreme Court nominee this summer.
Basically, this is probably a good deal for the Dems if Reid was stuck at 49 or 50 votes and a bad deal if he could have gotten 51. Without knowing which of those circumstances actually existed, I will defer to his judgment and he looks happy.
Posted by: dwight Meredith at May 23, 2005 11:37 PMOver at Kevin Drum's one commenter said that he heard Lindsey Graham say that one of the three nominees guaranteed a floor vote will lose that vote on a bipartisan basis. That surely must be Janice Brown. If that is true, the deal looks a heck of a lot better to me. Owen's confirmation doesn't really change that Circuit Court (bad before-bad after). Pryor is already on the 11th Circuit as a result of a recess appointment.
If Brown goes down and the 7 Republicans do not renege if Bush nominates a real wingnut to the Supreme Court, this is starting to look like a real good deal.
The 725,000 voters (2004 cycle) of Maine, who joinly possess 4 electoral votes, through their New Jersy plan representatives to the Federal Legislature, Senators Snowe and Collins, determined that:
(a) the Executive Branch does not create the rules of the New Jersy plan (Senate) body -- Geo. Bush 2nd's "I expect" is not the controlling authority,
(b) radical change to the Federal government cannot take place without the support of the people over several sessions of the Congress,
(c) statehood acts create a political sovereignty in states which is not extinguished by political party, nor by the Virginia plan (House) body.
This is a big story in Maine. Its 20th Maine vs the Bible Belt.
I'm not conflicted about the institutional outcome. Absent the application of the New Jersy plan outside the the original 13 or 15 states, the "states" of Ohio etc, then wicked sparcely inhabited, wouldn't have had the political power to loot the urban power centers of the Atlantic seaboard, and we wouldn't have lots of 3 and 4 electoral vote states locked in conflict with Indian governments.
Posted by: Eric at May 24, 2005 08:41 AM