February 21, 2005

DID REAGAN COMPROMISE WITH GRENADA?:

To End Battle Over Judicial Picks, Each Side Must Lay Down Arms (Ronald Brownstein, February 21, 2005, LA Times)

Some Senate Republicans are optimistic that this time they can shatter the Democratic resistance to the most controversial nominees. That's always possible. But it's still not likely unless Republicans execute their threats to change Senate rules to prevent Democrats from filibustering nominees. And that could generate enough hostility in Congress to make the Civil War analogy frighteningly apt.

Rather than escalating the conflict so dangerously, each side would better serve the country by reaching an agreement that breaks the impasse over judges. It's a depressing measure of contemporary Washington that hardly anyone talks about such a compromise.


The idea that Blue America will take up arms against Red is lunatic, while the idea that the GOP with 55 seats in the Senate; control of the House, the presidency, most state governments; and dominance in polling should deal with the Democrats as equals is partisan hackery.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 21, 2005 6:56 AM
Comments

Brownstein should put the pom-poms down and get real. The GOP has 55 seats. There are at least 5 Democratic seats in the hands of people who face serious electoral challenges from the GOP mostly on social conservative grounds,i.e. Pryor, Lincoln, the Nelsons, Landrieu, Conrad, Johnston. Some have to play ball sometimes.

The Democrats should remember that, even though filibusters really get them all hot and wet inside the Beltway and at Poli Sci Departments all across America, most Americans dislike obstructionism for obstructionism's sake.

Posted by: Bart at February 21, 2005 12:20 PM

Civil war? Over judicial nominations? That transcends stupidity, into a whole new realm of hilarity. It's like the "Plan 9 from Outer Space" of opinion articles.

Posted by: Timothy at February 21, 2005 1:46 PM

Brownstein is a puffer fish who thinks he's a Great White.

Posted by: Luciferous at February 22, 2005 3:21 PM
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