May 19, 2005

WHY CAN'T HARRY READ?:

Dems risk it all in wrong battle (Boston Herald, May 19, 2005)

Let the battle be joined. The fight over whether President Bush's judicial nominees can be approved by a simple majority - as the Constitution requires - or must be voted on by a super-majority in the U.S. Senate is a battle well worth taking on.

And if it must be joined over the nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, that's not such a bad thing.

"Vote for the nominee. Vote against the nominee,'' Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist urged yesterday. ``Confirm the nominee. Reject the nominee. But, in the end, vote.''

How difficult is that to understand - unless, of course, you listen carefully to Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. He actually had the nerve to say this:

"The goal of the Republican leadership and their allies in the White House is to pave the way for a Supreme Court nominee who would only need 50 votes for confirmation rather than 60.''


What's left of democracy if the majority rules?

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 19, 2005 12:00 AM
Comments

I heard Harry Reid on NPR this morning and he said, "the filibuster is the only check on the power of the majority". I was wondering if Reid ever heard of something called an election.

Posted by: pchuck at May 19, 2005 9:46 AM

So, is Reid really saying that the majority is always anti-American? Someone should ask him.

Posted by: jim hamlen at May 19, 2005 10:41 AM

Reid is more concerned with what will be left of the Democratic Party if the majority rules.

Posted by: jefferson park at May 19, 2005 1:07 PM

"The goal of the Republican leadership and their allies in the White House is to pave the way for a Supreme Court nominee who would only need 50 votes for confirmation rather than 60."

So, Senator Reid, how then do you explain Clarence Thomas' confirmation by a 52 to 48 vote ?

Posted by: jd watson at May 19, 2005 3:43 PM

Forget ending the filibuster. Leave it in place. But if the Senate fails to vote on a nominee, if the Senate remains silent, then the rule ought to be...Qui tacet consentit.

Posted by: Tom Hanna at May 20, 2005 12:02 AM
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