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| 5/25 |
| 2006/1/27-28 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:41571 Activity:very high |
1/27 Wow, Alito is getting confirmed and the Democrats did nothing, only
cowered and thought of their election campaigns. The GOP is one of
the most corrupt and vile political parties in recent memories, and
the Democrats just roll over and play dead every time. Simply
pathetic. They're even worse than the Republicans. There really
is no one worth voting for in this damn country.
\_ Well, if the other side has the 60 votes to kill the filibuster
polls show > 60% of Americans supporting Alito's appointment, I
suppose your choice is "Look weak by failing miserably in the
filibuster", or "Look weak by not attempting a filibuster".
\_ After one defeat after another morale with the D is low.
They just don't want to do anything now. If someone beats
you up badly, are you gonna standup and fight immediately?
Better to wait till you get better.
\_ Well, if the other side has the 60 votes to kill the filibuster and
polls show 54% (30% opposing) of Americans supporting Alito's
appointment, I suppose your choice is "Look weak by failing
miserably in the filibuster", or "Look weak by not attempting a
filibuster".
\_ Sure, but that was a choice the Democrats made. If they had
decided from the start to present a united front, and had used
the televised hearings as a platform to present Alito as
a danger to the balance of powers, perhaps they could at least
make a stand. Instead they dithered and cowered like they
always do.
\_ I'm not sure how much the Right's combination of raw media
control and skillful media usage had to do with it, but
you know, I completely agree. All the Left had to do was
to unify around the message of: Alito is no Sandra Day
O'Connor, a centrist and frequent swing voter.
\_ Looks like they chose option C: "Look like a bunch of weak
squabbling idiots who couldn't get elected dogcatcher, let
alone run a country."
http://csua.org/u/et2 (yahoo news)
\_ When was the last time anyone was elected dogcatcher?
\_ Nah, anyone who votes against cloture gets points in my book,
even with the odds.
"I reject those notions that there ought to somehow be some
political calculus about the future. ... The choice is now."
-- Kerry's unfuckingdeniably right. I sincerely hope he
manages to procure some balls for the rest of the party.
\_ That's rich coming from Mr. "I voted for it before I voted
against it."
\_ He voted for an *amendment*, which failed. Without
the amendment, he voted against the *legislation*.
Is this so hard to understand? -tom
\_ That would be two different "its" not the same one.
\_ Yes, that's exactly my point. -tom
\_ That's right, same guy. The world always loves a
comeback / redemption story, and it works for me.
\_ So it's not remotely possible that most of them think (privately
of course, it wouldn't do to say so publically) he'd actually be
a decent justice? That maybe he's not an executive-crushing
firecracker and he might actually be <gasp> pro-life, but he might
still be a good justice?
\_ Nope. They blew their chance in the hearings with meandering
questions and the Kennedy nonsense, and then the media jumped
on the "crying wife" story and killed any further chance of
questions.
\- OP inquiry: what is the reason to oppose ALITO and not
ROBERTS?
\_ Excellent question. The answer is: none. Roberts should
not have been approved.
\_ Shrug, my impression of Roberts is of a very smart,
honest, conservative dude from Harvard who did pro-bono
work for gays because he believes in the cause.
My impression of Alito is of a not-so-smart, weaselly
foot-soldier being rewarded for a lifetime of furthering
party causes with a lifetime appointment, one that
sends a clear, resounding message to all other
moderately intelligent slimeballs. -someone else
\- I'm not thrilled with ALITO (Initially he seemed
more reasonable than later on), but I am not sure
there are grounds to not put him on to a court with
THOMAS. The problem with the Democrats was
windbaggery more than cowardice. Did you see the
ratio of words uttered by BIDEN and "Killer" TEED
KENNEDY to ALITO. It was like 3.5, 3.2 words to 1.
PAT LEAHEY is perhaps becoming my favorite Democrat. |
| 5/25 |
|
| csua.org/u/et2 -> news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060127/ap_on_go_su_co/alito_democrats_1;_ylt=AoW0Kk5NoLLA0Kvtt1_00bJuCM0A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl John Kerry , the party's 2004 presidential candidate and a White House hopeful for 2008. He said it was imperative to fight for "those people who count on us to stand up and protect them." Two of the party's Senate leaders, Harry Reid of Nevada and Charles Schumer of New York, privately made clear their unhappiness with the strategy, even though they, too, oppose Alito's confirmation. voting record), seeking a Senate seat in Republican-leaning Tennessee, dismissed the filibuster approach openly. "It does not appear that there is any reason to hold up a vote. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will move quickly to bring this process to a dignified end," he said. Sandra Day O'Connor , who has cast deciding votes in recent years in 5-4 rulings on controversial issues such as abortion rights, affirmative action and the death penalty. Democrats fear he would shift the court rightward on those and other issues. Because of moves by Kerry, Kennedy and others, supporters of Alito's nomination must produce 60 votes on Monday to advance his nomination -- and an Associated Press tally shows at least 62. The AP tally shows at least 53 Republicans and three Democrats intend to vote to confirm Alito, well over the required majority. Reid announced he would side with Alito's critics on Monday, though on Thursday he had made clear his unhappiness with their strategy. "There has been adequate time for people to debate," he had said Thursday. "I hope this matter will be resolved without too much more talking." Those remarks drew a pointed rebuttal from the NAACP and People for The American Way, two organizations that often work closely with Democrats in Congress. "With just two days of debate having passed, this must rank among the shortest debates for a controversial Supreme Court nomination in modern times," they said in a written statement. Democrats have been arguing for several days whether to attempt a filibuster designed to keep Alito off the bench, according to officials familiar with the deliberations. These officials said both Reid and Schumer of New York, who heads the party's effort to gain Senate seats in 2006, have stressed the drawbacks. Among them were the certainty of defeat, the impression of political weakness that would convey and the potential impact on candidates on the ballot in 2006 in Republican-leaning states. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, sided with Kennedy, Kerry and others, contending Alito's record was troubling enough to warrant a filibuster, and that in political terms, core Democratic voters would be energized by a last-ditch stand. Among the rank and file, there was opposition to a filibuster from several lawmakers, including liberal Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and North Dakota's Kent Conrad, a moderate who is on the ballot this fall in a Republican state. Democratic officials said Mikulski had said during this week's closed-door caucus that the 2006 and 2008 elections were more important than a symbolic last stand that would fail to prevent Alito's confirmation. The officials who described the comments did so on condition of anonymity, citing the private nature of the discussions. In an interview, Conrad said that in remarks to fellow Democrats at the caucus, he outlined several factors. "So I put that all together and I find it makes it hard to justify a filibuster," he said. For the most part, Republicans were content to stand aside while Democrats aired their internal differences. But White House spokesman Scott McClellan couldn't resist a jab at Kerry, Bush's vanquished campaign rival from 2004. "I think even for a senator, it takes some pretty serious yodeling to call for a filibuster from a five-star ski resort in the Swiss Alps," he said. Judge Samuel Alito arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. Kent Conrad, D-ND, to discuss Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court. The Senate vote on the nomination is expected next week. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. |