More Gang of 14
S'saurus is right. On May 24 he wrote
I think the initial reaction by conservatives to this deal is totally wrong. First, people are overreacting to the language "extraordinary circumstances" and are assuming that it is a hollow term. We should remember, however, that this term was agreed to by centrist Democrats and Republicans, not by Harry Reid and Barbara Boxer. The term will be much more meaningful to this group than a leftist Senator who cares nothing for tradition.
Second, I think the deal ends democratic filibusters for good. The deal is well crafted because it looks like the Democrats got something, when in reality it is almost a total defeat for the filibuster strategy (its not a total defeat because two previously nominated judges were casualties of the deal).
To claim "extreme circumstances" you need at least 6 of the 7 republicans in the coalition to agree that it is extreme (to avoid the constitutional option).
I think as time goes by, Republicans will realize that this was a good deal and almost a total loss for Democrats....that is if Bush doesn't become a wimp in his nominations.
If there is no filibuster for Alito, or it is broken because Republican members of the Gang of 14 vote for the nuclear/constitutional option, S'saurus looks like quite the prognosticator.
posted by Harsh Pencil | 11/01/2005 08:45:00 PM
Yes, and now, everyone is happy.
Did anyone pick up on why nearly everyone was unhappy with the Miers nomination? It seems to me, that more than anything else, the Conservatives were unhappy, not because they were uncertain about Miers, but because they wanted the fight with the liberals. A big, bloody, knock-down, drag out fight that they knew they (we) would win in the end. While Miers may have proved to be planty conservative, that didn't matter, as she wouldn't have sparked the fight everyone was looking for.
The Liberals were unhappy with Miers too. Why? They also wanted the fight. They needed it for fundraising, membership drives, petition signings, and all of the activities that make them feel like they're accomplishing something, even while losing. Miers didn't make enough of them unhappy enough for them to be happy. Alito makes them so unhappy that they're finally happy.
So what next, now that everyone is happy? Any sort of compromise? No way, we're all too happy for that, and the only way we stay happy is with a showdown on the judcial filibusters/Senate rules chages. The best part about this is that while we're only truly happy in victory, the Liberals will be happy to be happy about being unhappy in defeat once Alito is confirmed.
I'm not so sure if liberals are happy. They enjoyed Bush being down. Now Bush is up. They are unhappy.
Although I get your point about liberals feeling satisfied as long as they have a good rally to attend.
I, for one, was not unhappy with Miers because of the lack of a fight. I was unhappy because she was unqualified, a yes-woman, on most points had no discernible philosophy, and on those few points where a philosophy could be discerned, it was completely incoherent. When her speeches weren't contradictory, they consisted of bromides and pablum. I didn't want her to be the example of what conservatives have to offer.
I do not want a fight for a fight's sake. If the democrats all vote for Alito, I will be quite happy.
This fight about Miers ought not be characterized as a triumph of populists over elitists, although I'm not bothered by populism rooted in the Constitution. It matters far less to me where Miers received her education than what she has done in her professional life.
Put simply, this was about merit and earning respect. Someone who could author such vacuous writing and embrace the hack job of state lottery commissioner never deserved the title of United States Supreme Court Justice.
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