WASHINGTON - The Senate began its historic floor debate Wednesday morning on appeals court nominee Priscilla Owen, a process that will likely lead next week to a showdown vote on changing the filibuster rule and making it easier to confirm judicial nominations.
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In his debate-opening speech, Frist said that traditionally judicial nominees were confirmed by a majority vote. But "in the last Congress the minority party radically increased that threshold to 60, and that is wrong," Frist said.
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Personally, I thought it always (since Woodrow Wilson's time anyway) required a supermajority to pass a cloture vote, but I could be wrong. Raising it to a supermajority (from 51% to 60%) ain't a radical increase regardless. If people feel that strongly about someone not receiving a lifetime appointment, a little more talk couldn't hurt.
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But [Senate Minority Leader Harry] Reid replied, “If Republicans roll back our rights in this chamber, there will be no check on their power. The radical right wing will be free to pursue any agenda they want.”
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And that's exactly what they want, Harry me boy.
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A bipartisan group of four Democratic and eight Republican senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S.C., met in Sen. John Warner's, R-Va. office Wednesday to seek a deal that would avert a showdown over the filibuster rule change that Frist seeks. The meeting concluded only with an agreement to reconvene.
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No, no, no, no, no, no! Listen to me, Lugnut. The Repubs killed 69 of Clinton's appointments in committee. We're only filibustering 7 of Bush's. Repeat after me. No Compromise, No Quarter, No Deal. Stand up to the wingnut sonsabitches for cryin' out loud.
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