[Speed Gibson,
Saturday April 16, 2005 at 6:33pm]
John McCain's fuzzy thinking
Why is that when the Republicans are in one of these messes like the judicial confirmations, Senator John McCain is somehow involved, usually in the role of an irritant?
McCain says that if we use the "Constitutional" option, well, someday, a liberal President and Senate might put extremely liberal judges on the court. The Republicans could do nothing without the filibuster option.
First of all, there is no precedent involved here. This is all new political ground being plowed by desperate Democrats.
Second, experience shows that the Democrats could not be counted on to return the "favor" if the White House and Senate change hands.
But third, so what if the Democrats later did put an ultra-liberal judge on the court with 51 votes? If the people put the Democrats in power again, that's their right. It's called democracy. The country has survived many "extreme" judges of both stripes over the years. The sky won't fall.
The GOP leadership has been putting off this showdown with McCain far too long. The hour has come.
McCain says that if we use the "Constitutional" option, well, someday, a liberal President and Senate might put extremely liberal judges on the court. The Republicans could do nothing without the filibuster option.
First of all, there is no precedent involved here. This is all new political ground being plowed by desperate Democrats.
Second, experience shows that the Democrats could not be counted on to return the "favor" if the White House and Senate change hands.
But third, so what if the Democrats later did put an ultra-liberal judge on the court with 51 votes? If the people put the Democrats in power again, that's their right. It's called democracy. The country has survived many "extreme" judges of both stripes over the years. The sky won't fall.
The GOP leadership has been putting off this showdown with McCain far too long. The hour has come.