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Left Wing Nuclear Hypocrisy

by John F. Tamburo, Editor in Chief, Publisher
Originally Posted: 2/23/2005 2:01:11 PM
Last Updated: 2/23/2005 4:37:13 PM

It used to be that the liberals were the ones who advocated the elimination of the Senate Filibuster, where the minority used debating tactics in order to halt legislation that would otherwise pass with a majority vote.  Liberal author Timothy Noah wrote in Slate in 2001 of doing exactly that, in an article unabashedly entitled "Abolish the Filibuster!"  Nowadays, however, with the elite liberal left no longer in technical control of the Senate (remember that in 2001 Jim Jeffords turned on the GOP, became independent and caucused with the Dems, giving Daschle the majority with a 50-50-1 floor makeup), the filibuster is back in vogue because it is being used to keep our President from exercising his right to appoint judges.  A dozen fully-qualified judicial nominees, including hispanic, black and female appointees, were filibustered.  Why?  Because they are not extreme left-wing socialist ideologues.

"With the filibuster being used to promote the thinly-veiled racism and sexism that truly governs the left, extreme organizations like the People for the American [Socialist] Way are actively campaigning to keep the filibuster alive."

With the filibuster being used to promote the thinly-veiled racism and sexism that truly governs the left, extreme organizations like the People for the American [Socialist] Way are actively campaigning to keep the filibuster alive.  It’s the left wing’s last chance to ram its ideology of socialism down the throats of an unwilling American people.  Should the Senate leadership exercise the Nuclear Option, which would eliminate the filibuster for any executive nominee, the Democratic party leaders are threatening to stall all legislation with -- what else -- the filibuster, as well as to litigate the Senate into the Stone Age in an effort to reinstate the tyranny of the minority that they do love so.

The Hill is reporting that Frist has sat down with Harry Reid (D-NV), the leader of the shrinking Senate minority in order to negotiate past the nasty rhetoric of the last four months.  The speculation is that Frist has lost his spine again, or alternatively, there are some intransigent GOP senators who don’t want to go Nuclear, in case the GOP is in the minority again and we want to thwart the Democrats’ moves.  In this case, I think that Dr. Frist is just a nice guy, and is trying to settle the issue without bloodshed.  This speaks to the senator’s integrity, not his courage, and it speaks quite positively.

I am going to digress for a moment to re-explain the Nuclear Option, so that all may know exactly what happens.  First our President sends a nominee to the Senate.  The likelihood is that Democrats will oppose the nominee if the person is both conservative and a minority.  Democrats start filibuster with threats to block voting by hogging the debate floor.  Dr. Frist takes them up on the cots-and-catheters situation, and let’s them hog the floor for 24 hours or so, just to prove their obstructionism.  Vice President Cheney takes the chair of the Senate.  Up pops Dr. Frist or some other GOP Senator to raise a point of order.  The point is a constitutional one.  The Constitution does not require a supermajority to confirm a presidential appointment.  The filibuster requires 60%, or a three-fifth vote, to break.  Therefore, the Senate Rules conflict with the Constitution, and the rule may not be used to block a nominee.

At that point, V.P. Cheney upholds the point of order and calls the question.  The Democrats will immediately object, citing the Senate Rule that is accused of being unconstitutional and the tradition of the Senate.  V.P. Cheney then calls for a vote on the point of order.  51 Senators vote to sustain the point of order, and at that point the filibuster is broken, not just for this judicial nominee but forever.  All presidential nominees then are approved on a simple up/down vote.

Back on track, the liberals have no constancy to their ethics.  If the filibuster was bad in 2001 when the liberal Mr. Noah advocated its elimination, it’s just as bad in 2005 even though liberals are using it to further their goal of tyranny of the judiciary.  As per usual, the amoral lefties’ sense of right and wrong is based on their own expediency.

Frankly, unless the Democrats agree to up/down votes on all presidential nominees, and give their word of "honor" (ha!) to that effect, were I Dr. Frist, I would ask the President to give me a nominee immediately, so I can detonate the nuclear option.  If the dems continue to filibuster other bills, make them stay up 24/7 to filibuster everything, or use the nuclear option to completely eliminate the filibuster. 

The Democrats act as if the GOP has lost its sense of gentlemanly conduct in the Senate.  The problem is that the Democrats have not had such a sense for at least 25 years, and now throw childish tantrums in order to try to force others to do things their way.  It’s hard to be gentlemanly and deal with a petulant child in the throes of a tantrum.  Go Nuclear, O Senators, Go Nuclear!