W E D N E S D A Y , M A R C H 0 2 , 2 0 0 5Democrats Get Backbone On JudicialNominees? Wonders Never Ceaseby Michael in New York on 3/02/2005 06:14:00 PMCan you imagine the Democrats nominating a lifelong lobbyistfor Planned Parenthood to be a judge in the US Court ofAppeals? The mere idea is absurd.</p><p> But Bush nominated alifelong lobbyist for the mining and ranching industries to be ajudge in the very Circuit where he would be dealing with somany cases that affect those industries.</p><p> William G.</p><p> Myers IIIwas blocked by the Dems -- quite rightly -- and was one of tenjudicial nominations (about 5%) that didn't get approved.</p><p> A95% approval seems pretty darn high but the Republicans liketo pretend that's somehow obstructionist.</p><p> Ever heard anyonesuggest that if you don't do exactly what they want everysingle time then YOU"RE the problem?Well, the Republicans -- before launching the nuclear option ofending the long Senatorial history of fillibusters -- decided toreach out the olive branch.</p><p> How? By simply renominating thesame extremist Myers to the same job? What could be morereasonable? Sure, Myers was a senior lawyer in the InteriorDepartment where he drafted rulings that a judge later saidperverted the clear mandate of a federal law.</p><p> Sure he met withmine owners 127 times but refused to meet with Indian tribeseven once.</p><p> But God help us, the Dems -- perhaps emboldenedby their success in countering the lies Bush pushed on SocialSecurity -- showed backbone.The New York Times quotes the Senators who grilled -- and Ido mean grilled Myers:"The most anti-environmental candidate for the bench I haveseen in 37 years in the Senate," Senator Patrick J.</p><p> Leahy ofVermont, the committee's ranking Democrat, said, according tothe NYT.</p><p> Senator Charles E.</p><p> Schumer, Democrat of New York,said, "Your record screams 'passionate advocate' and it doesn'teven whisper 'impartial judge.' "USA Today also weighs in with a good story, reminding us thatthe Senate approved 214 of Bush's judicial nominees andblocked 10.</p><p> Every time one of them tries to throw that absurd"obstructionist" charge at the Dems, throw those figures backat them. 96% approval? How much more accomodating dothey expect the Dems to be?As for the nuclear option of ending fillibusters, my God, is it toomuch to ask that 60 Senators are willing to back a SupremeCourt Justice? I wouldn't think asking they get 75 of theSenators to support them would be asking too much frankly(that 's about what it was in the early 70s till they changed therules).</p><p> What would be the result? Moderate, mainstreamjustices that BOTH parties could approve of.</p><p> God forbid.</p><p> EschatonObama Speaks - In Case You Missed It16 minutes ago Daily KosWaterloo, But for Who? Liveblog 5 - In his openingremarks, President Obama had some tough wordsfor Republicans like Jim DeMint who think healthcare reform is a political game: As strong ...25 minutes ago Ben SmithObama: Cambridge police acted 'stupidly' - Afterspending most of an hour patiently reiterating hisarguments for changing the health insurancesystem, President Barack Obama turned his press31 minutes agoThink ProgressCorporate front group tweets approvingly abouteditorial equating Employee Free Choice Act withNazism. - Today, the Workforce Fairness Institute(WFI) ā which is a corporate front group, āfoundedby several longtime Republican operatives,ā that islobbying aga...52 minutes ago Crooks and LiarsPakistan Unhappy About America Expanding War inAfghanistan - [image: afghan_5519b.jpg] What'sthat old saying? "Find yourself in hole, stopdigging." This Afghanistan war is already anightmare and escalation is a ...52 minutes agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/03/democrats-get-backbone-... 1 of 57/22/09 9:58 PMVisit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with vodpod In honor of SenatorDeMint For the GOPers, healthcare is politics.</p><p> They just Traditional media has todebunk the birthers One small step...</p><p> The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in REM - Orange CrushNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/03/democrats-get-backbone-... 2 of 57/22/09 9:58 PMEzra KleinTab Dump2 hours agoWonk RoomSen.</p><p> Byron Dorgan:The āTradeā InCap-And-Trade āMakesNo Sense To Meā3 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .4 hours agoThe TreatmentHatch Is Out6 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' Proposals11 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/03/democrats-get-backbone-... 3 of 57/22/09 9:58 PMS E A R C H AMERICAblog Web SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$ Recurring monthlydonation$ Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/03/democrats-get-backbone-... 4 of 57/22/09 9:58 PMĀ© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/03/democrats-get-backbone-... 5 of 57/22/09 9:58 PM
