FOXNews.com – Politics – Senate Stalled by Partisan Divide
Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid (search), D-Nev., seized the floor and made it clear that he had no intention of relinquishing it. …
Reid’s move seeks to demonstrate the displeasure Democrats have over a Republican plan to force Democrats later this week to attend 30 hours of debate over judicial nominations in which they will not be allowed to speak.
Republicans said the goal of the 30-hour session, set to start Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., is to bring public attention to the fact that Democrats are blocking a handful of Bush nominees. …
Republicans were hoping the session would open up an opportunity for votes on Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, California Supreme Court Judge Janice Rogers Brown and California Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl. Owen has already been blocked several times by Democratic procedural delays.
Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, Mississippi judge Charles Pickering and lawyer Miguel Estrada have also been prevented by Democrats from appellate court seats. Estrada withdrew his nomination after Republicans failed to break the Democratic blockade seven times.
Reid’s mini-marathon was a pre-emptive strike and a chance to give Republicans a little taste of their own medicine.
“What are we going to spend 30 hours on? Not on the national debt, not on the budget deficit, not on the unemployed, not on poor people, not on the uninsured, but on four judges who we’ve turned down,” Reid said.
[Democrats point out that they’re approved more than 160 other judicial nominees and they say Republicans are only trying to make political points.]
See also Only 4 out of 172 Nominees
From the New York Times:
Lost amid the grandstanding about a ”crisis” in judicial nominations are the facts: 168 Bush nominees have been confirmed and only four rejected, a far better percentage than for President Bill Clinton.
The Republicans have no graciousness nor restraint in power; they simply have greed for more power. You’re either with them or you’re against them. So be it. mjh