WP: Specter Predicts Turmoil May Grow From Impasse

[primavera]

Specter Predicts Turmoil May Grow From Impasse
Senator Blames Both Sides for Stalemate on Judges

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 25, 2005; Page A04

The Senate is headed toward turmoil unless it can resolve its bitter impasse over judicial nominees, a key Republican warned yesterday. But neither party showed signs of yielding as senators scheduled a hearing next week for one of the 10 appointees blocked last year.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), breaking from GOP orthodoxy that blames only Democrats, said both parties have allowed the battle over federal judgeships to escalate to a dangerous point where neither side is willing to back down. He said he is not sure Republicans have enough votes in the full Senate to confirm appellate court nominee William G. Myers III, but he will formally restart the contest by conducting a committee hearing Tuesday.

<snip>

Democrats say Bush has directly challenged them by renominating Myers and other appointees blocked last year. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), calling filibusters of judicial nominees intolerable, has threatened to rule them unconstitutional. Senators call that scenario the "nuclear option" because Democrats vow to grind the Senate to a standstill if it happens.

<snip>

Speaking of the impasse over judges, Specter said that "if you trace it back historically, both parties are at fault." A Democratic-controlled Senate held up many of President Ronald Reagan's nominees, he said, and a GOP-controlled Senate used stalling tactics to block many of President Bill Clinton's nominees. "We exacerbated the problem," Specter said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51617-2005Feb24.html

You notice that it never occurs to him to simply appoint less radical ideologues? Lots of hand-wringing, yet still no clue...

[Skink]

1. Let the turmoil begin..

[amber dog democrat]

2. I totally agree with you.

I can only hope Frist executes this scorched earth protocol.
Seems to me the Chimp has NO grasp of politics.
He'll have only himself to blame. - but no, it will be the Democatswho will be blamed when the
Chimp reacts publicly.

If we can't work with these morans, then DON'T work with them.

[Pab Sungenis]

3. What?!?

The REPUBLICANS controlled Reagan's Senate until 1987. The only major nominee I can think of that was rejected was Bork!

[callous taoboy]

4. Bush, like a friggin' moth banging against the screen. n/t

[Demit]

5. I'm proud of my senator. A true voice of moderation...

and a member of a vanishing breed. If he is coming to the end of his career, he is going out in style--and with integrity.

[warrens]

6. To quote a certain Gucci-wearing mob, SHUT IT DOWN

If the Bushies want to play, let's play.