Nuclear Trigger
Folks,
This is a very terrifying time to be an American, and I know it is easy to withdraw and hide for the next four years, but we can't. We have got to stand up and fight every battle, every fight, even the ones we don't think we can win. We cannot go quietly.
The first of the many major battles to be fought is raging right now on the floor of the Senate. For those of you who don't know, the Senate is currently debating the confirmation of a group of very nasty judges. These judges, should they be confirmed, would have lifetime appointments to some of the nation's highest courts. They would have the opportunity to still be making laws when I have grandchildren. This is not a case where they would have to answer to public opinion or be subject to facing re-election. The damage they could do will certainly last well beyond our lifetimes.
This, however, is not the scariest part. Thanks to several strong courageous Democrats, who have been fillibustering the nominations, these judges' confirmations have been held up (some for as many as four years), but this could all change should the Republicans choose to invoke the "nuclear option." Doesn't sound pretty, does it? Well, it's not. The nuclear option would fundamentally change the way we have appointed judges in this country for over 200 years. It would involve the Republicans rewriting the rules to change parlimentary proceedure of the senate.
Right now it takes 60 votes to change a rule. What the nuclear option would do is change that number to 50. They would do this without voting; it would simply be a decree from the Senate President (i.e. Dick Cheney). With this new, lower standard for changing rules, or breaking rules since that is really what we are dealing with, the Republicans will then turn around and outlaw the fillibuster on judicial nominations.
This is exactly the kind of tyranny of the majority the Founding Fathers sought to protect us from when they established the checks and balances of the Constitution. The nuclear option would forever silence the voice of the minority when it comes to federal judges. The importance of a lifetime appointment was so crucial to the framers of the Consistution that they made sure no simple majority could ever override the well-being of all Americans by forcing a radical agenda through our courts, but the Republicans are situated the change that.
Never mind the fact that the Senate has functioned under these checks and balances for over 200 years. Never mind that over 95% of George Bushs' judges have been confirmed. Never mind that changing the rules would allow a party that barely has a majority to make decisions that will affect the entirety of the nation. These senators who vote to break the rules, written in the very core of our nation's foundation, will be forever weakening the cornerstone of American democracy. This is not majority rule; this is bullying.
The vote will come tomorrow, 5/24/05. Please call your senators. IF you do not know how to reach your senators please go to www.moveon.org and find out! Tell them to stand up for the Constitution, stop the silencing of the minority, and demand that radical judges be kept from doing a lifetime of damage. Send our leaders a clear message : Vote No on the Nuclear Option!
Pray for Peace, Fight for Change
Rachild
This is a very terrifying time to be an American, and I know it is easy to withdraw and hide for the next four years, but we can't. We have got to stand up and fight every battle, every fight, even the ones we don't think we can win. We cannot go quietly.
The first of the many major battles to be fought is raging right now on the floor of the Senate. For those of you who don't know, the Senate is currently debating the confirmation of a group of very nasty judges. These judges, should they be confirmed, would have lifetime appointments to some of the nation's highest courts. They would have the opportunity to still be making laws when I have grandchildren. This is not a case where they would have to answer to public opinion or be subject to facing re-election. The damage they could do will certainly last well beyond our lifetimes.
This, however, is not the scariest part. Thanks to several strong courageous Democrats, who have been fillibustering the nominations, these judges' confirmations have been held up (some for as many as four years), but this could all change should the Republicans choose to invoke the "nuclear option." Doesn't sound pretty, does it? Well, it's not. The nuclear option would fundamentally change the way we have appointed judges in this country for over 200 years. It would involve the Republicans rewriting the rules to change parlimentary proceedure of the senate.
Right now it takes 60 votes to change a rule. What the nuclear option would do is change that number to 50. They would do this without voting; it would simply be a decree from the Senate President (i.e. Dick Cheney). With this new, lower standard for changing rules, or breaking rules since that is really what we are dealing with, the Republicans will then turn around and outlaw the fillibuster on judicial nominations.
This is exactly the kind of tyranny of the majority the Founding Fathers sought to protect us from when they established the checks and balances of the Constitution. The nuclear option would forever silence the voice of the minority when it comes to federal judges. The importance of a lifetime appointment was so crucial to the framers of the Consistution that they made sure no simple majority could ever override the well-being of all Americans by forcing a radical agenda through our courts, but the Republicans are situated the change that.
Never mind the fact that the Senate has functioned under these checks and balances for over 200 years. Never mind that over 95% of George Bushs' judges have been confirmed. Never mind that changing the rules would allow a party that barely has a majority to make decisions that will affect the entirety of the nation. These senators who vote to break the rules, written in the very core of our nation's foundation, will be forever weakening the cornerstone of American democracy. This is not majority rule; this is bullying.
The vote will come tomorrow, 5/24/05. Please call your senators. IF you do not know how to reach your senators please go to www.moveon.org and find out! Tell them to stand up for the Constitution, stop the silencing of the minority, and demand that radical judges be kept from doing a lifetime of damage. Send our leaders a clear message : Vote No on the Nuclear Option!
Pray for Peace, Fight for Change
Rachild
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