Life Is Not Purgatory
Monday, April 18, 2005
Checks and Balances - Who Needs Those?
There are some very bad things going on in the US Capitol right now, and should they turn out as expected, the world should be prepared for a crippled US Senate and a tremendous spike if partisanship.
Currently 60 senators must agree to invoke cloture and force a vote by the full house on a nomination. With the split of 55-44-1 in the Senate, 10 of Bush's most controversial nominations for federal court appointments have been blocked by Senate Democrats, although 204 have been approved. Of those 10, 7 have been resubmitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader is pressing forward with plans to eliminate judicial fillibusters in preparation for at least one vacancy in the US Supreme Court in the coming months and to facilitate the nomination of his other 'blocked' appointments. If he does so, a simple majority will be all that is needed to confirm appointments - ensuring that judges will be appointed in a very partisan manner.
The Democrats have vowed to shut down the Senate, except for the budget and national security matters, in protest... it should be an interesting time in US politics.
There are some very bad things going on in the US Capitol right now, and should they turn out as expected, the world should be prepared for a crippled US Senate and a tremendous spike if partisanship.
Currently 60 senators must agree to invoke cloture and force a vote by the full house on a nomination. With the split of 55-44-1 in the Senate, 10 of Bush's most controversial nominations for federal court appointments have been blocked by Senate Democrats, although 204 have been approved. Of those 10, 7 have been resubmitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader is pressing forward with plans to eliminate judicial fillibusters in preparation for at least one vacancy in the US Supreme Court in the coming months and to facilitate the nomination of his other 'blocked' appointments. If he does so, a simple majority will be all that is needed to confirm appointments - ensuring that judges will be appointed in a very partisan manner.
The Democrats have vowed to shut down the Senate, except for the budget and national security matters, in protest... it should be an interesting time in US politics.
