It's not the votes on Bush's cabinet that I'm worried about...

[LynneSin]

..Bush can have all the idiot "Yes" men & women on his staff and if I were a senator I wouldn't bother with blocking them.

In 4 years (hopefully sooner) Bush will be out of office and all these idiots will be gone. If we don't let Condi Rice be Secretary of State then some other lying idiot will be.

But 4 years from now (hopefully sooner) after Bush & his minions are gone, the judicial nominees that Bush picked will still be here including those that make it past Senate Filibusters.

This is the fight I'm worried about because the Judges that make it to the bench during Bush's tenure will be here possibly decades after Bush is gone. Condi will come and go but someone like William Pryor is 40 something years old and could sit on that bench into his 80s.

It's going to be a tough 4 years - let's focus on the fights that are important. Secretary of State makes no difference since she rates as horribly as all the other nominees. But Judges we need to fight!

[Kota]

1. You are right, it is the most important fight.

But I think we need to fight everything and question everything. Keep up on the defense.

[LynneSin]

2. We've got 4 years we need to consider hard some of these fights

We kill the Condi Rice nomination they'll just get another one just as bad if not worse to fill her slot.

[stray cat]

3. Agreed. Some battles will be more important than others.

Bush can't blame anyone but himself for his cabinet choices and what they do. The republicans have no one to blame but themselves and thats the way it should be.

Important policy issues and judicial nominees are the ones I care about. We also can' t expect professional politicians do all the fighting. If we really care, we need to let our numbers speak - especially to the media. The conservatives have gotten good at this- we haven't.

[Rowdyboy]

4. Nail on the head. 100% correct....

We're only going to be able to blunt the absolutely worst of their damage. We need to save our ammunition for when we MUST have it. Condasleeza is small potatoes compared to a Supreme Court, or even a district court judge.

Plus, she's so easy to make fun of.

[OhioBlue]

5. I agree. I would also like to see the Dems

Be very strong in opposing the shrubs social agenda and the assault on the lower/middle classes, the environment, the poor foreign policy, etc, etc, etc. I want the Congress to start leading - since we are currently absent a competent President/Executive Branch.

[CWebster]

6. Oh please

Different day, same shit.

Since she was a shoe-in what would be the harm in voting no?

You would think they could use the practice. Yesiree, we're gonna hold their feet to the fire!

[kcass1954]

12. Let 'em practice now...

Maybe by the time we get to SCOTUS appointments, SS privatization, and the general assault on us regular Murkins, we'll have enough Dems on board to actually stop some of this bullshit.

[housewolf]

7. What about Gonzoles?

I agree with you on Condi - there's no way Bush would come up with anyone for Sec of State that we would like to have. As much as it bothers me that diplomacy is her weak point (and actually I think she doesn't even LIKE diplomcay), this one seems like a done deal.

But what's your opinion on fighting the Gonzoles nomination? To put the entire Justice Department in his hands really gives me the willies! What do you think?

[LynneSin]

8. I hate to say this but we survived 4 years of Ashcroft...

...who was the minor leagues compared to Gonzalez.

Our country is screwed up and the Cabinet, to me, is a waste of time. Judges and as someone else mentioned, ill-conceived social programs plus the war - those are issues we should be fighting 110% for.

[CWebster]

10. Gotcha

So bend over to get another kick? Gotcha.

Tell me, if all this doesn't matter, and we should just brush it under the carpet, than everything Boxer said and did was for naught.

Christ, people are constantly whining about the Dems lack of backbone and inability to make a stand, but why should they if they if they can get away with it everytime. And the excuses are fucking pathetic--even questioning whether Rice really lied. What the hell--am I living in some alternative universe suddenly?

"We will hold their feet to the fire" What a crock.

[LynneSin]

14. If you read my original post you'll find out why I could care less...

...about Condi Rice.

She makes no difference to me. Our government is a joke to the rest of the world so putting a lame-ass suck up liar like Condi Rice as our Secretary of State won't make a wit of difference. And if not her - then who?

Judges - we need to fight those
Raping of Social Security - Another important fight
Environmental decimation - sign me up for the fight
The War - I'm right on board

I can only be spread so far in this fight and I would rather fight for those things that could still be affect me 10-20-30 years+ down the line. Condi Rice doesn't do squat for me. She's simply there because she'll do what the Boy Idiot tells her to do.

[eallen]

9. Amen! Testify, brother. Testify!

[snippy]

11. I agree. Not every hill is worth dying for.

The important nomination to defeat is the one that could change the balance of the Supreme Court. If democrats just vote against every nominee for every position people will ignore their objections when it really matters.

[robbedvoter]

13. Time to admit dems have NO role in the government anymore

If they do, 2 possibilities: they vote on principle, therefore developing a following
They go Norquist's way:
"Once the minority of House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing with the Republicans. Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant, but when they've been fixed, then they are happy and sedate. They are contented and cheerful. They don't go around peeing on the furniture and such."

The myth of picking the battles is as dangerous as the belief that anything was gained today by voting a criminal in.