Why is Harry Reid backing anti-choice judicial nominees???

[saracat]

Will Pitt forwarded this link because I didn't want to believe this. I have a few problems with Reid but I am trying to understand. I cannot forgive him for voting for the Bankruptcy Bill, but this is not

http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=COURT-06-28-05&cat=PP

not defensible either! Anyone know what this means?

[blm]

1. The only thing I can offer is that not all pro-lifers are created equal

Some are pro-life but do not want to stand in the way of the law or the woman who makes the choice. Roe v Wade is accepted law to them.

Then there are others who are pro-life activists on the issue who don't accept Roe v Wade as law and would work to change it.

[rox63]

2. I don't like it either

But we've known all along that Reid is anti-choice. I think he's trying to suggest some rethugs who are somewhat more reasonable and acceptable than the people * is putting forward.

[paulk]

3. I think it's a preemptive strike

to avoid another "nuclear option"? Bush is going to nominate an anti-choice judge either way. By giving him a few that would be "acceptable", it will make Bush look bad when he goes ahead and nominates some whacko fundie anyway.

[saracat]

4. Sorry. We need to fight whomever Bush nominates. That is what

we preserved the filibuster for. If we aren't going to use it, why bother? And Reid makes us look bad.I suppose we tolerate anti-choice now? Grrrr.

[paulk]

5. I'm not arguing that we should accept whoever Bush sends down

What Reid is saying (IMO) is that if Bush is going to make abortion a litmus test (and he obviously will) then there are a few anti-abortionists that are acceptable to at least Reid. That would give a filibuster against the whacko that Bush will send up a lot more credibility.

One thing to keep in mind - any replacement of Rehnquist doesn't change the 5-4 pro-abortion balance of the court.

[Island Blue]

6. I agree with you PaulK

I think Reid is throwing some options on the table, knowing that Bush is very unlikely to choose one of these folks. This way the Repukes can't say that Democrats are just obstructionists and never offer any solutions. I hope what Reid is saying is that these folks would be acceptable - anything further to the right won't be, and we'll fight you. While I would love for a Bush nominee to be pro-choice, I think the possibility of that happening is slim to none. What I would hope for though is that the eventual justice would uphold the law regardless of his/her own personal beliefs - maybe that is also what Reid is hoping with the three folks he suggested.

[saracat]

10. I don't trust it. It still sends the message that an

ant-abortionist is acceptable to our Majority Leader. And of course whomever won't change the balance , yet... But the next one will.And we can't afford ANY ant-choice nominees. And, you are right that Bush probablly won't nominate anyone who is pro choice, but what is the difference? Anti choice is anti choice and the Dems should not be trying to makwe ANY kind of a "deal " on this.

[sandnsea]

7. To replace Rehnquist?

It's already a given that a conservative will replace Rehnquist. So the fight is to get someone who isn't totally insane. Cornyn or DeWine, who do you prefer?

[rox63]

8. There are different types of rethugs, some better than others

If you have to have a rethuglican senator or representative, what sort would you prefer: Someone like Lincoln Chafee or George Allen? Olympia Snowe or Bill Frist? Same sort of deal, only with judges.

[TayTay]

9. Chafee and Snowe

At lest they aren't obviously insane.

And they both are not Sen. Barfbag. Did anyone hear him in the Finance Committee today verbally tussling with Sen. Kerry. It was a highly amusing exchange. Sen. Kerry would say something bright, intelligent and original. Sen. Barfbag would smirk and make a football analogy. I do not think these two folks should eer be locked in a room together. There might be trouble.

BTW, Sen. Kerry has said, in an interview, that he is not going all out on the fight to replace Rehnquist. Rehnquist is a conservative and will be replaced by a conservative to maintain the balance of power. It's the fight after this one, maybe on O'Connor that is crucial to the future of the court. Some of the Dems might make a lot of noise on this one, should it happen soon, but the real fight is the next one.

[Island Blue]

12. Who is Sen. Barfbag? Santorum?

I consider G. Allen to be Sen. Barfbag just because I don't like his evil, smirky face but I was wondering who you are refering to. (I didn't see the Finance Committee today.)

[TayTay]

13. You are correct

I can't abide the man. He is an idiot. And his verbal sparring with Kerry in both Finance and Foreign Relations is getting to me.

Sen Kerry will make a perfectly logical argument, like he did today, that the proposal by the Admin to fund IT advancements in MEdical Records keeping is great. But the Admin is, once again, underfunding a great proposal. Then Sen. Barfbag (G. Allen) pipes up and says something like, "I was supporting John Kerry up until that tax cut thing. There will be no repeal of the Prezedent's tax cuts." Then he makes another football analogy. ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I just can't stand this mocking idiot. How in God's name did he get to be a Senator.

And how dare he be mean to my Senator. (And Sen. Ensign was mean to KErry today too! Kerry asked to speak and clarify a point in FinComm and he was shot down by the Chairman. Shit, Kerry is Ranking Member and deserves a chance to present the minority view. Rethugs suck!)

Ranking Membership does not have it's privileges, apparently. (Ooh, I could say so much more. But where are Vektor and WEL to appreciate my ranking member comments?)

[saracat]

11. But a judge is for a lifetime!

And I don't give a damn what they are if they are anti choice. There are pro choice and anti choice Republicans and we ought NOT to support anti choice repukes! Congress is alredy having meetings considering the overturn of Roe v Wade. This is almost more serious than the elections! Interestingly though. Renquist seems to be resisting retiring in spite of his illness. According to rumour, He is ticked at the manuverings to find his replacement. He might die with his boots on!

[rox63]

14. But we aren't going to get a pro-choice judge from *

So they may as well try for a sane rethug, rather than an insane one.

[beachmom]

15. Religious Right article from the Economist

Sorry no link, but they had an article about the Religious Right. I have to say I am very pessimistic about the direction this country is going with these religious wackos controlling things. Money quote:

"It seems that the religious right cannot fail to win. Either the Democrats continue to get more secular, in which case middle America will continue to vote Republcian, or they will embrace religion a little more fully, and then the religious right will get a little more of what it wants."

Harry Reid's actions, although making the Democrats look more moderate, amounts to giving the Religious Right what they want. It moves everything in the discussion to the Right. At this point, I'm not just scared about Roe v. Wade being overturn. I'm also scared more and more women are going to be denied the Pill. I wish there were a way that secularism would prevail in this country. But this is becoming less and less likely. I know that there is a lot of enthusiasm for Jim Wallis's "God's Politics", but I feel like then BOTH parties are going to hit everyone on the head with God this, God that. It's not that I am an atheist, I just think that one's religion (or lack of one) is private, and should be confined to one's church and home.

[saracat]

16. Beachmom has it right.

"Harry Reid's actions, although making the Democrats look more moderate, amounts to giving the Religious Right what they want. It moves everything in the discussion to the Right."

[sandnsea]

17. Reid is drawing a line in the sand

He's picked these three so that he can deflect devisive abortion attacks in the future while drawing a sharp distinction between the kind of conservative that is acceptable and the kind that is not. It was critical he choose pro-life people, very smart politically. It's the overall package we're talking about. Besides, it will also force people like Snowe, Collins, Schwarzenegger, Giuliani, Todd-Whitman, etc. to defend Roe. We have to stop letting Democrats take all the heat over Roe. There's Republican "baby killers" too.

[pinkflower21]

18. George Allen sucks

That's all I have to say. The man is an idiot. I missed Kerry in Finance Committee today. I wish I had seen JK make an idiot out of him.

Did any of you see that ass Sensennbrenner the other day in committee with Conyers. He was the biggest jerk ever! It was all broadcast for everyone to see on CSPAN. Then someone else tried to censure him but of course the vote was tabled by the repukes.