If there is no Filibuster, most likely the Gang of 14 will be blamed...

[Junkdrawer]

The Gang of 14 Factor

The prospects of Judge Samuel Alito winning confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court will probably rest with a group of senators known as the Gang of 14. That's the group of seven Republican and seven Democratic (mostly pragmatic) senators who kept the Senate from plunging into a battle over the role of the filibuster last year. They may also hold the key to keeping the Senate from falling into acrimony over another judicial filibuster regarding Judge Alito.


The group formed last year after Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist warned of a stiff response if Democrats continued to block up-or-down votes on some of President Bush's judicial nominees. Frist vowed to unleash what became known as the "nuclear option," which would curtail the ability of the minority to filibuster. The issue, which went on for months, threatened to end what little comity there had been between the two parties.

....

Some observers have characterized the 14 as moderates. But that's not exactly accurate. On the Republican side, it would be fair to call Maine's Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins moderates. But Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island is as close to a Republican liberal as you could find. And while Mike DeWine of Ohio is considered a moderate conservative, John McCain (AZ), John Warner (VA) and Lindsey Graham (SC) are reliable conservatives on most issues. Nearly all the Democrats in the group, however, are considered moderates: Ben Nelson (NE), Mark Pryor (AR), Joseph Lieberman (CT), Mary Landrieu (LA) and Ken Salazar (CO). Hawaii's Daniel Inouye, though, is a liberal. And for the most part, Robert Byrd -- the senior member of the Senate -- is beyond ideological categorization.

....


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5080836

The article goes on to profile all 14 Senators.

There will be considerable horse trading. Mary Landrieu, for example, is desperate for help for Katrina victims. Right now, my money is on a sell-out.

[Wickerman]

1. OT: Best line in the article

Robert Byrd -- the senior member of the Senate -- is beyond ideological categorization.

God, I love that man.

[Mutley]

4. Wasn't Byrd a member of the KKK at one point?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061801105_pf.html

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040408-122244-5534r.htm

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. Dammit. Byrd has APOLOGIZED for that on NATIONAL TV.

and is very ashamed of it. Takes a BIG MAN to do that.

How many repukes go on NATIONAL TV and apologize for shit they did when they were younger? NONE.

Please stop spewing the RW talking points on Bryd. :grr:

Look at his Senate record and see how he has voted on Civil Rights and THEN judge him.:grr:

[Mutley]

14. I understand that.

I can applaud someone who has the courage to admit his wrong in public that way, but I'd be very wary about anyone who has ever taken part in a racist organization.

Would we suddenly be cool with Alito if he admitted and apologized for his involvement with CAPS? I wouldn't.

I'm a freeper now because I don't like racists, past or present?

[Wickerman]

24. I know some will hold that against him for life

I, instead look at what casues he aligned himself with since he realized the wrongness of the culture he was brought up in. His 40-odd years of good, in my mind, far outweigh his by comparison brief membership in a quite reprehensible org.

And no, I think the Alito CAPS issue is much different. Alito has, by record, continued to still be on the wrong side of morality.

[babylonsister]

9. I don't understand what that

has to do w/anything. :shrug:He denounced his involvement many years ago, admitting he made a mistake
at a young age.
That's like repugs bringing up Chappaquidick ad nauseum.

[Mutley]

15. See post 14.

I like how I'm called a freeper because I don't like racists, past or present.

[dogday]

17. So no forgiveness ever in your book

Should you not look at the bigger picture? That Byrd dennounced this and said he made a mistake. That is not good enough for you? At least he admits it.

Alito won't say shit about it. Whether he was a bigot or still is a bigot, we don't know because he won't say. His rulings reflect he is......

[Mutley]

18. Being wary of someone

because of their involvment in a hate group means I have no forgiveness? It makes me a freeper? Good for Byrd for apologizing in public. Good for him for all he's done since to make up for it! That's excellent. But excuse me if I dont entirely trust him.

[dogday]

19. Understand, same goes for Alito.....

[Mutley]

21. That goes without saying.

Alito could invent a time machine, go back in time and make sure the CAPS group never even existed, and I still wouldn't trust him.

[WI_DEM]

12. Yep, and so was one of the great liberals of the US Supreme Court

Hugo Black. Both men recanted and apologized and admitted they joined at the time they did because it was politically expedient in their states. By the way, nobody pushed harder for the landmark Brown decision than Black.

[Mutley]

16. As I said above...

I'm very wary of anyone who has been a member of a racist organization. I didn't know that about Black; I'm glad he did a lot to make up for that. But I'd still be wary of him.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

28. And the going-away winner of the DS Coot-Off!

God that was funny. Just watching him say "War!" with that hand flourish gave the Mrs. and me the giggles.

[rodeodance]

2. Snowe has say yes to the nomination--she is one of these. gang of 13?

[ixion]

3. damnit, I want people to remember this crap when rethugs are in

the minority.

You know damn well the filibuster will suddenly be patriotic again. :grr:

[peaches2003]

5. How True

I most of all want people to remember this and how the Dems failed to get to the core of the danger of confirming Alito- that Bush now will get full permission by the SCOTUS to institure a totalitarian government and scrape all individual rights and freedoms. It has been a step-by-step process and Congress now is giving him the final piece.

Is the fact that Alito joined a conservative group at Princeton really the most important negative fact about him that the Dems should have been talking about? Biden putting on that Princeton cap was the final straw.

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. The Democrats WILL NEVER BE A MAJORITY PARTY again

if this guy gets on the court. Should the evoting issue ever make it to the SCOTUS, they will vote in favor of the repukes who own the damn machines. However, if this man makes it on the court, you can FORGET elections. This guy is a Federalist and wants the prez to have the power to MAKE LAWS. In other words, he wants fascism. I suspect they will suspend elections and Hitler George is ours forever.:(

[KharmaTrain]

6. Moderate Repugnicans Are In A Real Squeeze Here

I'm watching Senator Reid starting to put the ducks in a row and like what I'm seeing.

As several others have posted here...this is a game of chess, and Reid has shown himself to be a very masterful player and tactician. He surely can run rings around Frist. Look at how many things he's put the kabosh on without a majority and the various ways he's done it. Harry's had several months to draft this game out and is just letting events play out before he makes his move.

The fillibuster question will soon loom as it becomes obvious not only will a vast number of Democrats oppose this nomination, but the public outcry from the party roots will all but ask for it. But while there'll be pressure on Democrats...and in many cases it will keep many on the reservation. IMHO, I think Ben Nelson may surprise. He's at 70% popularity and doesn't really have a challenger...he may show some "independence" here.

The pressure right now builds not on the Democrats who will filibuster or vote FOR ScAlito as the Repugnicans who vote against. Their peril is far greater. Most of these "moderates" are in blue or turning blue states and face a tremendous backlash at the polls should they vote to confirm this weasel. You can bullshit this stuff in Kansas, but not in Maine or Pennsylvania. I suspect Specter is gonna play wild card again (or Senator from Scotland) but the others are gonna be hard-pressed to toe the party line and all but write their political obituaries.

There are going to be a lot of eyes and votes riding on what Senators Snowe, Collins, Chaffee, Specter, DeWine and Smith. Now, the concept of the "Gang of 14" was a band-aid set up as a tactic to block previous judicial nominations. This is a different game and the fact Senator Graham has breached his "neutrality" by coaching this nominee all but makes this arragement void.

Cheers...

[DemonFighterLives]

27. Dewine had his nose up Alito's butt just like Graham

Specter, who knows? McCain could be up in the air. Just a feeling, he was pissed about chimpy's signing statement on the torture ban.

[durablend]

30. Specter is voting FOR confirmation

Saw on DKos...his "pro choice" stance doesn't mean SHIT since it's "against the party's wishes"

[pocoloco]

8. Sen. Byrd

"Robert Byrd -- the senior member of the Senate -- is beyond ideological categorization."

How about American Patriot?

[Junkdrawer]

13. Byrd could go either way on this one...

On the one hand, he and Landrieu were the only Democrats to vote Priscilla Owen to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

On the other hand, Byrd is one of the chief opponents to the Imperial Presidency. I think he knows the stakes here...

[LynneSin]

10. As long as Katrina money isn't packaged with the Alito vote...

..she'll be safe to help filibuster and she's a strong pro-choicer

[mmonk]

20. I will blame

all that serve this darkness of both parties and not just this gang of cowards.

[Junkdrawer]

22. Yep. The Gang of 14 seems custom designed to take the heat off...

the rest of the DLC Senate, doesn't it?

[Strawman]

23. It was a good move at the time

It could have bought time, and it could have put the Republicans in the position of being forced to pull an open power grab with the nuclear option now when they have been weakened by scandal. I wonder if by some miracle they are forced, how many Republicans will pull the trigger on the nuclear option to confirm Alito. I'm skeptical they would have they votes this time. Last time they would have had the votes absent the compromise and Alito's confirmation would not ever have been in any doubt.

But that's all hypothetical. In all likelihood, the Gang and the deal just ended up being temporary cover for DINO's, who are going to sell us out on Alito. If a hard-line conservative judge replacing the swing judge on the SCOTUS doesn't warrant a fight to the last as an extreme circumstance, what does? That's why those DINO's who won't filibuster should be left to stand with their Repug buddies in the chamber when Alito is confirmed. Then let Ben Nelson go on Hannity and lick his balls after the vote.

[Junkdrawer]

25. Biden's office is pointing fingers at Nelson....

I can hear it now: "Hey I'd Filibuster the guy, but that crazy Nelson won't let me.."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x128819

[Strawman]

26. Biden's part of the problem too

His little performance during those hearings where he took twenty minutes of grandstanding to ask one question was an absolute fucking embarassment. If he is the nominee (never happen but) I will seriously leave that line on my ballot blank.

[Junkdrawer]

29. .

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Blame with good reason. A "compromise" that wasn't.

Compromises usually entail rewards for both sides. In this instance the Republicans got 3 Appeals Court judges seated, 1 Supreme Court Justice, and another about to be seated.

The Democrats got exactly nothing, zip, nada, bupkiss, zero. Unless you consider a well-deserved reputation as the "opposition" party that doesn't oppose a reward.

[Junkdrawer]

32. Beware the False Compromise....and the False Victory....

At the end of the last session, the most draconian budget (for poor people and students, that is) in quite a while was passed. $40 billion cut from student aid and MediCare - but the papers and cable channels all talked about the Democratic victory: We pushed back Steven's bizarre attempt to tack ANWAR onto the defense bill. Win some, lose some, huh?

So what did the Gang of 14 get us? Why, they stopped Frist from passing the Nuclear Option and ending filibuster altogether. The cost? We give them what the wanted all along. Great, just great.

[0007]

33. More than likely the Gang of 14 will be blamed" I agree