There are plenty of
reasons to be furious with the Republican "led" Congress in
Washington.
reasons to be furious with the Republican "led" Congress in
Washington.
The biggest swamp
creatures, including Mitch McConnell, John McCain and Jeff
Flake, have stymied Trump–and our–agenda for the last ten months. They attack
the President rather than working for Americans' best interests.
creatures, including Mitch McConnell, John McCain and Jeff
Flake, have stymied Trump–and our–agenda for the last ten months. They attack
the President rather than working for Americans' best interests.
But one bright spot has
emerged and the US Senate has given President Trump a major victory.
emerged and the US Senate has given President Trump a major victory.
President Donald Trump
should give special thanks to two U.S. Senators this Thanksgiving weekend. One
is still serving in the Senate, the other recently retired. One is a
Republican. The other a Democrat.
should give special thanks to two U.S. Senators this Thanksgiving weekend. One
is still serving in the Senate, the other recently retired. One is a
Republican. The other a Democrat.
Late last week, Grassley
decided not to honor a Senate tradition of holding up hearings for
judicial nominees who aren't cleared by their own home state senators. That
tradition is known as the "blue slip courtesy" born out of time
before nationwide communication technology when a given state's senators had
access to much more information about nominees than their colleagues from the
rest of the country. Grassley correctly noted that Democrats were now trying to use the blue slips tradition to replace the
filibuster, and he's having none of that.
decided not to honor a Senate tradition of holding up hearings for
judicial nominees who aren't cleared by their own home state senators. That
tradition is known as the "blue slip courtesy" born out of time
before nationwide communication technology when a given state's senators had
access to much more information about nominees than their colleagues from the
rest of the country. Grassley correctly noted that Democrats were now trying to use the blue slips tradition to replace the
filibuster, and he's having none of that.
So happy that Judiciary
Chairman Grassley is putting the proper process ahead of the partisan bickering
and bigotry of the Democratic minority. These antiquated measures were
permitted for too long. The same goes for the time-honored filibuster tradition.
It should only be used if US Senators actually get off their butts and talk a
piece of legislation to death.
Chairman Grassley is putting the proper process ahead of the partisan bickering
and bigotry of the Democratic minority. These antiquated measures were
permitted for too long. The same goes for the time-honored filibuster tradition.
It should only be used if US Senators actually get off their butts and talk a
piece of legislation to death.
And that brings us to
the Democrat who provided the initial generous source of President Trump's
solid triumph: Former Senate Majority Leader, and Democrat, Harry Reid. Reid is
a major reason this good fortune has befallen President Trump because Reid was the
one who killed the filibuster rule for judicial nominees in 2013. And
when he killed it, it was gone for good.
the Democrat who provided the initial generous source of President Trump's
solid triumph: Former Senate Majority Leader, and Democrat, Harry Reid. Reid is
a major reason this good fortune has befallen President Trump because Reid was the
one who killed the filibuster rule for judicial nominees in 2013. And
when he killed it, it was gone for good.
There were a few
Democratic US Senator who slammed then-Majority Leader Harry Reid for killing
the filibuster for federal district and circuit court nominees. The truth is,
however, that the measure needed to go. During the Bush Administration, the
Democratic minority (until 2007), went out of their to block qualified,
well-vetted and well-informed nominees to the federal bench. The most notorious
case was Miguel Estrada of California. US Senator Dianne Feinstein blasted the
nomination because Estrada had no substantive scholarship or leadership to
justify the appointment. The truth is that he was a well-qualified
constitutional conservative, and the Democrats feared his incredible potential
influence if confirmed.
Democratic US Senator who slammed then-Majority Leader Harry Reid for killing
the filibuster for federal district and circuit court nominees. The truth is,
however, that the measure needed to go. During the Bush Administration, the
Democratic minority (until 2007), went out of their to block qualified,
well-vetted and well-informed nominees to the federal bench. The most notorious
case was Miguel Estrada of California. US Senator Dianne Feinstein blasted the
nomination because Estrada had no substantive scholarship or leadership to
justify the appointment. The truth is that he was a well-qualified
constitutional conservative, and the Democrats feared his incredible potential
influence if confirmed.
Novak also points out
that Reid's impatience worked even more for Republicans, since when they gained
the majority in 2015, they stalled everyone of Obama's judicial nominees, and
there was nothing the newly-imposed Democratic minority could do about it.
that Reid's impatience worked even more for Republicans, since when they gained
the majority in 2015, they stalled everyone of Obama's judicial nominees, and
there was nothing the newly-imposed Democratic minority could do about it.
In fact, President Trump
has twice as many vacancies to fill as President Obama faced in 2009. This is
real winning. And there's more to this story:
has twice as many vacancies to fill as President Obama faced in 2009. This is
real winning. And there's more to this story:
But this isn't just
about sheer numbers, it's about ideology too. While President Trump and
conservatives have diverged in matters of policy several times over the past
year, the judicial nomination process is decidedly not one of them. The
nominees sent to the Senate from the White House are more conservative and even younger than what
we saw during President George W. Bush's two terms in office.
about sheer numbers, it's about ideology too. While President Trump and
conservatives have diverged in matters of policy several times over the past
year, the judicial nomination process is decidedly not one of them. The
nominees sent to the Senate from the White House are more conservative and even younger than what
we saw during President George W. Bush's two terms in office.
Young conservative
confirmations will ensure a long-lasting imprint on the federal judiciary and
prepare a strong bench of candidates for the Supreme Court. In fact, one of the
most important appointments has been Neil Gorsuch, cut from the same perfect
ideological cloth as the late Antonin Scalia. The Democrats showed how out of
touch and desperate they are by going after this nominee with all their
political capital. They should have waited, since replacing one conservative
with another would not have altered the balance of the court.
confirmations will ensure a long-lasting imprint on the federal judiciary and
prepare a strong bench of candidates for the Supreme Court. In fact, one of the
most important appointments has been Neil Gorsuch, cut from the same perfect
ideological cloth as the late Antonin Scalia. The Democrats showed how out of
touch and desperate they are by going after this nominee with all their
political capital. They should have waited, since replacing one conservative
with another would not have altered the balance of the court.
Instead, the plunged
ahead and attacked Gorsuch with everything imaginable. They went so far as to
throw up unprecedented assaults to this nominee, and thus gave the GOP majority
the justification to kill the filibuster rules for all federal nominees.
ahead and attacked Gorsuch with everything imaginable. They went so far as to
throw up unprecedented assaults to this nominee, and thus gave the GOP majority
the justification to kill the filibuster rules for all federal nominees.
More winning for the
country!
country!
Sure, the tax reform and
Obamacare repeal bills may be jeopardized by internal spats between the GOP and
the White House. But real history is being made in the courts all thanks to a
bad bet made by Senator Reid and remarkable cooperation between the Trump team,
Senator Grassley, and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. While
the fights with other senators like Flake et al may grab headlines, these
judicial confirmations will have a much bigger impact.
Obamacare repeal bills may be jeopardized by internal spats between the GOP and
the White House. But real history is being made in the courts all thanks to a
bad bet made by Senator Reid and remarkable cooperation between the Trump team,
Senator Grassley, and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. While
the fights with other senators like Flake et al may grab headlines, these
judicial confirmations will have a much bigger impact.
Final Reflection
One key point in Novak's
article is that the press is ignoring this unparalleled victory for the
President and the Republicans. One other article, which I wrote about and
shared with Townhall.com and Barbwire.com, featured that this country is going
to be substantially more conservative for the next generation because of the
rapid and rising number of judicial confirmations under the Trump
administration.
article is that the press is ignoring this unparalleled victory for the
President and the Republicans. One other article, which I wrote about and
shared with Townhall.com and Barbwire.com, featured that this country is going
to be substantially more conservative for the next generation because of the
rapid and rising number of judicial confirmations under the Trump
administration.
Indeed, this is great
news for taking back our country, for making America great again. We need
judges who respect the Judeo-Christian ethic of our nation, men and women who
honor the timeless values and traditions which make Western Civilization
possible, and have made the United States the most prosperous, blessed nation
on earth.
news for taking back our country, for making America great again. We need
judges who respect the Judeo-Christian ethic of our nation, men and women who
honor the timeless values and traditions which make Western Civilization
possible, and have made the United States the most prosperous, blessed nation
on earth.
We should be glad for
some substance of pro-Trump leadership in the US Senate, and this victory may
explain in growing measure why Trump went along with supporting Luther Strange
in the contentious Alabama US Senate special election primary earlier this
year. Also, the US Senate, feeling the heat from the conservative grassroots
across the country, are pressuring more members to get the President's agenda
going forward. The US Senate's decision to repeal the onerous Obamacare
individual mandate, for example, is a response from a rest conservative base
and independent electorate which want the Swamp drained and the rights of
American citizens retained.
some substance of pro-Trump leadership in the US Senate, and this victory may
explain in growing measure why Trump went along with supporting Luther Strange
in the contentious Alabama US Senate special election primary earlier this
year. Also, the US Senate, feeling the heat from the conservative grassroots
across the country, are pressuring more members to get the President's agenda
going forward. The US Senate's decision to repeal the onerous Obamacare
individual mandate, for example, is a response from a rest conservative base
and independent electorate which want the Swamp drained and the rights of
American citizens retained.
The US Senate has made
one key victory happen, but there need to be more victories very soon–which
includes the final resignation of Majority "Leader" Mitch McConnell.
one key victory happen, but there need to be more victories very soon–which
includes the final resignation of Majority "Leader" Mitch McConnell.