E-mail I`ve received from Mary Landrieu on judicial nominees

[MissCatholic]

Sen. Landrieu, Centrists Forge Compromise to Preserve Minority Voice in the Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., tonight announced that she and 13 other centrist members of the United States Senate had reached an agreement that will stave off the “nuclear option” – a Republican-supported rule change that would have limited the voice of individuals in debates over judicial nominations.

“I am so proud we were able to reach an agreement that truly reflects the best traditions of the Senate,” Sen. Landrieu said. “Had the Republican leadership launched this ‘nuclear option’ tomorrow, I fear we would have reached a point of no return.  That would have been a sad day indeed.

“But now, we have an opportunity for pause, a moment for hope and a chance to return to the finest traditions of our body, avoiding the rancor that has become so commonplace in recent years.  This agreement helps protect these cherished traditions by ensuring that the minority – and even a lone individual – will continue to have the right to speak up and be heard.”

The 14 centrist senators agreed to support cloture – an end to debate, allowing an up-or-down vote – for Priscilla Owen (5th Circuit), Janice Rogers Brown (D.C. Circuit) and William Pryor (11th Circuit).  They made no commitment to vote in a particular way on cloture for William Myers (9th Circuit) or Henry Saad (6th Circuit), and are not obliged to vote for or against the final confirmation of any of the nominees.

The senators made a good-faith pledge that the filibuster should only be employed under extraordinary circumstances, and that each senator would use his or her discretion and judgment to determine whether such circumstances exist.  They also agreed to oppose the “nuclear option” or any other similar change to the rules of the filibuster for the remainder of the 109th Congress.  Finally, the agreement encourages the Executive Branch to make a greater effort to consult with members of the Senate, of both parties, before submitting judicial nominations.

Signing the agreement in addition to Sen. Landrieu were Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; John McCain, R-Ariz.; Mike DeWine, R-Ohio; John Warner, R-Va.; Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.; Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Mark Pryor, D-Ark.; Olympia Snowe, R-Maine; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Ken Salazar, D-Colo.; Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.; Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.

A copy of the agreement is attached
 

[Richard]

Hello, and welcome to last week.

[MissCatholic]

Well heres some reaction for you.

James Dobson
This Senate agreement represents a complete bailout and betrayal by a cabal of Republicans and a great victory for united Democrats. Only three of President Bush’s nominees will be given the courtesy of an up-or-down vote, and it's business as usual for all the rest. The rules that blocked conservative nominees remain in effect, and nothing of significance has changed. Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Chief Justice William Rehnquist would never have served on the U. S. Supreme Court if this agreement had been in place during their confirmations. The unconstitutional filibuster survives in the arsenal of Senate liberals.

"We are grateful to Majority Leader Frist for courageously fighting to defend the vital principle of basic fairness. That principle has now gone down to defeat. We share the disappointment, outrage and sense of abandonment felt by millions of conservative Americans who helped put Republicans in power last November. I am certain that these voters will remember both Democrats and Republicans who betrayed their trust."

People for the American way
The explicit language of the agreement reached tonight by a group of senators rejects the nuclear option, preserves the filibuster and ensures that both political parties will have a say in who is appointed to our highest courts. The agreement embodies the very principle of consultation and consensus that the filibuster encourages. This is good news for the American people. Saving the Senate’s constitutional advice and consent role, and the checks and balances that protect judicial independence, is especially important with multiple vacancies expected on the Supreme Court. The agreement assures that the filibuster will be available, as it has been throughout our history, if the President ignores the spirit of this agreement and nominates an ideologue to the Supreme Court.

The unprincipled nuclear option has been averted. This is a major defeat for the radical right. Senators from both parties have rejected demands by the White House, radical right groups, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist that the filibuster be eliminated on nominees. It is a rejection of White House demands for virtually unlimited power to undermine the independence of the courts.

President of American Values
 "This is a sad day for our nation. The desire of millions of Americans to restore balance to our federal courts has been thwarted behind closed doors by 14 senators. Only three of President Bush's appointees are guaranteed an up or down vote under this sell out.

"Under this agreement it is now more likely that radical social change will continue to be forced on the American people by liberal courts committed to same sex marriage, abortion on demand and hostility to religious expression. The Republicans who lent their names to this travesty have undercut their President as well as millions of their most loyal voters. Shame on them all."

Alliance for Justice
While Alliance for Justice has no interest in seeing the Senate break down, we are very disappointed with the decision to move these extremist nominees one step closer to confirmation.

"The country has been focused on the process issue of the filibuster, but now appropriately turns its attention back to these nominees. Senators can no longer hide behind the filibuster in order to duck a tough vote on the records of these extremists.

"We call on President Bush to act in a similar spirit of bipartisanship when it comes to nominating judges in the future."