Democrats Start New Court Packing Scheme
By RandomGuy Posted in Archived — Comments (7) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
So, apparently, when they are not moving on a bunch of Bush's nominees, Democrats are suddenly very concerned that the Judiciary needs more people, and are voting to expand it.
http://washingtonbriefs.blogspot.com/2008/05/senate-panel-approves-judge...
Now, I'd actually say adding some more district judges and some more appeals judges for some circuits is probably a good idea in the abstract. The country has grown in population but our Judiciary has not. Unlike the SC, expanding the number of judges at a trial court and appeals court level actually could be beneficial for smoother, faster justice.
That said, this is quite obviously an almost purely partisan power-grab. The Democrats trying to get this passed NOW? WHILE they are blocking several Bush nominees? A few months before they think they'll take over the White House?
Please.
While the idea may be good in the abstract, the timing of this shows it is clearly not about what is good in the abstract. This is about the next President, who they assume is going to be a Democrat, being able to appoint more judges, pure and simple.
Luckily, it seems not even some Democrats are buying on. But the sheer gull at being able to block Bush's nominees while expanding the number of seats on the court is mindboggling.
Think of it this way: once John McCain is President, the House and Senate will likely have more Democrats than now, so something like this will never pass then. The GOP should tie this to getting votes on Bush's nominees and get as many nominees through as they can now, but "reluctantly" acquiesce-- that'll just be that many more judges for McCain to appoint that he wouldn't have gotten a chance to otherwise.
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Finrod's First Law of Bandwidth:
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Finrod's First Law of Bandwidth:
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it takes the bandwidth of ten thousand.
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
but do you think that the R has the leadership that is willing to stick to their guns on a political move like this. They have caved in just about every other time they have tried to one up the Dems.
Now also found at The Minority Report
Not a bad idea, but they probably don't have the guts to pull it off.
Not to mention, I think you're putting too much faith in a McCain Presidency. The odds are still against that.
"I will look for people in the cast of John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and my friend the late William Rehnquist – jurists of the highest caliber who know their own minds, and know the law, and know the difference." - John McCain
Interesting factoid about Judge Bryer:
From 1980 to 1994, Breyer served as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, including as the court's Chief Judge from 1990 to 1994.[8] He was nominated to the Court of Appeals by President Jimmy Carter on November 13, 1980. The U.S. Senate confirmed Breyer on December 9, 1980 by an 80-10 vote, in the last days of the Carter administration.[10] He served as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States between 1990 and 1994 and the United States Sentencing Commission between 1985 and 1989.
So, the vast majority of Republicans, AFTER Carter had been defeated, and WITH an impending majority in the Senate, voted for Bryer, and didn't filibuster, delay, or anything else.
I'd be very interested to see if the D's live up to this kind of magnanamous behavior.
But I'm not holding my breath.
"I will look for people in the cast of John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and my friend the late William Rehnquist – jurists of the highest caliber who know their own minds, and know the law, and know the difference." - John McCain
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