Maggie's Farm

More on McCain and the Gang of 14 and how they saved the Republican Party's ass

Now let us further assume that the GOP had deployed the nuclear option in the 109th Congress. Would the Democrats get payback by doing the same thing in 2009, applying the nuclear option to insure confirmation of their judicial nominees? I think this would very likely be the path that would be taken. What tools would the GOP minority in the Senate then have to resist any Democratic nominations to the Courts - either the Appeals Court or the Supreme Court (when Stevens and Ginsberg retire), without any ability to successfully apply the filibuster? The answer is none.


Of course, some might argue that the Democrats will deploy the nuclear option regardless of what the GOP did or did not do in 2005, if the Senate Republicans start using the filibuster repeatedly to block judicial nominees (the Democrats did not block all judicial nominees but some they considered controversial). I think not. For one thing, all 7 Democrats who were members of the gang of 14 are still in the Senate, though Mary Landrieu has a tough race this year. I think, these 7 and a few other Democrats would oppose use of the option. That would mean the Democrats could not get a majority for it even if they pick up several seats in the 2008 elections.


The nuclear option was shortsighted. For this approach to help the GOP in any more than one Congressional cycle required the Party to retain control of the Presidency and the Senate in succeeding cycles.


The gang of 14 compromise helped two Supreme Court nominees get approved quickly and a few Appeals Court nominees to be confirmed as well. Use of the nuclear option in 2005 would have enabled a few additional Appeals Court nominations to get through in 2005 and 2006.


But it would also have given a blank check for the next Democratic President who took office with a majority for his party in the Senate to get all of his or her judicial nominations approved from the start. That would be a really bad deal for the GOP, much worse than the gang of 14 deal, a compromise in which the GOP gained more than it lost.

Richard Baehr is political director of American Thinker.

Scott, if you're correct and millions of conservatives "sit this one out" the there won't be a conservative movement at all in five years.

The Democrats will more than likely enlarge the Supreme Court to fifteen members, all of whom will be rabidly socialist liberals. Likewise the entire Executive Branch, all Departments, after all the Reagan appointees are retirement age now and will be retiring.

So all the angry conservatives will do is further minimize ANY chance they have of influencing ANYTHING in our government. It's pure idiocy, driven by small minds that don't understand how politics work and are ready to behave like feet stomping two year olds who can't have their way.

If you don't want a seat at the table for probably the remainder of your life then go right ahead and shoot yourself in the foot because John McCain isn't the second coming of Ronald Reagan. Just remember there won't be any do overs once the band of socialists gain all the strings of power. I would suggest those conservatives preparing to sit this one out engage their brains, not sit on their asses.

Overall I'd say this thread is predominantly dominate by unsophisticated political minds. It's the part of the "conservative movement" that the liberals love to point to and laugh at. After reading #2 Phil and #5 Scott one begins to wonder if they are Republicans, conservatives, angry men, simply ill informed, never took any civics classes, are unaware of our own history, or just what the hell they're thinking.

It's akin to hate, sitting out the election. When you hate someone they don't feel it, they're not hurt by it, but it eats away at the hater just like rust until the hater is incapable of rational thought and finally becomes useless to anyone, even themselves.

I won't even mention the millions of US service men and women who have given their last full measure of devotion to secure the right to vote for us.....go ahead guys just spit on their graves and make a mockery of their lives because you are small minded and petulant.

These "sit out" guys aren't leaders of any stripe but rather more along the lines of solipsists who have to have their way or they'll create a toxic atmosphere for the rest of us..

Sorry you kids never adjusted to adult life.

First off I grew up as the son of a Marine Aviator Colonel who was at one time Chesty Puller's G-2, prior to his aviation days where he won the Navy Cross and multiple DFC's.

I joined the Corps in 1968 as a platoon leader and went to Vietnam, where, after several months I was recruited by the CIA because I had the right stuff. I was undercover with them for over ten years, traveling to every continent on the globe, mostly alone. I was all over Laos,Cambodia, and Vietnam, Chile, Angola , just to name a few. I never got caught and I was damn good at what I did. I have a masters in International Relations, am now retired at 60 and own a place in Florida, a place in Montana, a million bucks in the bank and no debt. Following my CIA time I worked for IBM in Beverly Hills ,CA before going to work for various Wall Street firms, where I made lots of money.

Now how does that sound? I've never met anyone in my life with the type of experience I have and those who know me tell me they haven't either. I have picture of my first birthday party at El Toro where I am being bounce on the knee of Pappy Boyington who was our next door neighbor. I've known truly great men all my life, leaders, the best of which was probably Gen. Vernon Walters (CIA) who I reported directly to for several years. I know my shit.

At 60 I can still bench press 300 pounds and my Remington 700 is still very accurate.

Now, son, what was your question about my qualifications to give lessons?

Phil, I learned long ago never threaten violence.

If you're nervous, it's genesis is not from any threat I made.

I spent my entire life fighting communists,socialists, and anarchists who wished this country ill. Now we fight the Islams. Are you aware that every member of the Congressional Black Caucus is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America? Check out their affiliations and agenda. http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.html

Are you aware that Speaker Pelosi was also a member until she gained a leadership position in the Democratic Party? Bernie Sanders? and a host of other Democrats...but not one Republican. Think the Democrats are just another major political party..think again. Their leadership walks ,talks, and has all the treachery of fifth columnists. Is that who you want in control of our entire government?

Check it out. The Democrats are a corrosive group of socialists, Marxists , and all manner of philosophies that are inimical to the Constitution.

You want them in power?

Air Medals? Air Medals? That's it? Your blouse must have looked naked.
An instructor here, a planner there. Son you were ID'd early on as one without the right leadership abilities.

Not even a squadron XO? And this you actually printed here. Man that is one sad career of errand boy assignments. But It's good you got to be lead this and that..but if you were the lead in Operation Millenium Challenge and it didn't get you a promotion ..well, you must have FUBAR'd your part but good.
Plus lead in that op wasn't any Major.

I qualified with a real weapon the M-14 and shot 247/250.

You asked what my quals were, I didn't volunteer but you felt compelled to counter with yours. What you did doesn't come close to what I accomplished, all undercover, all without the Geneva Convention, and most of it lethal.

When you're 60 see if you can bench 300 lbs 10x ...climb in the Rockies to 13,000 feet with a 40 pound pack.....yeah baby ..good luck

Semper Fi

That's as solid a economic team as I can think of. I was a big Phil Gramm supported and when I was President of the Republican Men's Club of Clay County, FL got to introduce him to the membership.
Incidentally, I read McCain's victory speech and in it he mentioned Orange Park ,FL which is the principle burg in Clay County,Fl. and the location of my Florida home.
At the time I was club president our little county also had the Speaker of the House of the State of Florida, the Republican Party Chairman for the State of Florida, and the future Education Secretary. We had some influence in state politics.

Nicely said, tightly constructed, and right on the money.

Phil....it's later than you think..Super Tuesday is less than a week away...and that appears to be the day that will decide the nominee for both parties..we'll just have to wait and see.

FYI..further down this thread I point out that McCain wasn't my first or second choice but he looks like the choice we'll get...lets all pull on the rope together and win this thing. To paraphrase Churchill, ...

"But if we fail, the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted Democratic Party policies".

Clarifying the record.

John McCain was not my first or second choice, but he looks like the odds on favorite to win the nomination. I'm not into eating our young, (or old) in an internecine debate over the purity of what "conservatism is or isn't. I want the win.

But I watched the political landscape change, up close and personal, during Watergate. This nation has never been the same politically and it was then that the Democratic Party was taken over by the quintessence of the radical left and socialists. Their rank and file are stupefyingly clueless as to this countries Constitution, preferring instead to have a more Gumby like, make-it-up-as-you-go government. Absolument pas je dis.

So we go with our nominee with the guts we had at Okinawa and Normandy or we do what the frogs did when the Germans got too close to Paris..quit.