The "Nuclear" Option



Once again, I look to Charles Krauthammer to crystallize the debate about judicial filibusters:

"Two hundred years of tradition has been radically and unilaterally changed by the minority. Why? The reason is obvious. Democrats have not had a very good run recently in the popularly elected branches. Since choosing the wrong side of the culture wars of the 1960s, they have won only three of the past 10 presidential elections. A decade ago they lost control of the House for the first time in 40 years, and now have lost all the elected branches. They are in a panic that they will lose their one remaining ability to legislate -- through the courts.
And this they have done with great success, legislating by judicial fiat everything from abortion to gay marriage to religion in the public square. They want to maintain that commanding height of the culture and are not about to let something like presidential prerogative and two centuries of Senate history stand in their way."
It seems like the GOP will win on this one, but their goal will then be to limit the political damage that the Dems will try to inflict by claiming that it's the Republicans who are tampering with lofty tradition to obtain their ends. Thankfully, after a delayed start, the GOP seems to be pulling even in the PR battle, which is what will matter in 2006.

Posted: Fri - May 13, 2005 at 09:25 AM          

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