Once Again, We’re About To See Who Was Right About The Gang-Of-14 Debacle

by John Hawkins | April 12, 2010 8:40 am

Democrats treat judicial nominations like war — while Republicans keep being gracious, hoping Democrats will learn by example. — Ann Coulter[1]

John Paul Stevens is getting ready to step down, Obama is sure to appoint a judge who will vote the same way as Michael Moore, and Republicans are going to do what about it? Nothing of substance. They’ll complain, posture, congratulate themselves about asking some clever questions, and at the end of day, yet another ultra-liberal judge will end up on the bench.

Which brings us back to the gang-of-14 debacle — and it was a debacle. Keep in mind that in order to placate the Democrats, several worthy conservative judges were tossed under a bus and Bush still ended up being so spooked by the prospect of a Democratic filibuster that he made a huge unforced error by selecting Harriet Miers as a Supreme Court pick.

Let me take you back to a conversation I posted on RWN all the way back in 2005[2]:

Blogger X: Remind me again why we want to change the Senate rules in a way that would prevent Republicans from blocking liberal nominees in a future, Democrat-majority, Senate. I’m not being facetious…just trying to think through the long-term ramifications.

John Hawkins: Sure! 1) Whether we do the nuclear option or not, they can still do it in the future 2) Republicans would never filibuster anyway (there has been 1 done by us ever) 3) The liberals who get confirmed — like Ruth Bader Ginsberg — are already such radical libs that it wouldn’t make any difference if they put Ted Kennedy in there.

Blogger X: Ok. Isn’t it frightening that the defense of this option is that Republicans are the only party that has the dignity and character to follow the Constitution. I mean, we’re pretty much saying that Democrats are slimeballs who will do anything to get their way.

John Hawkins: Yeah, basically.

Blogger X: Are you sure we aren’t just “demonizing” the left and justifying ourselves?

John Hawkins: Yes. The Senate tradition is not to have filibusters of judges. (The GOP is) preserving the constitutional role proscribed for the Senate and 200 years of Senate tradition, not getting rid of it with the nuclear option.

Take a look at this group of mediocrities who backed the deal: Lindsey Graham, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, John McCain (lost Presidency), John Warner (retired), Mike DeWine (lost), & Lincoln Chafee (lost and changed parties).

So, we know what we lost in the Gang-of-14 deal, but more than 5 years later, Obama is about to make his second Supreme Court pick and I have to ask again: what exactly did we gain from the deal? As far as I can tell, nothing. It was caving in for the sake of caving in with no strategic end game in mind and an arrogant attitude to boot. It might be nice if the political geniuses in DC ever learned anything from these sort of disasters, but sadly, all too often they seem to be impervious to any information that shows the conservative yahoos in flyover country got it right, while they, once again, got it wrong.

Endnotes:
  1. Ann Coulter: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/2010/04/the-best-quotations-from-ann-coulters-2009-columns-62-quotes/
  2. conversation I posted on RWN all the way back in 2005: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/archives/week_2005_05_15.PHP#003876

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