Tuesday, February 15, 2005

The Filibuster: key to democracy

Sen. Johnny Isakson, GA (R), relating a conversation with a member of the Kurdish minority:

And even though the results of the election were not complete at the time we were there, we knew they would be in a minority, and we asked, 'Don't you fear that the Shi'ites inevitably being in the majority, that you'll be overturned?' He says, 'Oh, no, we have a secret weapon.' Mr. President, this is a Kurdish leader, of course, in the middle of Iraq, in the 21st century, who said he had a secret weapon. And we asked what the secret weapon was, and he said, 'Filibuster.'" ...


Karl Rove writes his clarification:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today refuted comments made by Senate Minority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in which Reid implied that Isakson has endorsed the use of filibusters to block judicial nominations.

"My good friend Harry Reid appears to have construed a quote from a Kurdish leader to reflect my opinion on the Senate Democrats' abuse of the filibuster to block judicial nominations.

"Let there be no reservation or doubt that I believe the Senate should vote on each and every judicial appointment made by the President of the United States and that no rule or procedure should ever stop the Senate from exercising its constitutional responsibility.

"I am proud to support Senate Majority Leader Frist in exploring all options to ensure that all nominees receive an up-or-down vote by the full Senate."


PrometheusSpeaks chimes in with an email to little Johnny:

I heard your speech on the safeguards against the majority overrunning the minority and thought, "Wow. He's one courageous and wise statesman." You've since cleared up my misapprehension. You're one cowardly, partisan, democracy-hating toad after all.


How do you shame the shameless?