A Boston Tea Party …(Going Nuclear)

I have been a big fan of John McCain for a number of years. During the Republican primary for the Presidential election of 2000 I was pulling for McCain to get the nomination over George Bush. I have enjoyed his willingness to not always drink the Republican kool-aid and his eagerness to speak out against excessive government spending. Although I agree with him on many issues, his most recent maverick stance on the filibustering of judicial nominees has me upset.

McCain is siding with Democrats and against his own party on the use of the filibuster to prevent an up and down vote on President Bush’s judicial nominees. Republicans are hinting on using a “nuclear option” that would require only 51 votes for approval of nominees. McCain does not think such an option should be used because the atmosphere in the Senate will be poisoned with such a rule change. Well, guess what? It is already poisoned. Partisonship is here to stay, forever. Policitians reminisce about the days when both parties worked together to solve the countries problems. Those days are gone, they will never return. Politics is about power and only one party can have it and will do whatever it can to keep it. Democrats have been obstructionists for the entire Bush Presidency. Since they are unable to win an election Democrats will do whatever is necessary to prevent Republicans from any legislative wins.

A major part of the past election and the elections of the future is that the President will be able to nominate judges. As big an issue as morals such as gay marriage had in the last election, I would suggest many people voted for Bush for the simple fact that he would nominate judges that would stop such activism. Democrats want to continue that activism and are using the filibuster as the tool. It is very clear that Democrats will not consider any judge that potentially could reverse Roe v Wade. If a nominee does not pass the abortion smell test regardless of how qualified he/she is, he/she will not be brought up for a vote. Using the filibuster allows Democrats from putting a face on the Senators who do not support Bush’s judicial candidates very much lessening the political risk for doing so.

Republicans should see if the Democrats are willing to risk shutting down the Senate by going nuclear. McCain saw up close how poisoned politics has become during the primary in South Carolina in 2000. It is so poisoned and so partisan that he is given the nickname “maverick” for the simple fact that he is not always partisan meaning anyone who isn’t partisan is extremely unusual. The worst thing that can happen from the nuclear option is just the status quo even the maverick McCain should be able to see that.