I think this is very true, and if folks want to understand why NRA is reluctant to insert itself into nomination battles, this is a must read:
Sessions said the real reason for the breezy confirmation process boils down to this: “Republicans have always given more deference to a president†— a contention Democrats reject.
Yes, and that’s why this is a difficult fight with a Democratic Senate. Republicans are more interested in fair play in this process rather than standing up for what they believe in. I am not of the opinion that the Senate’s job is to examine qualifications and rubber stamp whatever the President sends down the pike. The Senates job is also to evaluate the judicial temperament of the nominee. I think we can all agree that believing the Declaration of Independence is a pretty basic starting judicial philosophy.
Kim Du Toit popularized the terms “Stupid Party” and “Evil Party” on the gun blogosphere years ago to serve in the stead of Republicans and Democrats respectively. It’s very true. It’s high time the GOP lost this attitude:
Republicans “have a respect for the proper balance between the executive and legislative branch — and appreciate the president is going to nominate [judges] more closely aligned with his political philosophy. … [They understand] that elections have consequences and if you’re in the minority, you shouldn’t try to upset that by filibustering nominees,†Kyl said. “We also thought that was not right, and I still believe it’s not right.â€
Pardon the language, but fuck that. If you’re in the situation the GOP is in, you use every tool on the tool belt to flight a delaying action until the calvary (hopefully the voters in November 2010) arrive with reinforcements. There are worse things than a vacancy on the Court. How about making the Democrats consider the “nuclear option” for once?
I suspect a lot of hate surrounding NRA over Kagan is rooted in the fact that people have no faith that the GOP will get dirty an actually stand up to Obama’s agenda. They want NRA to act like they have a pair, in stark contrast to the GOP.
The Republicans bring butter knives to a gun fight.
Kim Du Toit? I’m sure he did use the term and spread the meme, but the terms “Stupid/Evil” were popularized before the internet existed.
I guess I am over picking the nit.
That may be… Kim is where I first saw it.
The “Stupid Party” / “Evil Party” meme originated from the late great historian and columnist Samuel Francis. He worked for Sen. Jesse Helms for a time and part of his job was showing tourists, many of them foreign, around the capitol building. When asked by foreign tourists how the system worked, he quipped:
“We have two parties in America. The Stupid Party, and the Evil Party. And occasionally they will join together on legislation that ends up being both stupid and evil. This is called bipartisanship.”
The stupid party thinks that it can win by being nice, the evil party knows that is not necessary – after all, no matter who you vote for, Government gets elected.