Senator Kent Conrad on Judge Alito's Confirmation
The article states:
Among the rank and file, there was opposition to a filibuster from several
lawmakers, including... North Dakota's Kent Conrad, a moderate who is on the ballot this fall in a Republican state.In an interview, Conrad said that in remarks to fellow Democrats at the caucus, he
outlined several factors. These included Alito's strong backing from the American Bar Association, his uncontested confirmation 15 years ago to the appeals court, public opinion polls and the fact that Republicans had voted overwhelmingly to confirm Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer when President Clinton nominated them."So I put that all together and I find it makes it hard to justify a filibuster," Conrad said.
For a sampling of what Senator Conrad is hearing from this constituents (see this) In-Forum article by Lee Mayer. Please note that I doubt Lee Mayer represents someone who is apt to vote for Kent Conrad under any circumstance, however his article might be representative of at least some of the input that Senator Conrad is receiving.
I can understand if Senator Conrad feels it is necessary to vote with the opinion of his constituents. Please note that the single issue Lee Mayer sites in his article of why Senator Conrad needs to support the Alito confirmation is the issue of abortion. Please note that it is on this single issue that many people are going to vote come election day.
I value Senator Kent Conrad's presence and voice in the Senate. If Senator Conrad feels the need to represent the people of his state's opinion on this issue I am willing to stand by him. I am unwilling to ask Senator Conrad to jeopardize his seat in the Senate by bucking the will of his constituents.
I am grateful to the people of North Dakota for sending to Washington such a reasonable voice as that which comes from Kent Conrad. I do not want to see this voice cut off by this one issue.
If Senators like Kent Conrad will not oppose the Alito confirmation then we are just going to have to live with it.
What does this mean for us? Well in order to explore that subject I am going to have to write a new article, which comes up next.
posted by Little David at 1/28/2006 08:50:00 AM
2 Comments:
You write a thoughtful piece.
Have you considered the danger to the Republic that we now face with a President in the White House who feels he is above the law? A President who believes that he doesn't need to follow the FISA courts. A President who flaunts his activity and says he will do it anyway.
A President who endorses torture through his administration and lies about it. When John McCain adds an Amendment that gets passed by Congress by a wide margin against torture, this President signs it into law and adds a note saying he doesn't really need to follow the law anyway.
It was this President who leaked the name of CIA Agent Valerie Plame to the Press to punish her husband for criticizing the false justification to going to war in Iraq based on WMD's. Scooter Libby is under indictment.
It was this President who failed miserably with hurricane Katrina and Michael Brown. And when the Congress goes to investigate what goes wrong, it is he who stonewalls America.
No Samuel Alito is about a lot more than an ABA recommendation. Samuel Alito is about the Unitary President, an Imperial Presidency that doesn't really need to follow the law anyhow.
If that is what you would rather have in America, a government that snoops on our library book habits, that screens our Google Searches, that wiretaps our very phone calls and emails, then you go ahead and support Alito.
As for me, I shall do the patriotic thing and continue to call for Senator Kerry and the rest of the Senators to filibuster this nomination. This is about freedom, Democracy, and all of the American values combined.
We deserve better in America than we are getting.
Bob
While I will not say I agree with all your criticisms of Dubyah, I will say "Don't blame me, I voted for Kerry!"
However I am not a rock solid fan of Kerry either. I am a moderate independent. I would be overjoyed if Republicans gave me the opportunity to vote for Colin Powell for President. Since Colin does not seem to have any interest in running, my hopes are the Democratic Party will give me the opportunity to vote for Mark Warner, that is if the Democrats do not force him too far to the left in order for him to win the primary.
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