Frist
posted in General |FRIST
At first, I thought FRIST was a misspelling of FIRST. Wrong! FRIST is the correct spelling of the last name of Bill Frist who is a Republican US Senator from Tennessee and is also the Majority Leader in the Senate. Bill Frist is not a household name in the USA, but it might be after the next several weeks. There is a titanic issue boiling in the Senate, and Bill Frist is right in the middle of it. The issue is over the “filibuster”, which is a ploy used to prevent the Senate from voting on specific issues. The filibuster is not a creature of the US Constitution; rather, it is a Senate Rule, created by Senators, implemented by Senators, and used from time to time by Senators. Now it is being used by the Senate Democrats to prevent the full Senate from voting on judicial appointments submitted to the Senate for confirmation by President Bush.
This is no trifling matter, and one of two things has to happen. Either the Democrats recant their threatened filibusters of the judicial appointments, or the Republican majority will have to change the Senate Rule on cutting off debate. Right now, it takes 60 votes to end debate (i.e., the filibuster), and Bill Frist can only corral 55 or so. But it only takes 51 votes to change the Senate rule on limiting debate. The Democrats describe this as the “nuclear option”. A bit melodramatic perhaps, but it looms as a big deal for sure. But, such is the price that will have to be paid short of acquiescing to the adamant minority of Democrat Senators.
George Bush has made no secret about appointing “strict constructionists” to the bench. These are Judges who rule on what the Constitution says, and do not go on legalistic detours to create new law to reflect their own views. The liberal and secular Democrats on the other hand delight in “activist” Judges who have no compunction about distorting, twisting or creatively interpreting the Constitution in order to “legislate” their causes. This has a huge bearing on issues such as homosexual marriage, abortion, gun possession, capital punishment, the Pledge of Allegiance, religion in public life, school prayer, and many others. The last thing in the world the secular Democrats would want is a popular election on these issues, or even an open vote in the House or Senate. Sure loser for them. Their only hope of success for their agenda is friendly activist Judges. Hence their powerful opposition to the Bush nominees.
Bill Frist is right in the middle of this major hassle, and if the Senate rules on debate (filibuster) are to be changed, he will have to lead the charge. High visibility is not all bad for him since he has aspirations for the White House in 2008. But tackling this rule change will take a lot of skill, courage and determination. No easy task.
Bill FRIST. He’ll be making the talk shows and the evening news.