Thug life

We may need to rechristen Grouchey Old Senator Tim as "Senator Aesop" for the fables he's spinning.

In The Hill today Grouchey Old Senator Tim spins a couple of brief but tall tales. Despite Minority Leader Reid's recent comments Tim says: “I’ve never heard Reid say that he would shut down the Senate.” Wow. Tim, did you hear Reid say, as The Hill reported - “The majority should not expect to receive cooperation from the minority in the conduct of Senate business,” adding that Democrats would allow passage of legislation “supporting our troops” and keeping the government running but otherwise would not cooperate even on “routine” issues. Did you hear him say that Tim?

Worse, our Tim betrays his ignorance of South Dakota politics and of the judicial nominating process with this gem: “South Dakotans want to see more bipartisanship” and the president has not consulted with Democrats on his selections for the federal bench. Yikes.

Further, Tim has previously said here that ""But where they are highly controversial, I think a 60-vote margin is the proper approach to take."

Tim, here's how advise and consent works. The President (In this case the choice of 60% of South Dakotans.) has the exclusive constitutional authority to nominate federal judges. The Constitution says "he shall nominate". It doesn't say "he, in consultation with the Democrats or anyone else who's in a funk, shall nominate." It simply says, and means, he shall nominate. Once the President nominates a candidate to be a federal judge then "with the Advice and Consent of the Senate" the President "shall appoint" that judge.

Now, the advice and consent of the Senate means you put the nominee to a vote in committee and on the floor. As judicial nominees do not require a supermajority then a majority, 51 votes, is necessary to consent in a judicial nominee. That vote is the point at which you Senator have a chance to put forth the Democrat view on a nominee. The Constitution provides that very specific opportunity. But, here's the rub, thanks to your old running buddy - Little Senator Tom and his successor, you don't get to vote. Because the Democrats are threatening to filibuster appelate court nominees who won't sign on to Roe v. Wade, the Senate is prevented from advising and consenting in the President's nominees.

You know what South Dakotans want to see much more than they want to see bipartisanship Senator? They want to see democracy. They want to see the process work. They want to see the President they supported, or even the one they didn't, have his nominees voted on. They don't want to see the thuggish antics of your party to hold the process hostage. They don't want to see Harry Reid threatening to shut down the Senate. They don't want to see their Senator be ignorant of or dishonest about the judicial nominating process. They don't want to see "bipartisanship" thrown about as a value on a par with honesty, integrity, or law-abiding.

Not only that Senator, most South Dakotans don't view nominees who oppose Roe v. Wade as "highly controversial". They want to see states rights such as those that were stolen by the Roe v. Wade decision preserved to the states. They want to see far greater restrictions on abortions than are currently allowed. An Argus Leader poll last spring showed 63% of South Dakotans want to see abortion outlawed or restriced to cases of rape an incest. Unfortunately, thanks to Roe v.Wade, South Dakotans don't have the freedom to make their view of abortion law.

South Dakotans want to see their views reflected in law. But, thanks to the work of Grouchey Old Senator Tim and his Democrat cronies who would sacrifice democracy on the altar of "bipartisanship" (ie. minority bullying), that day is a long way off.

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Happy New 2011 Year for all people.