Nuclear Option Meltdown

A Time Magazine Poll on the Nuclear option (sorry the Nuke the Constitution in order to punish Byrd for knowing the rules option) shows that the American people are not willing to support the Republicans assault on the rules.
The question did not even explain that Senator Frist plans to try to change the rules by a simple majority by claiming that the filibusters of judicial nominees are currently forbidden even though there is no such rule, because they are unconstitutional. Still the overwhelming majority of polled Americans are opposed.

Time Poll conducted by Schulman, Ronca & Bucuvalas (SRBI) Public Affairs. May 10-12, 2005. N=1,011 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.



"Some Republicans in the Senate want to eliminate the ability of Democrats to use the filibuster, or extended debate, to block the Senate from voting on some of President Bush's judicial nominees. Do you think the Republicans should or should not be able to eliminate the filibuster in this case?"


5/10-12/05

Should Be Able To Eliminate 28 %
Should Not Be Able To Eliminate 59 %
Unsure 14 %


Recall Frist voted against cloture on approval of the nomination Richard Paez to the 9th circuit and thus, he claims, against the Constitution (well he admits that he is interpeting constitutional penumbras here). Frist just wants to avoid judicial activism as in people saying that the text regardless the consitution clearly meant to say that they get what they want.

Also Orrin Hatch, in 1999, "refused to sign off on any nominees until Clinton nominated Republican Ted Stewart, former Gov. Mike Leavitt's chief of staff." 59% is nothing compared to the majority which will reject the Republican senators when the facts are debated.