Reason to Celebrate: Nominees Freed Before the Fourth
- Jul 1, 2008 - 1
Parades, picnics, and fireworks will soon mark Independence Day as Americans celebrate 232 years since our nation was birthed through the Declaration of Independence. Add to this the recent confirmation of a batch of judicial nominees, and Americans have one more reason to celebrate this Fourth of July.
On the eve of a week-long Independence Day recess, the Senate confirmed two circuit court nominees and three district court nominees, breaking weeks of talk but no action on filling some of the more than 40 federal court vacancies. Credit must be ascribed where it is due, however. It is improbable the votes last week to approve the five to serve on federal benches would have occurred without the persistent prodding of a band of Republican senators led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Leader McConnell has held his counterpart Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) feet to the fire on judges for months. In early May, Sen. Reid committed to do his “utmost” and “everything within [his] power” to confirm three circuit court judges by the Memorial Day recess. But Memorial Day came and went with only one confirmation to show for Sen. Reid’s poor efforts, and most of June fared no better.
Apparently, the Senate had more important issues to address, such as attempting to ram through a de facto tax hike on the American people that could reach $4.8 trillion by 2030 in the guise of saving the planet from a meltdown forecasted—though supported with little scientific data—by global warming alarmists. Fortunately, that bill contained enough hot air to fuel its own death by fire.
Sen. McConnell admirably launched fireworks of his own on that climate-change bill, virtually shutting down the Senate for the better part of a day in early June in response to Sen. Reid’s failure to make good on his commitment on judicial nominees. He forced a reading on the Senate floor of Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) massive 491-page substitute amendment to the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade bill, which the Wall Street Journal has called the largest expansion of the government since the New Deal in the 1930s. And the continued pressure eventually paid off.
The breakthrough on judges should be welcome news to all Americans. But there is much more to be done. Now having approved 10 federal court nominees this session, the Senate still lags behind pace to reach 15 circuit court judge confirmations before year’s end, the number confirmed during the final two years when President Clinton served in the White House, opposite a Republican majority on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
In the few short weeks remaining before the presidential campaign takes over in full force this fall, the Senate should devote its time to work toward what is most needed by our nation. That includes giving up-or-down votes to more judicial nominees. Our courts and our nation can ill afford to continue to have benches half full and cases piling up.
If you see your senators over the Fourth of July weekend, please tell them to make judicial nominations one of their top priorities this month. A few words of appeal could yield more reasons to celebrate.
The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission supports the nomination and approval of judges who are strict constructionists, as well as advocating for court rulings that honor the Constitution’s original intent. If you would like to help us continue our efforts, please click here.
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1 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Jul 1st, 2008, at 12:10pm, Charles Enlow wrote:
I am glad for the five judicial nominees and for the cause of justice, but I cannot subscribe to the idea that confirming fifteen would put things right. There are many more whose nominations have yet to be given the slightest consideration by the controlling Democrats, and the reason - to no one’s surprise who watches such things - is that the liberals (synonymous with Democrats)will do (or not do) anything to keep constitutionalists from becoming judges.