A Knocking of Knees

Once again, our strong-as-wet-kleenex heroes in the Republican Party have begun the caving process, fleeing like scared rabbits before the fearsome visage of Harry Reid and company. In an article in Newsmax we learn that the Republicans are cool to Tom Delay`s call for accountability from the Judiciary. Bill Frist states "When we think judicial decisions are outside mainstream American values, we will say so. But we must also be clear that the balance of power among all three branches requires respect - not retaliation," which pretty clearly indicates that Frist is afraid to assert Congressional oversight rights on the courts, and he undoubtedly represents a majority of Republicans. Mr. Frist,and so many of the other Neville Chamberlain Republicans, doesn`t seem to understand that Congress not only has the right, but the duty, to reign in an out-of-control Judiciary; that was the whole point of separation of Powers in the Constitution. For decades the Courts have wielded far more power than they were intended to possess, and they came to this power simply by asserting their right to make these decisions i.e. they usurped this authority. When the Democrats controlled Congress this usurpation was encouraged since Congress didn`t want to have to answer to the voting public. Many of the crazy liberal policies in place today would have caused a political Armageddon, so the Democrats empowered the unelected courts to take the heat for what they themselves really wanted to do. The Democrats, however, haven`t controlled Congress for a decade now, plus they no longer control the Presidency. (I would like to point out that Bill Clinton appointed one quarter of the Federal Judiciary.) The Republicans are solidly in control; it`s time they act like it! They have the power to restore the balance of power in government; indeed, they should want to do so! Their cowardice is appalling!

Likewise, the Republicans are starting to cave on the so-called ``nuclear option``. It appears that Frist has been negotiating with Ironman Harry a compromise that would allow some of the judicial nominees to come for a floor vote. Frist shows himself to be a particularly inept general; why does he think the Democrats are offering a compromise now? They know their goose is cooked, and they are trying to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. This should be obvious to anyone. If the Republicans make this deal, they will have set a precedent which allows the Democrats to block any judges they don`t like. It is unprecedented; the minority party being given this power freely by the party which controls both houses of Congress and the Presidency! If the Republicans give in to Reid on this, they will never get a Supreme Court Nominee through. They simply have to understand this; this is a matter of life or death to the Democrats, and they will fight to the death to win this. There can be no gentleman's agreement here.

When Adolph Hitler sent his troops into the Sudatenland, he ran an enormous bluff; he believed the French would be too weak to fight, but he gave orders to his troops to pull back if the French offered any resistance. His bold gamble paid handsomely, and the entire world was pulled into war because the French were too chicken to fight. The Republicans need to learn the lessons of history.