Panel Resends Blocked Bush Judge Nominees

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The first of President Bush (news - web sites)'s blocked judicial nominees advanced to the full Senate on Thursday, setting up a showdown over filibusters that could shut the Senate down.


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The Judiciary Committee (news - web sites), on a 10-8 party-line vote, sent the nomination of former Interior lawyer William Myers for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (news - web sites) to the full Senate for approval. The chamber is expected to consider the nomination after its Easter recess.


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With a Senate comprised of 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and a Democrat-leaning independent, Democrats still have the 40 votes necessary to uphold a filibuster. But Republicans are threatening to change the Senate rules to prevent Democrats from blocking judicial nominations. That has been dubbed the "nuclear option" because some say it would blow up Senate relations. Some supporters call it the "constitutional option" because they say forcing confirmation votes will return the Senate to its constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on judicial nominees.


Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Tuesday that if the Republicans try to eliminate judicial filibusters, Democrats will retaliate by slowing down or stopping Senate business through procedural maneuvers.


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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&u=/ap/20050318/ap_on_go_co/senate_judges&printer=1

Herding cats. :eyes: All the whining about the 'inconvenience' ... when people are getting blown to bits!!

The party will probably lose quite a few more seats in 2006 if it proves, again, to be all bark and no bite.

will be held for Supreme Court nominees.