Tag Archives: presidential election

So Much For Bi-Partisanship

16 Sunday Nov 2008

Posted by in Election 2008, McCain, Obama, Politics, Uncategorized

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Something that was kind of overlooked in the aftermath of the presidential election were remarks made by Senator John Kyl, Republican from Arizona and the second highest ranking Republican in the United States Senate. His words say a lot about the GOP strategy going forward, and here’s a clue: It ain’t bi-partisanship.

Kyl said this to the Federalist Society on November 8, four days after the election:

“Jon Kyl, the second-ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate, warned president-elect Barack Obama that he would filibuster U.S. Supreme Court appointments if those nominees were too liberal.

Kyl, Arizona’s junior senator, expects Obama to appoint judges in the mold of U.S Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Souter and Stephen Breyer. Those justices take a liberal view on cases related to social, law and order and business issues, Kyl said.

“He believes in justices that have empathy,” said Kyl, speaking at a Federalist Society meeting in Phoenix. The attorneys group promotes conservative legal principles.

Kyl said if Obama goes with empathetic judges who do not base their decisions on the rule of law and legal precedents but instead the factors in each case, he would try to block those picks via filibuster.”

First Senator Kyl, a little Constitutional lesson for you. The president does not appoint Supreme Court justices, he nominates them and the Senate confirms or rejects the nomination. Just a minor detail.

Secondly, David Souter? Excuse me Senator Kyl, are you aware of who nominated Justice Souter? It was that radical, left-wing, extremist, George H. W. Bush.

Third, and the thing that struck me, is the last sentence of Kyl’s remarks. Senator Kyl would filibuster any judges who base their decisions on the factors of the case?

What the…??

One more thing for Senator Kyl to consider is this:

According to CNN exit polls, those who claimed that the Supreme Court was a factor in their decision in the presidential election, broke for Obama 53-45% and voters who called future Supreme Court appointments the most important factor went for Obama even more strongly– 57 to 41%.

In Four Days We Can Send a Message

31 Friday Oct 2008

Posted by in Election 2008, McCain, Obama, Politics, Uncategorized

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Four more days, my fellow Americans, four more days. In four days we have a decision to make about the future of our country, and the choices are crystal clear. We can choose to continue the politics and policies of the past, or we can turn the page and begin a new chapter in American history. A chapter that is about unity instead of division, cooperation instead of partisanship, and about appealing to our better nature rather than our baser instincts.

We can put behind us forever the kind of political campaign that would send out mailers like this:

 

 

 

 

 

Or ads that seek to pit one race against the other, like this:

 

 

We have a chance to put this type of campaign on the ash heap of history and send the message to all who would use such tactics in the future that it will no longer be successful. We can let our future candidates for president know that it is no longer acceptable to label their opponent as “anti-American” or “socialist” or “communist” or say that they “pal around with terrorists.”

We can choose a president who sees the politics of divide and conquer as the failed strategy of the past. A president who can reach across all boundaries and begin to heal the divisions that have resulted from decades of that strategy. A president who wants America to be the land of opportunity for all Americans, not just for the rich and powerful few.

This president:

 

To quote a famous line, “If not us, who? If not now, when? We are the who, the when is now. We cannot afford to let this opportunity pass.