Take my judges, please

Warning: I promised myself I wasn’t going to post about anything remotely politically charged anymore because of the outpouring of love I get every time I do, but I can no longer restrain myself from offering up my under informed opinion once again.

I do not claim to have any great insight into the workings of the federal government. In fact my only real experience with the federal government was that freshman civics class in college that everybody takes, which incidentally I only managed to get a B in (could’ve been a C). So take whatever I say about government with a grain or two of salt.

Having offered that disclaimer I’m moved to offer my perspective on the current wrangling over appellate court judicial nominees. Who cares? I mean really, who cares about federal justices. Before you answer “I care” let’s see how much you care.

Caring self assessment question #1: Can you name two, no one, justice in your district’s circuit court of appeals? I’m still waiting, and that’s kind of my point. But before you feel put down my a guy with only B (or C) knowledge in these things let me offer you virtual softball question.

Caring self assessment question #2: Can you name one, no two, Supreme Court justices? I’ll play along: Rehnquist (sp), Ginsberg, O’Conner, Thomas, Scallia (sp), ok I’m all out. Five of what I believe are all still living Supreme Court justices out of, what are there, nine or something? Not too shabby for ole bet you really got a C in civics boy over here, huh?

So you may be asking yourself “What in the hell is his point?” My point is that all I’ve been listening to on my local commie-run-left-wing-loving NPR station for the past week is federal justice appointments and the senate filibuster and the nuclear option and the like and I’m pulling my remaining hairs out (individually of course) ’cause I’m like “who the hell cares about federal judges!!!”

The answer to my rhetorical question is nobody cares (see your answers for question #1). This isn’t really about federal judges at all. You think Bushie is loosing any sleep over gay marriage in San Francisco – do you think he really gives a rat’s arse about the California circuit federal judges in SF? I don’t think so. I don’t think he’d care if the California appeals court decided to spice things up by having the lawyers for both sides jell-o wrestle to decide cases. I really don’t think he cares. But I’d bet you a nickel that if he was riding his bike out in front of the Supreme Court building and saw O’Conner handing out pro-choice buttons I think he’d really, really care (and just for the record so would I). My meandering point is that this current fight isn’t about federal judges at all it’s about Supreme Court nominations. It’s just that the dems, and the media, don’t seem to understand that.

Rehnquist isn’t getting any younger. If the Senate republicans are successful in passing the ‘nuclear option’ – rescinding the filibuster rule for judicial nominations – it clears the way for Bush to appoint the most conservative Supreme Court justice on the planet and the dems will only be able to sit and watch with much distain and brooding. The reps are smart to try and change the filibuster rule now because they know the vast majority of the dutiful public doesn’t really know/understand/care what kind of impact federal justices can/will have on their life – so they don’t really put up much of a fuss. If the republicans tried to abolishing the filibuster for a Supreme Court nominee I’m sure they’d get an earful from all of my fellow B-C civics students that do understand the kind of impact Supreme Court justices can and will have on our country.

So I think what’s happening this week with the Senate showdown of federal judicial nominees is a great example of how the reps are outsmarting the dems. It’s like when you used to tease your sibling just enough to entice them to swing and then you’d cry “mom, dad he/she’s swinging at me” and then you would revel in your success as mom and/or dad would hand out the justice. The republicans have done such a great job of getting the democrats all riled up about this that they’re going to fight – and lose – over stinking federal justices which nobody knows/cares about. If the democrats were smart they would say ‘ok you win we won’t stall on these federal nominees, let’s vote’ and the republicans wouldn’t be able to justify the filibuster rule change, and then when a Supreme Court nomination comes up the dems would still have the power to block it. But because we are utterly ambivalent about federal appointments and because the dems are so eager to fight that makes this the perfect time for the reps to sneak in the filibuster rules change. And the dems are willing participants drawn into a fight by their own overactive drive to fight anything the reps want to do. Well if you like Bush get ready to revel in victory because mom and dad republican are getting ready to hand out the justice to little brother democrat.