Frist Speech Actually Supports "Liberal" Judges

Well, Bill Frist stayed away from the crap his Dominionist backers spout about the filibuster "is being used against people of faith" and good for him. He actually stressed in his speech that a vote is the democratic thing to do - and if you don't have a majority of the votes then that's tough, you can work for change but you can't change the vote. You know what, even if that democratic method takes the country into the hands of some totalitarian religious thugs who want to bring back death penalties for biblical offences such as homosexuality, then that's the way the country is set up. If you don't like that, change the system don't abuse it. It's one of the dangers of democracy that it can be subverted by morons bent on totalitarianism. Hitler was elected by a landslide.

However, Bill Frist is a slick operator and while he may be using the Dominionists as part of his ticket to the White House he isn't going to be their puppet any more than Bush was. Yesterday Colbert King in the Washington Post warned that

if Frist shows up on TV and passes on the opportunity to place his party on the side of tolerance and goodwill, then his performance will be Exhibit A in the case to be made against his presidential quest.

Well, Frist sidestepped the bullet and in so doing gave ammunition to those who would fight these nutters who are hijacking both Christianity and the political process. Here's what Frist said that is really key:

Now some Republicans – even some conservatives – don’t think we should press the issue on requiring votes on judicial nominees.

They’re concerned that in the future Republicans won’t be able to use this same device to obstruct Democratic nominees.

Well, that may be true. But if what Democrats are doing is wrong today, it won’t be right for Republicans to do the same thing tomorrow.

Ladies and gentlemen, our judiciary must be independent, impartial and fair.

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. I won’t go along with that.

Now I doubt his Dominionist Republican compatriots paid enough attention in logic class to figure the next bit out, so I will tell them.

Once there has been a vote, up or down, on a judge - that's it. If the judge is confirmed, he or she is confirmed. That's the way the US democratic process is set up.

So Bill Frist is telling you to stop whining about the "liberal" judges who, according to your zealot leaders, "have been quietly working under the veil of the judiciary, like thieves in the night, to rob us of our Christian heritage and our religious freedoms."

Tough shit. There was a vote and those judges were confirmed - live with it.

Thanks Bill - you just stole the teeth from your backers on this issue and they didn't even notice. Probably neither did the Democrats. Slick.