Fight the REAL enemy

[popestpiusx]

Well said, Blazer!

[Anna]

I'll provide the list for you, but it'll just take me a little while. The Senators were broken down into color-coded categories, which don't transfer in color on this phorum...So I have to go down through all 100 of them and type in the category into which they were placed.

No need to shoot the messenger. I am simply trying to provide my thought process for not wanting move ahead hastily, thereby perhaps winning a battle but losing the war. My goal is overturn Roe. If we need Specter to come onboard to achieve that, then I don't want to alienate him from his party members at this point. You folks keep pointing to his past sins (and they are horrendous and numerous!) but you don't acknowledge the many times that Specter has sided with his party, such as the 100 nominees to the federal bench by Bush, all of which Specter has supported (as sited by JP2Iloveyou in another related thread).

For you, it's either black or white. He is either for us or against us. Sorry, it isn't that simple. In politics, there is much grey. There is compromising and deal making and negotiating, political favors and paybacks and a good ol' boy network that those who aren't insiders aren't privvy to. Bush, Cheney, and Santorum all campaigned for Specter, and I don't think they did that to have us shoot him down once they got him on their good side, so to speak.

Please stop the adnauseam 1980's Bork incident. I know already. I've looked up his Senate voting record, and I agree with you that he is a rat fink, ok. Nobody said we have to like the guy. We just have to get him to vote for the babies. Apparently Bush, Cheney, and Santorum believed he would. Do I know more than those three? Nope. Do you guys?

[Anna]

You're a good guesser, JP2Iloveyou! Yep, that questionable pro-lifer is Nevada Democrat, Harry Reid.
Check your private messages...

Pax Christi,
Anna <><

[Anna]

Here is the list, state by state, citing each Senator's pro-life stance based upon voting record. Political affiliation is in (parantheses) followed by their projected vote should a pro-life justice be nominated.

AL
Pro-life Jeff Sessions ® Definite Yes
Pro-life Richard Shelby ® Definite Yes

AK
Mixed Lisa Murkowski ® Maybe Yes
Mixed Ted Stevens ® Probably Yes

AZ
Pro-life Jon Kyl ® Definite Yes
Pro-life John McCain ® Definite Yes

AR
Mixed Mark Pryor (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Blanche Lincoln (D) Definite No


CA
Pro-Abortion Barbara Boxer (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Dianne Feinstein (D) Definite No


CO
Pro-life Wayne Allard ® Definite Yes
Pro-Abortion Ken Salazar (D) Definite No


CT
Pro-Abortion Christopher Dodd (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Joseph Lieberman (D)Definite No

DE
Pro-Abortion Joseph Biden (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Thomas Carper (D)Definite No


FL
Pro-life Mel Martinez ®Definite Yes

Pro-Abortion Bill Nelson (D)Definite No

GA
Pro-life Saxby Chambliss ®Definite Yes

Mixed Johnny Isakson ®Probably Yes

HI
Pro-Abortion Daniel Akaka (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Daniel Inouye (D)Definite No

ID
Pro-life Larry Craig ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Mike Crapo ®Definite Yes


IL
Pro-Abortion Richard Durbin (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Barack Obama (D)Definite No

IN
Pro-Abortion Evan Bayh (D) Definite No
Pro-life Richard Lugar ®Definite Yes


IA
Pro-life Chuck Grassley ® Definite Yes

Pro-Abortion Tom Harkin (D)Definite No


KS
Pro-life Sam Brownback ® Definite Yes

Pro-life Pat Roberts ®Definite Yes


KY
Pro-life Jim Bunning ® Definite Yes

Pro-life Mitch McConnell ®Definite Yes



LA
Pro-life John Vitter ® Definite Yes

Pro-Choice Mary Landrieu (D)Definite No

ME
Pro-Abortion Susan Collins ® Maybe Yes
Pro-Abortion Olympia Snowe ® Maybe Yes


MD
Pro-Abortion Barbara Mikulski (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Paul Sarbanes (D)Definite No


MA
Pro-Abortion Edward Kennedy (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion John Kerry (D)Definite No


MI
Pro-Abortion Carl Levin (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Debbie Stabenow (D)Definite No

MN
Pro-Abortion Mark Dayton (D)Definite No
Pro-life Norm Coleman ®Definite Yes


MS
Pro-life Thad Cochran ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Trent Lott ®Definite Yes


MO
Pro-life Christopher Bond ® Definite Yes

Pro-life Jim Talent ®Definite Yes


MT
Pro-Abortion Max Baucus (D) Definite No
Pro-life Conrad Burns ®Definite Yes

NE
Pro-life Charles Hagel ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Ben Nelson (D)Definite Yes



NV
Pro-life John Ensign ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Harry Reid (D) Definite No

NH
Pro-life Judd Gregg ®Definite Yes

Pro-life John E. Sununu ®Definite Yes


NJ
Pro-Abortion Jon Corzine (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Frank R. Lautenberg (D) Definite No

NM
Pro-Abortion Jeff Bingaman (D) Definite No
Pro-life Pete Domenici ®Definite Yes


NY
Pro-Abortion Hillary Clinton (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Charles Schumer (D) Definite No

NC
Pro-life Richard Burr ®Definite Yes

mixed? Elizabeth H. Dole ®Probably Yes

ND
Mixed-Choice Kent Conrad (D)Definite No

Mixed-Choice Byron Dorgan (D)Definite No

OH
Pro-life Mike DeWine ®Definite Yes

Pro-life George Voinovich ®Definite Yes


OK
Pro-life James Inhofe ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Tom Coburn ®Definite Yes


OR
Pro-life Gordon Smith ®Definite Yes

Pro-Abortion Ron Wyden (D) Definite No

PA
Pro-life Rick Santorum ®Definite Yes

Mixed Arlen Specter ®Maybe Yes

RI
Pro-Abortion Lincoln Chafee ® Definite No
Pro-Abortion Jack Reed (D) Definite No


SC
Pro-life Jim DeMint ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Lindsey Graham ®Definite Yes


SD
Pro-life John Thune ®Definite Yes

Mixed Tim Johnson (D)Definite No


TN
Pro-life William Frist ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Lamar Alexander ®Definite Yes


TX
Pro-life John Cornyn ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Kay Bailey Hutchison ®Definite Yes


UT
Pro-life Robert Bennett ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Orrin Hatch ®Definite Yes


VT
Pro-Abortion James Jeffords (I) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Patrick Leahy (D) Definite No

VA
Pro-life George Allen ®Definite Yes

Mixed John Warner ®Probably Yes
WA
Pro-Abortion Maria Cantwell (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Patty Murray (D) Definite No

WV
Mixed-Choice Robert Byrd (D)Definite No

Pro-Abortion John Rockefeller (D) Definite No

WI
Pro-Abortion Russell Feingold (D) Definite No
Pro-Abortion Herb Kohl (D) Definite No

WY
Pro-life Mike Enzi ®Definite Yes

Pro-life Craig Thomas ®Definite Yes


Totals:

Pro-life and will vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 47 Senators

Mixed and probably will vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 4 Senators

Mixed and may or may not vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 2 Senators

Mixed and will not vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 5 Senators

Pro-abortion and may or may not vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 2 Senators

Pro-abortion and will not vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 39 Senators

Pro-life and will not vote for pro-life Supreme Court nominees: 1 Senator

[toledo_jesus]

read in the news today that Sen. Specter has come out and said that he will apply no litmus test in regards to the pro-life judges, nor will he block them based on that...
according to CBS:

[i]However, on Thursday Specter refuted these remarks, saying, "Contrary to press accounts, I did not warn the president about anything and was very respectful of his constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges.

"As the record shows, I have supported every one of President Bush's nominees in the Judiciary Committee and on the Senate floor. I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue..." Specter added.[/i]

However, the concern appears to remain that he cannot be trusted with this responsibility based on his past...

[Anna]

[quote]And besides, it only takes 51 votes to approve a justice to the supreme court, or any other court. The 60 comes from the fact that it takes 60 votes to end debate, therefore, someone opposing a judge can fillibuster the nomination.[/quote] Perhaps I should've said that we need 60 votes for a fillibuster-proof confirmation.

[Anna]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Nov 8 2004, 03:44 PM'] read in the news today that Sen. Specter has come out and said that he will apply no litmus test in regards to the pro-life judges, nor will he block them based on that...
according to CBS:

[i]However, on Thursday Specter refuted these remarks, saying, "Contrary to press accounts, I did not warn the president about anything and was very respectful of his constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges.

"As the record shows, I have supported every one of President Bush's nominees in the Judiciary Committee and on the Senate floor. I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue..." Specter added.[/i]

However, the concern appears to remain that he cannot be trusted with this responsibility based on his past... [/quote]
[url="http://www.specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=661&Month=11&Year=2004"]Specter's website:[/url]
[color=green][b]November 4th, 2004

SPECTER COMMENTS ON THE JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION PROCESS

Washington, D.C. - Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) made the following comments today on the judicial confirmation process.

“Contrary to press accounts, I did not warn the President about anything and was very respectful of his Constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges.

“As the record shows, I have supported every one of President Bush’s nominees in the Judiciary Committee and on the Senate floor. I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue and, as the record shows, I have voted to confirm Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice O’Connor, and Justice Kennedy and led the fight to confirm Justice Thomas.

“I have already sponsored a protocol calling for a Judiciary Committee hearing within thirty days of a nomination, a vote out of Committee thirty days later, and floor action thirty days after that. I am committed to such prompt action by the Committee on all of President Bush’s nominees.

“In light of the repeated filibusters by the Democrats in the last Senate session, I am concerned about a potential repetition of such filibusters. I expect to work well with President Bush in the judicial confirmation process in the years ahead.” [/b][/color]

Please note that the reporter who broke the story of Specter's "warning" to President Bush, Lara Jakes Jordan, is herself a liberal political activist/reporter and is married to Jim Jordan, the former executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and manager of Sen. John Kerry's presidential bid. [url="http://209.157.64.200/focus/keyword?k=larajakesjordan"]She ambushed pro-life Senator Rick Santorum[/url] in an interview in April, 2003, which some media colleagues have called "a hatchet job."

Yet, everyone is taking Jordan's word for it, quoting her Associated Press article, and not even asking the guy who was being quoted, who states, in writing, to the American people on his own website, that his remarks are being misconstrued.

While Specter has no admirable pro-life record, he has sided with the pro-lifers more often than Lara Jakes Jordan! Why would she publish an article to assist pro-lifers now?

Edited November 8, 2004 by Anna

[Anna]

But on a brighter note!!!

As I understand it, (if I'm correct) with a 51% majority, the Republicans in the Senate could vote in January to change the rules on fillibustering, and bust the Democrat's tactic they use to block the nominees' confirmations.

Now, if they did that....

That would another whole different scenario...

Edited November 8, 2004 by Anna

[Pio Nono]

Anna, overall I agree with your assessment of the 100 Senators. I'd make these changes though.

Ken Salazar D-CO-maybe (he campaigned as a conservative democrat and received the backing of many Hispanics, many of whom are pro-life)
Joe Lieberman D-CT-maybe (he used to be pro-life before running for VP in 2000)
Thomas Carper D-DE-maybe (he actually is pretty moderate)
Bill Nelson-D-FL-probably (he supported such nominations as Miguel Estrada, William Pryor, Chip Pickering, and Debra Cook, I see no reason why he won't continue to do so)
Johnny Isackson-R-GA-defintie yes
Evan Bayh-D-IN-maybe (he's considering running for President in 2008 and will not want to have a record as someone who is a divider, he also has a reputation as a moderate)
Mary Landrieu-D-LA-probably no (Louisianna is trending more and more conservative and there are a boat load of Catholics there, she may be forced to take a more conservative position on some of these things)
Harry Reid-D-NV-maybe


The thing to remember here is that many senators do not vote for judiciary nominees based on partisan politics. Many vote based on qualifications. They may personally disagree with a nominee on key issues, but they may still vote to confirm that man/woman because he/she is qualified for the position. Take Bill Nelson of Florida for example. Sen. Nelson had many disagreements with the judges I spoke of above. However, he supported them because he feels the judiciary should not be politicized and he felt those judges were well qualified for the positions for which they were nominated. Estrada, for example, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School after not knowing a word of English at the age of 14. He clerked on the Supreme Court and argued many cases before the court. He clearly is an extraordinary legal mind. Therefore, Nelson supported him.

[JP2Iloveyou]

sorry, that last post was from me. I didn't log Pio Nono out of this computer. Sorry bro.

[Anna]

Thanks for those insights, Pio Nono.
As I said, I didn't create that list~ goodness, I wouldnt' know where to begin to do that!
So, the count looks even better for the pro-lifers, then?
Great!

So, how do you feel about the urgent petitions and requests to deny Specter the Chairmanship?

I'm looking to do the most wise, prudent thing that will help us overturn Roe.

Some say Specter must go; I say Roe must go. I dont' want to win a battle but lose the war.

[Anna]

[quote name='JP2Iloveyou' date='Nov 8 2004, 04:58 PM'] sorry, that last post was from me. I didn't log Pio Nono out of this computer. Sorry bro. [/quote]
oops!
That's ok!
The person who made the list in the first place also suggested some possible changes.
Here is what he said:
[color=green]I once had him (Specter) as Mixed because of some of his votes, but in reality he is more pro-abortion than "Mixed".
I once had Senator Biden and Senator Landrieu as "Mixed" and changed them too.
Senator Pryor of AR thinks he is pro-life, but he is "Mixed" at best.
Senators Dorgan and Conrad of ND should be moved to "pro-abortion" because they are pro-abortion. However, because of the state they live in, they have to ACT like they are "Mixed".

This is not an exact science.

Senator Murkowski of Alaska is not sure what she is because her state is very Republican. [/color]

[JP2Iloveyou]

yeah, Alaska is weird. I get the impression they are more libertarian than anything up there. I think Murkowski will support the President. The Wild Card in all of this though is Don Nickles. As many of you may know, Nickles retired this year from the Senate. He was the majority whip and he was very good at making sure everyone was on board with the team. Whoever becomes whip next will need to do as good a job as Nickles did. My prediction is Santorum becomes whip and if Specter owes anyone in the Senate is it Santorum.

[Good Friday]

The Priests for Life issued a statement. It isn't on their website yet, but I got it via e-mail from their mailing list and posted it on my blog. You can view it [url="http://nnelson.blogspot.com/2004/11/more-on-specter.html"]here[/url]. They're backing the effort to keep Specter from chairmanship of the committee, and they included the National Right to Life action alert in their e-mail.

When National Right to Life is opposing Specter, and when the Priests for Life are opposing Specter, when he has said that Roe v. Wade is "inviolate" and when he has held 90% ratings from NARAL and 0% ratings from National Right to Life, it seems to me that some people with good intentions are on the wrong side of this and need to reconsider. And that's the last thing I have to say about this.

[Anna]

Thanks, Nathan, I appreciate that, because he hasn't answered my personal email yet, and I'd checked his website previously and found no mention of it.

Just got finished listening to Sean Hannity Live, who interviewed Arlen Specter, followed by an interview with Robert Bork. It, too, was quite informative. I think you can listen to it archived by tomorrow.