Don't Let Frist Eliminate the Filibuster!

Our ability to save the Supreme Court from President Bush could hang in the balance...

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) is hatching a plan to allow President Bush to pack the courts with extremist judges. Frist wants to take away pro-choice Democrats’ most powerful line of defense against extremist judges: the filibuster.

Called the "nuclear option" because of the explosive consequences it would have in the Senate – Frist’s plan would allow anti-choice Republican leaders to change Senate rules to prevent the filibuster of judicial nominees.

During President Bush’s first term, senators used the filibuster carefully and selectively. The Senate confirmed more than 200 of President Bush’s judicial nominees to lifetime appointments, and used the filibuster to block only 10 of his most controversial nominees. Clearly, this is not a Senate rule that is being abused.

If you value balance and moderation on our courts, and believe the Senate should carefully review judges who are being considered for lifetime appointments, then you need to take action to stop Senator Frist today!

UPDATE: The nuclear option disaster has been avoided, but the fight for fair and independent judges is getting even more intense. On May 23, a bipartisan group of senators reached an agreement that takes the nuclear option off the table but allows for simple majority votes on three of President Bush's absolute worst nominees: William Pryor, Priscilla Owen, and Janice Rogers Brown. Unfortunately, the Senate confirmed Priscilla Owen by a vote of 56-43 on May 25.

Dear [your Senator],

I am writing to ask you to oppose any changes to Senate rules to prevent the filibuster of judicial nominees.

It's critical that the Senate independently review each judicial nominee and take into account each nominee's record, ideological views, and knowledge of the law. Short-cutting Senate debate on lifetime appointments to the federal court is inappropriate and dangerous.

Sincerely,

[your name]

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