Christian Conservatives Rally Against Judicial Filibusters
''Without doubt, this will be the most important vote cast in the United States Senate in this term. We must stop this unprecedented filibuster of people of faith''
The heat has been rising in Washington with Democrats pledging to filibuster most – if not all – Bush's re-appointed judicial nominees, and Republicans pledging to counter with an attack against the two-century old filibustering tactic. Key Christian conservative leaders have also taken up judicial nomination as their number one issue of concern and have backed the Republicans’ so-called “nuclear option” means to block the endless filibustering of the potential federal judges.
A filibuster is an attempt to block a bill or nomination by “talking it to death,” according to USA Today. Filibusters can only occur in the Senate where rules require a 60 out of 100 vote to end debate on an issue and move it to a vote. Therefore, in order to pass a law or nominee through the Senate, the majority party has to pick up bi-partisan support.
The filibustering tactic has been used for nearly 200 years as a last-minute resort for the minority party. Today, Democratic filibusters are being used to prevent the Republican-controlled Senate from confirming most of Bush’s judicial nominees.
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The Republican majority meanwhile is planning to launch a counter attack that would ban the use of filibusters against judicial nominees. This change in rules have been referred to as “the nuclear option” by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid among others who have threatened to shut down the Senate business if Republicans invoke it.
Meanwhile, with the future of America’s political landscape at stake, a band of the most influential Christian conservative leaders have planned for the “Justice Sunday-Stopping the Filibuster Against People of Faith” simulcast.
"Our goal is to reach as many people as possible and to engage values voters in the all-important issue of reining in our out-of-control courts and putting a halt to the use of filibusters against people of faith," said Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council.
Other key players leading the simulcast will be Dr. James Dobson, Founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family, Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Chuck Colson, President of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
The event will be broadcast live from the Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, KY on Sunday April 24 at 7 p.m. EST.
In a press release about the event, Perkins explained why the judicial appointments are key in determining the future of the American people.
"For years activist courts, aided by liberal interest groups like the ACLU, 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,” Perkins wrote. “Federal judges have systematically grabbed power, usurping the constitutional authority that resides in the other two branches of government and, ultimately, in the American people."
Saying that “a radical minority” has launched an “unprecedented filibuster” against Bush-appointed judicial candidates, Perkins urged “every values voter” to help Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) back the nuclear option.
“Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee is committed to returning constitutional order to the Senate by requiring an up-or-down vote on these nominees as the Senate has always had in the past. To do this, he urgently needs the help of every values voter,” Perkins wrote.
“Without doubt, this will be the most important vote cast in the United States Senate in this term,” he continued. “We must stop this unprecedented filibuster of people of faith.”
That statement was echoed by Senator Frist, who will also take part at the “Justice Sunday” event.
"If I must act to bring fairness back to the judicial nomination process," Frist said in a statement Tuesday, "I will not act in any way to impact the rights of colleagues when it comes to legislation."
Meanwhile, today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will decide on whether to give two Bush-appointed judicial nominees a chance for an up-or-down vote.
The two nominees, Janice Rogers Brown and Patricia Owen, were among the ten nominated by Bush last year but blocked by Democrats. They are also among the seven same candidates as last year who have been re-nominated by Bush.
In an email sent out to supporters Wednesday, Perkins urged conservatives to contact Senators to “let them know you and all fair-minded Americans need them to be present tomorrow for this vital vote.”
For more information on Justice Sunday visit: www.frc.org
