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'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed

By Jeralyn, Section Judiciary
Posted on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 11:20:09 AM EST
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When it suited its own purposes, the Family Research Council had no trouble urging use of the filibuster. People for the American Way (PFAW) reports (received by e-mail):

The Family Research Council is demanding that Senate Republicans override Senate rules in order to ban filibusters against judicial nominees – and has made false and inflammatory charges that the filibuster is being used to keep people of faith – and specifically Christians – off the courts. But several years ago, a senior Family Research Council official defended a Senate filibuster against gay ambassadorial nominee James Hormel, who was viciously attacked by radical right groups.

PFAW writes that in 1998, then-Senior FRC Writer and Analyst Steven Schwalm, appearedg on NPR’s Talk of the Nation and had this to say about the filibuster against James Hormel, President’s Clinton’s ambassadorial nominee:

...the Senate is a -- is not a majoritarian institution like the House of Representatives is. It is a deliberative body and it's got a number of checks and balances built into our government. This is one of those checks, in which a majority cannot just sheerly force its will, even if they have a majority of votes in some cases, that's why there are things like filibusters and other things that give minorities in the Senate some power to slow things up, to hold things up, and let things be aired properly.

People for the American Way will air a new ad tomorrow, opposing Justice Sunday. You can view it here.

It is imperative that we protect the independence and integrity of our courts. Don't allow them to be hijacked by the radical right. Protect the filibuster and our system of checks and balances.

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    'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed | 14 comments (14 topical)
    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#1)
    by TomK on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 12:11:10 PM EST
    Hypocrites in the religious right? Who'd of thunk it. For all their talk of the evils of relativism, there is a certain type of relativism on which the religious right thrives. See, whether or not one is a good or bad person is relative to these religious loonies. Since being 'good' in an absolute sense would involve doing lots of good things and loving even those who harm them, no matter what they do, this is unacceptable to the religious right. So, by demonizing a lot of people, like single moms, drug users, etc, these people can feel like they are good because, relative to the people the preacher preaches against, they are better then those people. It's sickening. And no one cares. No one will ever care.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#2)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 12:44:05 PM EST
    They call it "Christian Law"

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 12:49:05 PM EST
    These people are claiming they are being attacked by the "war on faith." They are being "robbed of their Christian heritage." They despise man made laws and the whole system of checks and balances, seeing it as an affront against God. It is no coincidence the old "lynching belt" is now the "Bible Belt." Justice Sunday is being hosted by Louisville Kentucky.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 01:38:53 PM EST
    Do I need to dredge up the anti-filibuster speeches of Byrd, Kennedy (et. al.) from the 90's, or can you Google all by yourself? How hard is it for TL to realize that - left or right - it's mostly a matter of who's ox is being gored at a particular point in time?

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 02:36:33 PM EST
    J.R. Was God brought into it?

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#6)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 03:01:33 PM EST
    J.R., So much for moral clarity, then, eh?

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#7)
    by cp on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 03:02:24 PM EST
    as i recall, hormel's appointment as ambassador would have signaled the beginning of the "end times", according to those with the "correct" christian beliefs. god has only just recently entered into the political fray. certainly not what jefferson and the boys had in mind. for the very reasons we're now seeing.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#8)
    by marty on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 03:29:40 PM EST
    "How hard is it for TL to realize that - left or right - it's mostly a matter of who's ox is being gored at a particular point in time?" Uhhh......how hard is it for you Bushies to recall that the whole rationale for Shrub and his gang is that they DO NOT adopt the "whoeveer's ox is gored" line of thought! Have you forgotten that W and the gang have "rock-solid" principles that they go by, regardless of changing circumstances? That they "stand strong by their beliefs" when others bend to political pressures? How hard is it for you to recognize HYPOCRISY????

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 03:32:59 PM EST
    Dr. Frist, Senator doesn't know that the tears of the dying AIDS patient won't give him AIDS. He doesn't want the public to know that, either. He also diagnoses PVS cerebral hemorrhage cases over the Internet, which is a handy bit of second income, if you don't count his Family 'Research' Council witchhunting fees. But he's not sure that if looking at AIDS patients on a monitor can transmit AIDS, so if you've got the AIDS, you have to go see Dr. Jesus, if he ever comes back to his office. Long lunch breaks, the bane of every 'Greatest Political Theorist' Bush knows. Science is hard work; especially when it is pretending to be religion.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#10)
    by aw on Sat Apr 23, 2005 at 08:50:48 PM EST
    Do I need to dredge up the anti-filibuster speeches of Byrd, Kennedy (et. al.) from the 90's, or can you Google all by yourself? How hard is it for TL to realize that - left or right - it's mostly a matter of who's ox is being gored at a particular point in time? Do I need to dredge up the fact that the Democrats did not try to change the rules and end the filibuster?

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 24, 2005 at 10:18:30 AM EST
    I think AW nailed it. The filibuster is a longstanding tool that has been used occasionally, usually as a last ditch measure, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, but it does not need to be removed from the toolbox. Like many things in Senate work, it drags the process out, but the Senate is a deliberative body, not an efficient machine. If you like efficient govt, you would have loved the fascists. Famous for making the trains run on time, but a little short on self-restraint.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 24, 2005 at 02:57:31 PM EST
    So they like the filibuster, but only when it's used against gays, liberals or whatever other group is the target of their ire. That would be hilarious if it wasn't scary. Remember what John McCain has warned them about--that Republicans won't always be in the majority? I think this signals (unless Frist is just stupid) that the Republicans don't ever intend to let go of power. Think about it: the K street project, rigging the Senate, redistricting...all designed to secure permanency. I think it's time for "regime change," so to speak, before things get any worse.

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 24, 2005 at 10:09:11 PM EST
    The Repubs act like they will never have to eventually relinguish power to the Dems. Imagine the whining and gnashing that'll go on when they find themselves in the position of the minority party and become the victims of their own heavy-handed rules! Or, in language they will understand: "by whatsoever measure ye judge a man, by that same measure will ye be judged."

    Re: 'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Apr 25, 2005 at 10:36:18 AM EST
    You people are funny and obviously aren't familiar with what a filibuster is much less how it is supposed to be used. :biggrin: I bet you think you are educated as well, don't you? If I were you, I wouldn't admit any credentials, based on your posts. This is too much. ROTFLMAO!

    'Justice Sunday' Hypocrisy Revealed | 14 comments (14 topical)