What should the Dems do about judges if we win in 2004?

Assume, at minimum, Democratic control of the White House and the Senate in 2005. Once again it's our turn to nominate judges to fill these openings.

We know, from experience, that the Republicans are sore losers with no sense of restraint. Given the provocation, they'll filibuster every single judicial nominee a Democratic president makes. Heaven help the soul nominated for a Supreme Court seat.

Once the Dems are in charge again, we're going to have to stop this sequence of rabid partisanship if we ever want to return to the days when government could actually function. But we don't want to give concessions to the GOP minority that they wouldn't give us, right?

So the question is: what should we do to restore civility to government once we're back in power?

like Steven Bryer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Paul Stephens, and David Souter.

Some were Dem appointees. Some were Republican appointees.

I'm opposed to ideologues on either side of the spectrum. Judges are supoosed to take an unbiased view of the cases. IMO this ability may be compromised if a judge holds strongly to any set of ideological principles.

protecting the ideal of the Constitution.

in Bush v Gore Sandra Day O'Connor has been a pretty decent judge.

I belive she's the only person on the bench who has actually been a legislator.

That should cool some jets.

Clinton started off being civil, and look what it got him. Democrats have been "civil" for the past few years, and look where it has gotten us as a party. There's no room for civility when you are dealing with people who are convinced that they are right and will do anything possible (steal elections, try and impeach a president against the will of 80+ percent of the nation, recall a governor who was recently elected, etc...). These people are not civil, and they do not listen to logic. We need more firebrands like Dean (or even Pete Stark:) who will do what it takes to make progress with the democratic agenda. I'm sorry to say it, but I think that "Civility is dead, and Newt has killed it" (to cop a little Nietzche) and we have to approach politics now as such IMHO:)

Stop, you are right. Playing fair and nice with the repukes only gets you beaten.

Politically, trying to appeal to the less-than-10% in the middle by being repug-lites has obviously not worked. IMO, it would be more efficient and successful to "fire up the base" and get the millions of disenchanted libs back to the polls. We would be fighting on our terms and for our causes and possibly ring truer than imitating the dark side.

for Supreme Court.

That is the least we can do to repay the repukes for all of their shit.

John Paul Stephens who was put there by Gerald Ford and David Souter who was put there by Bush 1.

I am a Bill of Rights absolutist and want to see them upheld.