CRISIS IN THE COURTS! ©

President Bush blames the Democrats for blocking his judicial appointments. He claims “courtrooms sit empty.” He states the cause is clear; Democrats in the Senate refuse an up-or-down vote on his nominees. Mr. Bush maintains this is causing a crisis in our courts. While there is much evidence to the contrary, it is true; there is calamity, though not in the courts per se.

Bush and his Billionaires Boys and Girls Club state that the problem is the Senate, or at least the Democrats within the Senate. Congressional Conservatives, Chief Executives Officers, Corporate bigwigs, loaded Libertarians, and those that want–to-be believe that the President’s appointees deserve approval regardless of their positions and papers.

There are those that believe the catastrophe is President Bush wants to stack the courts. It seems that George W. is asking the Senate to rubber stamp any, and all nominees.

Some think the problem is the potential filibuster,or maybe it is the nuclear option.

While I could offer a delightful analysis, I might state that in less than two years, judicial vacancies were reduced from 12.8 percent to 5.7 percent, the lowest they have been in the last two decades, I will let that stand as is. I may well talk of the 165 George W. Bush appointees that have been confirmed, or I could speak to, what for me, is the real issue; of the 46 federal judgeships that remain vacant, President Bush has only named 16 replacements! Thus, I ask, who is the obstructionist; who is the cause of our current crisis?