On the Senate deal concerning filibusters and judicial nominations:

I read a summary of the deal, signed by seven Democrats and seven Republicans, at HughHewitt.com. As I read it, the Democrats agree to “let” the Senate vote on three judicial nominees that have been blocked, and the Republicans agree not to change the Senate rules to prohibit filibusters of judicial nominees in this Congress. So the Republicans can’t get all their nominees voted on, and they can’t stop the Democrats from filibustering a possible Supreme Court nominee should a vacancy come up. And the Democrats can’t stop Janice Roges Brown, Priscilla Owens, and William Pryor from becoming judges.

Question #1: Why don’t the Republicans let the Democrats actually filibuster? I mean filibuster like in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I don’t understand why the Dems are allowed to threaten filibuster and get whatever they want. Let them do it. I think they’d get tired, and the country would get tired of watching them block the business of Congress for no discernable reason. I think everyone would be ready to move on after about a week, and Congress would be unable to do anything to us in the meantime.

Question #2: Do most people know or care about this whole mess? I care because I care who becomes a U.S. judge. I think the courts have been leading this country in the wrong direction for quite a while, and I’m ready for judges who will interpret the actual Constitution instead of writing a virtual new Constitution of the (liberal) mind. However, I’m betting that most people just have too much of a life to worry about filibusters and compromises.

Question #3: Why are the Republicans so scared to stand up to the Democrats? Or do we have seven or eight RINOS who don’t really want conservative judges in the first place but can’t admit it for political reasons? I just don’t see what is so explosive about the “nuclear option.” What would they be blowing up? The tradition of the Senate is not to filibuster judicial nominees. So nobody would be changing tradition, only putting it into the rules. Where are the senators who qualify for JFK’s Profiles in Courage? Absent.