SURRENDER IN OUR TIME: To paraphrase the old line about the restored Bourbon monarchy in post-Napoleonic France, the Spineless Seven Sellouts, those Democrats who made the "compromise" not to filibuster Bush's most outrageous judicial appointees (so far!), have earned nothing and begotten nothing. They throw in the towel, and the Republicans don't vote to abolish the filibuster. But if the Democrats give up like this, then the issue of abolishing the filibuster never reaches the floor, so the Republicans give up nothing at all.

Furthermore, they reserve the right to back out if the Democrats ever do filibuster in any but "extraordinary circumstances". If the radical reactionary and theocratic records of these repulsive nominees are not extraordinary, then who could Bush possibly appoint that would look that way to these seven jellyfish? Pat Robinson? David Duke? There is nothing whatsoever that would prevent the seven Republican signers from denying that even those nominees constituted "extraordinary circumstances", and therefore going right ahead with the "nuclear option" again.

It is no comfort that the fanatics of the far right are throwing fits of their own denouncing the Republicans (but it is fun to watch; you can find several examples linked at DailyKos). Let us remember the names of these appeasers, which will live in infamy:

Robert C. Byrd D-West Virginia
Daniel Inouye D-Hawaii
Mary Landrieu D-Louisiana
Joseph Lieberman D-Connecticut
Ben Nelson D-Nebraska
Mark Pryor D-Arkansas
Ken Salazar D-Colorado

--PBU21