The Price Of Liberty Is Eternal Vigilance

So who won? Was the filibuster fight won? The filibuster was preserved, but at the cost of a promise not to use it except in extraordinary circumstances? And what happens to the outrageous nominees of Emperor Bush? A few of them were guaranteed up-and-down votes. But none of them have been eliminated. Frist insisted that the nuclear option, which the Republicans have named in Orwellian-Rovian manner, the “constitutional” option, remains on the table, to be reactivated if HE deems the filibuster to be abused. And, Frist reminded everyone that he had not been party to the agreement. In other words, he doesn’t consider himself bound by its terms. Sounds to me that Frist raised the ante, threatening to illegally do away with the right of debate, and won the concession of allowing several extremist judges to be seated and the right to filibuster has been retained only under severely limited circumstances…