Sen. Robert Byrd, who has been an eloquent champion of reserve and reflection in recent years while the neocons have hijacked our national government, spoke out today powerfully against the Nuclear Option, a tactic proposed by Sen. Bill Frist and (tacitly) supported by the White House that would lay the groundwork for appointing the next Supreme Court Justice by a bare majority.

"For the temporary gain of a hand-full of “out of the mainstream” judges, some in the Senate are ready to callously incinerate each Senator’s right of extended debate. Note that I said each Senator. For the damage will devastate not just the minority party. It will cripple the ability of each member to do what each was sent here to do – – represent the people of his or her state. Without the filibuster or the threat of extended debate, there exists no leverage with which to bargain for the offering of an amendment. All force to effect compromise between the two political parties is lost. Demands for hearings can languish. The President can simply rule, almost by Executive Order if his party controls both houses of Congress, and Majority Rule reins supreme. In such a world, the Minority is crushed; the power of dissenting views diminished; and freedom of speech attenuated. The uniquely American concept of the independent individual, asserting his or her own views, proclaiming personal dignity through the courage of free speech will, forever, have been blighted. And the American spirit, that stubborn, feisty, contrarian, and glorious urge to loudly disagree, and proclaim, despite all opposition, what is honest and true, will be sorely manacled."

> Read the rest of his speech
> People for the American Way and the Alliance for Justice have lots more info on the Nuclear Option