MoveOn To Blitz Papers.

With letters to the editors about the filibuster.

HT Michelle Malkin. Most of these notes seem to be based on the silly idea that the filibuster is a check and balance.

Michelle posts a set of published letters based on MoveOn's talking points. There is one common misconception to all of them.

This paragraph (or at least it is very similar) is in every letter:

Ultimately, however, this is not a partisan issue. It is about supporting checks and balances and opposing absolute power in the hands of one party. Good government should be for all the people. Compromise is key. That, quite simply, is the American way.

The filibuster is NOT a check and balance. It is a result of senate rules which the constitution does NOT dictate but the senate determines those rules. Compromise is a two way street there MoveOn.

For a group that supposedly loves checks and balances on government power you guys get pretty worked up when the legislative and executive branches talk about checking the judiciary. In the Federal Papers the concern of a runaway judiciary is dismissed. As wise as these guys were they were wrong on that score.

Update:

1. 9:12 am 4/19/2005
See an earlier blog o' mine with some specifics on the filibuster.