Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is taking to the floor at this moment to offer Democrats a compromise in the battle over the president’s judicial nominees. Under the terms of the compromise, which Frist calls a “fair deal” on nominations, Democrats would give up their filibusters and Republicans, in turn would offer:
a) Guaranteed up-or-down votes on nominations for Circuit Courts of Appeals and Supreme Court nominees.
b) Guaranteed debate time of up to 100 hours for those nominees.
c) Guaranteed reporting of nominees from the Senate Judiciary Committee to the Senate floor.
d) Guaranteed protection of the legislative filibuster.
Republicans say the deal would address the grievances of both parties in the last decade, that is, that nominees of both parties were not allowed up-or-down votes on the Senate floor. But Democrats are sure to reject the offer unless it were accompanied by a GOP offer to withdraw some or all of the president’s currently filibustered nominees, and Republican sources tell National Review that Frist will not give any ground on any of those current nominees.