Republicans not the only ones to stampede over Checks and Balances

This will come as no surprise to anyone but the Republicans' attempt to do away with the Senate judicial filibuster is just another evolution in a long, drawn-out game of political one-upsmanship. If anyone ever thought the Democrats never tried anything like this, think again. The latest issue of Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article on FDR's attempt to stack the Supreme Court with liberal judges in order to pass his progressive New Deal policies. Now, you can argue whether Roosevelt's strategy to prevent his liberal policies from being overruled and dying on the vine was right or wrong, but it still was an attempt to bypass consitutional checks and balances in order to consolidate his party's power.

Speaking of stampeding over checks and balances, here is a great little ad on MoveOnPac.org.