Shorter Schumer: "January 20th, 2009, is here". From Politico:

New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a powerful member of the Democratic leadership, said Friday the Senate should not confirm another U.S. Supreme Court nominee under President Bush “except in extraordinary circumstances.” “We should reverse the presumption of confirmation,” Schumer told the American Constitution Society convention in Washington. “The Supreme Court is dangerously out of balance. We cannot afford to see Justice Stevens replaced by another Roberts, or Justice Ginsburg by another Alito.”

A very timely reminder to an Imperial White House run amok about the powers of Congress, one would think; and one would be right in thinking so. The republican minority in Congress and their discredited figurehead in the White House have already obstructed as much as they could of the Democratic agenda the voters endorsed in November; fine, Democrats control the committees, and 'advise and consent' doesn't mean 'a free pass for every rightwing ideologue that comes down the turnpike'. There's a showdown happening between the White House and Congress, the Imperial Unitary Executive and the People's House. It's time for Congress to go on the offensive, and use all means at its disposal to block the Bush agenda. Bravo, Senator.