Mike Levin: “how I wish we could take a week's worth of time to debate the issues which are of some critical importance to the people…”

“how I wish we could take a week's worth of time to debate the issues which are of some critical importance to the people of my State; namely, the loss of manufacturing jobs and the problems we have in Iraq. These issues, the economy in general, job loss in particular, and loss of our troops abroad dominate the minds and the hearts of my constituents. But the majority has the power to take the Senate on a fruitless cruise. That is what we are about: rehashing the merits and demerits of 4 of the 172 candidates who we have voted on in this Senate. I know these numbers are numbers which are very troubling to the majority. I can tell that by the fact they have attempted to come back with a whole bunch of other numbers. When this debate is over, when the dust is settled, what I think most people will remember, at least in terms of the calls to my office, is, Is this Senate being tied up, night after night, with complaints that 4 of 172 judges have not been confirmed. Mr. President, 168 is a number now which is impressed on the minds of people who have watched this debate and heard this debate. The number four is a number which people now understand. Maybe the 98 percent confirmation rate is not quite at the same level as these 2 numbers, but those numbers--168 of President Bush's nominees confirmed by this Senate, 4 have not been confirmed by this Senate--those 2 numbers are very much emblazoned in the minds of people across this country.”