Over 250 protesters gathered Wednesday in front of the Federal Building downtown to participate in one of the more than 180 rallies nationwide to demonstrate public opposition to the nuclear option.
Dubbed the nuclear option by Democrats, the Republicans' threat to restrict the Senate's right to filibuster judicial nominees would reduce the number of Senate votes required to end discussion of a nominee from 60 to 51.
Downtown, people of all ages held up signs that said "KEEP OUT - Right Wing Judges" and chanted, "Save our courts" and "Don't give up the fight; our courts, our rights."
More than 1,000 Texans registered to participate in the Rallies to Stop the Judicial Takeover, sponsored by MoveOn Political Action Committee..
"It is very important that so many regular people and so many Texans especially have come out to show opposition to the nuclear option," said Rebecca Anderson, assistant director of People For the American Way. "Texans from Denton to Brownsville have come out to tell [state Sens.] John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison we will not tolerate the radical right's plot to intimidate judges, dissimilate the independent jury and seize unbridled control."
Senate Republicans created the nuclear option in an effort to ensure that all judicial nominees receive an up-and-down vote. Both Republican senators support the nuclear option. Both parties are receiving pressure from their respective interest groups to keep their stance on the issue.
"We are holding this as a last option if Democrats continue to filibuster Bush's judicial nominees," said Don Stewart, spokesman for Cornyn.
Opponents argue that the elimination of the filibuster will lead to an imbalance in the government.
"The filibuster forces both extremely liberal and extremely conservative sides to meet in the middle," said Sharon Rush, MoveOn location coordinator.
Protesters at the Federal Building included college students from across the country, environmentalist groups and members of Austin religious congregations that hold that "the filibuster stops right-wing judges from being approved, so we don't have religiously biased judges," said 10-year-old Glaen Herz, who protested alongside his mother and older brother, Ansel.
"I think the minority needs to be protected," said high school senior Ansel Herz, who will attend UT-Austin this summer. "The filibuster needs to be protected."
A majority of protesters called for moderation rather than an extreme decision.
"If you look at the history of judicial nominations, there traditionally is a compromise," said Zane Rockenbaugh, MoveOn media coordinator. "The idea that you can only have an up-and-down vote is completely radical."
Stewart referred to a 1995 Senate proposal to end all filibusters. Nine Democrats that are currently in the Senate supported the proposal, "but now that we're concerned about judicial nominees, they refuse to support it," he said. "I think it's a partisan issue ... There are special interest groups that are heavily interested in blocking these nominees."
Rockenbaugh said Repub-licans are trying to change rules to suit their interests. He said that during the Clinton administration, Republicans blocked 20 percent of the judicial nominations, while Democrats during the Bush administration have blocked 5 percent.
"You shouldn't change the rules when they don't suit you," said Elizabeth Cornell, a rally participant. "That's just not right."
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