Surprise! Obama doesn't ask Big Jim's advice

Big Jim Sensenbrenner is unhappy that (a) Louis Butler has been nominated for a federal judgeship and (b) even more importantly, that Sensenbrenner wasn't consulted. Sniffs Jimbo:

"The fact of the matter is that Mr. Butler lost a state-wide election, held by the people of Wisconsin, to continue serving on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court," Sensenbrenner said. "Now, the man who was voted off the bench in Wisconsin is being given a promotion, a lifetime appointment and a pay raise."

Speaking of elections, we had one for President last year and Sensenbrenner's guy lost. We also had one awhile back in which Democrats took over the House. All of that helps explain why Big Jim, former House Judiciary chair and friend of the Bush White House, is out of the loop these days.

And, speaking further of elections, we find that Louis Butler received 402,798 votes from the citizens of Wisconsin last time he ran. Jim Sensenbrenner got 47,144.

Illusory Tenant has little patience for his whining:

Neither your advice nor your consent are required, Congressman. So why should they even be solicited. When the Sarah Palin/Sean Hannity ticket triumphs, then you can nominate Michael Gableman.

And Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now asks:

"Where was Sensenbrenner's outrage when George Bush made John Ashcroft the Attorney General immediately after Ashcroft lost a statewide election to someone who had died?"

Good question.

Sensenbrenner boo hoos; Who cares?

Long time no post.

F. Jim Sensenbrenner seems irrelevant these days.

In fact, that's what prompts this post. He doesn't want to be treated like he doesn't matter, even if he doesn't.

Now that there is a Democrat in the White House the Democrats control both houses of Congress, and both of Wisconsin's U.S. Senators are Democrats, no one is consulting Sensenbrenner -- who used to be in the loop when there was a Republican president -- about federal judicial appointments.

And why should they? They are playing by the rules, which say:

According to the (federal nomination) commission's charter, the senators each appoint four members to the body when they belong to the same party as the president.

F. Jim boo hoos.

Who cares?