Chairman Chuck Grassley and the rest of the committee’s Republicans sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying they will not hold hearings on a nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia until the next president takes office in January. Scalia died on Feb. 13.
McConnell afterward said the Republican-led Senate, which must confirm any nominee, will refuse to consider any Obama selection to replace Scalia. McConnell said he was not inclined even to meet with whomever Obama picks.…Raw Story
Senate Republicans vow to preemptively block any Supreme Court nominee from Obama
Reuters
The GOP powers that be have handed President Obama and the Democrats an opportunity to turn this on them politically. It's a move to harden the base, but the Democrats will use it to nudge the center toward them.
Unfortunately, the courts have become hopelessly politicized and the Constitution should be amended to reflect this by limited terms for judges and justices who should stand periodically in elections like other political officials.
See also
McConnell's desire to preempt any Obama nominee is motivated by the fear that, when confronted by a nominee, his GOP colleagues will confront a Catch-22 in which, regardless of what they say or do, the GOP's prospects for maintaining control of the Senate in 2017 will be worsened.VOX
The game theory behind Mitch McConnell's Supreme Court strategy
John Patty and Tom Clark
Block away. Other than elites in the media, no one gives a shit if there's no nominee until after the election. "Borking" the process is just giving Democrats a taste of their own medicine.
ReplyDeleteWell, at minimum it energizes both bases.
ReplyDeleteNot only will Democrats be much more energized — the GOP already is But also a lot of progressives that say they would never vote for HRC if she is the nominee will be rethinking that, for example.
A justice gets to shape US law for decades and Ruth Bader Ginsberg will probably open up another SCOTUS seat for the next POTUS to appoint, too. In a way this is what the election is all about.
Trump has already said that he will appoint someone to the right of Scalia.
If Obama is politically savvy, he will nominate someone who is extremely liberal, bordering on progressive.
This will make the election a real choice.
In part I agree with you, but I think blocking the nominee will also help bring the splintered GOP together if Trump gets the nomination. Then the stonewalling will end up being a wash electorally speaking. Either way, if Trump and Hillary are the nominees, I fully expect a landslide win for Trump.
ReplyDelete