Yeah, what a shame it would be if presidents weren't allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as they invoked national security. You're a true libertarian.
Yeah, what a shame it would be if presidents weren't allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as they invoked national security. You're a true libertarian.
Hope is the denial of reality
After the way the GOP acted when Scalia died, keeping the Court down a justice for over a year waiting for the next election? Yes. The Senate Judiciary chair shot down the very nominee he himself had specifically recommended as an ideal candidate in order to keep waiting and waiting and waiting. The GOP made this bed. Increasing the size of the court (again) would actually be less disruptive to our judicial processes and system than forcing it down to 8 members for one or more terms the way the GOP did and the Dems now plan to do.
But that's exactly what the GOP did do to get Gorusch. There isn't something magical by which increasing the size of the court is bad while keeping seats empty until your side can full them is ok. It's the same damn thing, playing with the courts' numbers and structure for temporary partisan advantage.
Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"
No, it really isn't. The GOP could just as easily have had the vote and voted not, advise and consent != rubber stamp the president. And again - do you think trying to pack the court is a good thing or not? Honest to goodness if Trump got elected and in 2017 said "hey I'm going to pack the court and add 9 more justices" you would have been the first person breathing fire. Even if you believe not voting on Garland was wrong, two wrongs wouldn't make it right.
It's interesting how Mr. Retribution is now suddenly all "two wrongs don't make a right". We all know when two wrongs can arguably make a right under popular ethical frameworks, eg. when the second wrong is used as a remedy & reparation, as righteous punishment, as a deterrent etc. This view is ingrained into all our psyches, no matter what culture shaped our views.
Altering the number of justices on SCOTUS is one legal way to remedy the impact of the questionable appointment of Gorsuch, while punishing McConnell and the GOP for their outrageous behavior and deterring further such antics by clearly signaling that there will be retaliation for such corrosive politicking. Obviously there can be unintended outcomes--things might spiral out of control and you could end up with a ludicrously large court--but to say that it is an illegitimate and wrong course of action is incorrect. Everyone in the US would know how things went down, GOP senators best of all.
As for the argument that "The GOP could just as easily have had the vote and voted not", that's certainly true, but the crucial point is that the GOP did not even have a vote, let alone give him a hearing. They could've had a hearing and then voted no. That would've been more fair, more in line with established norms and much less harmful to the culture of the Senate. In this matter, the GOP refused to fulfill its duty even to advise.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
This explains a lot. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/06/2...etirement.html
Hope is the denial of reality
Sounds like a waste of time. Having a hearing only to know the vote is a foregone conclusion is silly.
The senate is under *no* obligation to confirm presidential court appointees. If one party has the executive and one party has the legislature than they should try to comprise but if the election is coming up? They can wait.
You mean like years of Benghazi hearings?
Hope is the denial of reality
The biggest beef with Benghazi was the ridiculous attempt to paint the attack as a spur of the moment reaction to the book burning. The fact that he asked for additional security and didn't receive it is a clear failure but doesn't really necessitate a long investigation, it should have been wrapped up quickly with a "yeah Obama fucked up, oh Hillary is a liar but nothing illegal was done here, just gross incompetence."
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
Fission accomplished.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
Gary Segura absolutely rips the shit out of the New York Times
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.d646c65a265c
Calling this was like saying the sun is going to rise in the morning, but the rumblings have started.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Twitter Link
The strength of American institutions will prevent the rise of a culture of official impunity.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...79192604139520
This is actually pretty hilarious.
Except they didn't! The Republicans had a senate majority, it would perfectly be in their rights to vote down every single one of Obama's nominees. Just like if the Democrats win the senate at the midterms will be *exactly* what the left will demand if there is another vacancy.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
You saying it, doesn't make it so. In order for their to become a new Supreme Court Justice the President nominates and the Senate must consent. If the senate doesn't consent, the President has to come up with someone else. It isn't like the Democratic controlled senate never blocked other justices from being confirmed to lower courts.
GOP senators illegitimately withheld consent for a year for no legitimate reason, without hearing any candidates. It was a dereliction of duty, specifically of their duty to advise. They made it clear they would not consider anyone Obama might nominate. Garland had previously been lauded by these same senators, so there was no legitimate reason to not give him a hearing and certainly no legitimate reason to state that Obama would not be permitted to appoint anyone to scotus. Like I said, even they know they stole that seat. Their shameful submission to McConnell's authority on this matter is probably an important reason for the present dysfunction in the senate, once described as the world's greatest deliberative body and now more accurately described as the world's dumbest deliberative body.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
The GOP only stole it because no serious Democrats ran against Hillary in the primary and then Hillary Clinton was such a crap candidate and ran such a crap campaign that she lost to the most inexperienced, unqualified and irresponsible moron to ever hijack the GOP's primaries.
Had the Democrats been only slightly less atrocious themselves in their campaigning then we could have been spared President Trump and a Democrat would have appointed someone to that seat.
When you're to stupid to recognize that you're hanging yourself.
You never were one to understand context.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Summary of Trump's interview in the Sun:
https://mobile.twitter.com/ddale8/st...30238329344007 (thread)
I can see how someone like Lewk would be proud to have this racist jackass for president but every decent person will see this for the vile stomach-turning display of moral degeneracy and staggering incompence that it is.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Trump "knows an awful lot about Britain," cares what Britons think about him, and is "a true Brexiteer," Newton Dunn told the BBC. "He's really quite stung by the criticism he's been getting, the treatment he was going to get when he arrived. ... He knew all about the baby blimp. I think it hurt him."
It's flying now by Parliament.