3 ms·

McConnell is a blow-hard, and is looking for a rally-point for the party. I'm sure he believes this is what Scalia would have wanted. But the idea that the "Am

McConnell is a blow-hard, and is looking for a rally-point for the party. I'm sure he believes this is what Scalia would have wanted. But the idea that the "American People" wouldn't have a say with an Obama appointment is absurd. He was elected with a clear majority and Presidents are elected for four years, not four years minus whenever the next presidential race gets going. I know you've expressed elsewhere (edit: in this thread) that Republicans have already made it clear that they won't do an appointment this presidency (and you're probably right that they're trying to set themselves firm in this as quickly as possible), but I can't imagine a scenario where Obama doesn't put forth a nomination post-haste. I also cannot imagine 11 months of blocking a SCOTUS nomination and leaving the court with 8 members.

tptacek 11y ago
He will nominate quickly and, because the Senate is allowed to, they will slow roll and then block the nomination. This isn't the first time this has happened. The Supreme Court will function just fine with 8 justices. Blame John Adams!
DrScump 11y ago
<I also cannot imagine 11 months of blocking a SCOTUS nomination and leaving the court with 8 members.> But that's exactly what the Democrat-controlled Senate did after Justice Abe Fortas resigned in disgrace in 1969. They knocked down Nixon's first two nominees, and Fortas wasn't ultimately replaced by Blackmun until a year later[0][1][2]. [0] - Several Wikipedia pages say May 12, but: [1] - this one says May 17: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsuccessful_nominations_to_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsuccessful_nominations_to_th... [2] - this page says June 9: http://supremecourthistory.org/timeline_blackmun.html http://supremecourthistory.org/timeline_blackmun.html

tptacek 11y ago

He will nominate quickly and, because the Senate is allowed to, they will slow roll and then block the nomination. This isn't the first time this has happened. The Supreme Court will function just fine with 8 justices. Blame John Adams!

DrScump 11y ago

<I also cannot imagine 11 months of blocking a SCOTUS nomination and leaving the court with 8 members.> But that's exactly what the Democrat-controlled Senate did after Justice Abe Fortas resigned in disgrace in 1969. They knocked down Nixon's first two nominees, and Fortas wasn't ultimately replaced by Blackmun until a year later[0][1][2]. [0] - Several Wikipedia pages say May 12, but: [1] - this one says May 17: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsuccessful_nominations_to_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsuccessful_nominations_to_th... [2] - this page says June 9: http://supremecourthistory.org/timeline_blackmun.html http://supremecourthistory.org/timeline_blackmun.html