Ginsburg dies; Amy Coney Barrett confirmed

[gouki88]

RIP, whether you agreed with her arguments or not, she was a trailblazer and a titan. Gotta feel for her family that her death is immediately followed by intense politicisation, but I would bet that they knew it was going to happen.

Colossally significant timing though. Two months out from one of the most divisive presidential elections in quite some time. Lots to play for. Justice Breyer is also 82 years old, and has been in the role for over 25 years - I would imagine his time would come to an end within the next 5 years (not to wish any ill upon the man).

The implications of this are truly massive. Just when you think nothing else could be sprinkled in to make this election more of a flashpoint, this happens.

[Ogaju]

the Democrats seem defeated on this issue. So sad, such a weak party. They know what is coming. Trump will nominate a conservative to Justice Ginsburg's seat. The Republicans that truncated Merrick Garland's nomination will confirm.

The truth is Trump has right to nominate. Any Democrat that argued that Obama had the right to a vote on Garland but  now argues Trump does have the right to an up or down vote on his nominee is a hypocrite, driven by politics and devoid of moral clarity.

What really needs to be done is a reformation of the Apex Court. No institution should be as powerful as the SCOTUS.

Sort of.  It’s important to note that Scalia died in February.  There would have been almost a full year on the court and most certainly would not have been confirmed by a lame duck Senate.  The degree of hypocrisy is certainly mitigated by her death being 6 weeks prior to the election.

And the republican hypocrisy would be likewise exacerbated.

I agree but I am not intersted in relativism. A president's term ends the January after election not the February before election or the September before election. There is no Scalia seat on the Court like the Republicans argued. That was nonsense. The Dems let them get away with it. Just because they were and are weak does not mean the Republicans owe them anything.

You have no idea what you are talking about - it’s embarrassing. Since the Rs had a Senate majority, there was literally nothing Obama could do to ‘push through’ Garland. And you use the word ‘weak’, my goodness. Rs would be devious, hypocritical jerks if they do this; but I guess that makes them ‘strong’ in your book.

You have no idea what you are talking about.. the Dems are weak. They are so weak it is disgusting. They put up no fight to the Republicans machinations. They normalize the Republicans when most of them are extremists. They allow all kinds of nonsense to go on without fighting. The Senate Leaders wife is a cabinet member and you do not think that is a conflict of interest or maybe even a problem with separation of powers. If that was a Democratic administration doing that you better believe the GOP will make political hay out of it.  They deny a sittuing president's SCOTUS nominee and Dems do not even make it an election issue, they just take it llying down. They even allow the GOP to name it the Scalia seat. Since when were seats owned by Justices. Republicans will 'do this' call them what you want, I see them winning while Democrats roll over and over again.

Everyone knew when the GOP pulled that nonsense that it was all politics and that if the situation were reversed they would push through the nomination. Please explain why Merrick Garland was not an election issue in 2016. Why didnt Obama make a recess appointment to SCOTUS. Dems are weak. If you do not see that you have not been following American politics.

[Ogaju]

the Democrats seem defeated on this issue. So sad, such a weak party. They know what is coming. Trump will nominate a conservative to Justice Ginsburg's seat. The Republicans that truncated Merrick Garland's nomination will confirm.

The truth is Trump has right to nominate. Any Democrat that argued that Obama had the right to a vote on Garland but  now argues Trump does have the right to an up or down vote on his nominee is a hypocrite, driven by politics and devoid of moral clarity.

What really needs to be done is a reformation of the Apex Court. No institution should be as powerful as the SCOTUS.

Sort of.  It’s important to note that Scalia died in February.  There would have been almost a full year on the court and most certainly would not have been confirmed by a lame duck Senate.  The degree of hypocrisy is certainly mitigated by her death being 6 weeks prior to the election.

And the republican hypocrisy would be likewise exacerbated.

I agree but I am not intersted in relativism. A president's term ends the January after election not the February before election or the September before election. There is no Scalia seat on the Court like the Republicans argued. That was nonsense. The Dems let them get away with it. Just because they were and are weak does not mean the Republicans owe them anything.

They don't owe them the honor of their word?

There was no agreement.

[Roy H.]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

[Ogaju]

Similar story. My personal take is to vote for whoever best aligns with your policy preference. I don’t really care about “presidential” speech, morals, honesty, or what not. This person needs to run the country, not be my spouse.

As a centrist, I voted for Trump in protest in 2016, because Hillary. Now in 2020, I’ll be the first one in line to vote for Trump because his policy decisions are aligned with my current outlook.

IMO, party loyalty is a joke. Pick the candidate that will do the things you want.

I hear you on that... your relationship with the parties should be transactional and not some family inheritance. I had to chuckle at your claim of being a Centrist. I have read your takes on this blog, and that made me chuckle. It like middle-class in America. Everybody is middle-class. If where you stand now is considered the Center in American politics, this Country needs a lot of work.

[Ogaju]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

[hpantazo]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

Yeah I can't see Romney voting to confirm whoever Trump nominates at this stage of the game.

[tarheelsxxiii]

If the GOP hypocritically pushes a nominee through after what they did to Merrick Garland there will be no peace. We will literally be on the brink of another civil war.

This is the absolute worst thing that could have happened to America right now. The GOP has a chance to extend an olive branch and show they still care about our democracy and the Constitution. I hope they make the right choice.

They will make the same choice that Democrats would make in the reverse situation.

No, I don't think there is any vague equivalenve between the parties at this point. Your party is deep in bed with Trump. Own it.

Liberals aren't going to lay down and take this. Either make it right or there will be a big problem. This isn't a game. People are at their limit.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.  If the Republican party was deep in bed with Trump, how would that make them any less despicable than the left?

[Roy H.]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

No, there would need to be one more defector.

[kraidstar]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

Yeah I can't see Romney voting to confirm whoever Trump nominates at this stage of the game.

Hopefully enough in the GOP realize that maintaining some semblance of fairness and keeping the country stable is far more important than gaining a false political win.

Because nobody will win if the USA sinks to third-world status.

[Roy H.]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

Yeah I can't see Romney voting to confirm whoever Trump nominates at this stage of the game.

Hopefully enough in the GOP realize that maintaining some semblance of fairness and keeping the country stable is far more important than gaining a false political win.

Because nobody will win if the USA sinks to third-world status.

A tad bit dramatic.

[tazzmaniac]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

They probably lose Romney too... does that spell doom?

That would be a tie which Pence would break. 

[Erik]

What specifically ?

It’s going to go off topic, but it’s more of an indication of how far the left has gone. Curious to know what positions I have that you view far right.

[trickybilly]

Murkowski and Collins have indicated they won’t vote to confirm anybody before inauguration.  That means there’s a very small margin of error here.

Wow.

Just a quick one for historians, how many judges have been replaced very close to an election. Is there precedent?

[Erik]

There also could be Democrats who vote. There ARE democrats who are like murkowski and co.