Sunday, March 20, 2016

Supreme Court nomination in election year

Mitch McConnell probably has very few defenders.  He is blamed for being too accommodating to the President's agenda.  Democrats feel like he is giving them little, though. I think, as a Republican, he us trying his best to be a responsible leader, both for the party and the nation.

Now, he is the face of Senate Republicans who have declared that there shall be no hearings for the new Supreme Court nominee.  He cites historical precedent that no election year nominations have been confirmed since 1936. He cites a so-called "Biden rule" for the time in 1992 when Senator Biden preemptively declared that if a Supreme Court position opened up then the Senate should not act to confirm any replacement until after the election.

Yes. Fair is fair.  Give the liberals a taste of their own medicine.  But, come on.  Justice Scalia's death was over 11 months before the next president's inauguration. How many other times will we reach back and apply a Democrat's  "rule"  to a Senate run by Republicans? Obviously, only when it suits our purposes. I know, the Democrats would do the same.  And that partisan Republicans are tired of being the nice, responsible people in the room.

But, yes, do the right thing.  Even when your opponent won't.

Hold the hearings. Vote yea or nay.  And just do the job.

In the future, if an opening happens in November after a new president has been elected, then it would make sense to hold off.  But February?  No, not reasonable.

And, most importantly, the Senate Republicans can simply vote no and the next president will get to choose.

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