I had a heated discussion today with someone about the appointment of the next Supreme Court Judge. Yesterday it was announced Senate Republicans would not vote on any nominee sent up by the President, would not have hearings on any nominee sent up by the President and in fact would not even meet with any nominee sent up by the President.
Democrats are howling. Crying giant tears, foul play. They do not want to be denied the gift the untimely and unfortunate death of Judge Scalia has provided them. What socialist Democrat would not want to appoint a gun-hating member of Greenpeace uber-liberal Ruth Ginsberg type to the Court for the next 50 years.
There are serious questions about this tactic by Republicans. In a pre-Robert Bork world, in a fair world, in a civil world Democrats are right of course. The mission should be to consider an intelligent and experienced jurist. Not going to happen. This rubicon was crossed long ago.
As President Obama said to Republicans in 2009----Elections have consequences. And indeed they do. Democrat-controlled Congress passed an ineffective bloated deficit buster economic non-stimulus bill, rammed through the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd-Frank Act without nary a Republican vote or consultation. That was the consequence of the election. Republicans believe they have been on the end of continued verbal abuse, dismissal and ridicule from Mr. Obama. True even though it is mutual.
Another way to look at this is to ask—What would Harry Reid do is he were Senate Majority Leader? Well, if Democrats controlled the White House like they do now, the process would be over, as the Democrats would have already confirmed Karl Marx. If a Republican were President, then no doubt, Mr. Reid would be taking the same tact as current Senate Leader Mitch McConnell. I mean this was the Vice-President’s Biden position in prior times and of course Mr. Obama had a similar position in his very brief swing as a Senator.
So, it is a sad state of affairs that this is the way it is. Republicans really had no option, as any cooperation on this issue would have infuriated their core constituency. It is the response to the alienation cause by Mr. Obama from day one in office. I do not like it but I understand it.
So, elections do have consequences. We shall see if this matters in November.