Nutter's Washington

Supreme Court: Elections Have Consequences

 

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.

Nightmare Choice: Clinton v. Trump

 

I have been canvassing friends and associate the past week to get a reaction to the possible match up of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the President of the United States. These are reasonable people, some with good political instincts and a mix of Republicans and Democrats.

It is fair to say that there is an extreme lack of enthusiasm for Mrs. Clinton. She is, of course, deemed untrustworthy by most and her record of corruption, questionable financial dealings, character assassination and a propensity to not get near the truth hurt her. They raise serious questions about her ability to lead; I mean lead without leading us all off the cliff. These characteristics would normally doom any other candidate but not the shameless. Mostly, there is a real sense of Clinton fatigue.

On the Republican side, there is a horror about Mr. Trump. His lack of any sort of cogent program, his nastiness and off the wall comments may make for a nice reality program but hardly inspire confidence in the future of the country. In fact, is scares the bejesus out of many of my friends.

So my real question is how did it come to this? Will the country be faced with making a choice over these flawed candidates? Is this the best we have? Does this make you weep for the country that presents these misfits? Is what we are doing to ourselves?

I certainly understand the failure of government and the hypocrisy of politics. Crushing government debt, health care take over, racial polarization, a coming nuclear Iran, ISIS, government snooping, an anemic economic recovery, massive illegal immigration. Democrats do not care what other think and do what they can get away with. Republican make slogans and promises but never deliver on anything meaningful.

So there it is. A nightmare choice.

Iowa: Where the tall corn grows and candidates make excuses

Voting for President of the United States starts today with the convening of the Iowa caucuses. Thank goodness. The long national nightmare of constant campaigning and listening to talking heads is beginning to end.  

The winner will crow, talk about the voice of the people. The losers will dismiss the results or say how good it was to finish in fifth place. Better than expected.

This is the first time  in the process that actual people who matter will have a say. Forget about all the wasted money. I read somewhere that about 100 million dollars has been spent. Say, 250,000 voters show up then that is about $400 voter. I wonder if some people just as soon  as have the money. 

So after tonight, the games will continue for some and end for others.