We Are Dealing with Toxic Levels of Smarm

[babylonsister]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a54138/neil-gorusch-jeff-flake/

We Are Dealing with Toxic Levels of Smarm
Enough with Neil Gorsuch.
By Charles P. Pierce
Mar 27, 2017


I have a modest proposal for the members of the Republican majority in the United States Senate. I offer it in all Christian love and charity: Shut up about Neil Gorsuch.

Shut up about what a great guy he is. Shut up about his qualifications. Shut up about the terrible ordeal he's been through so far in what actually has been a shit-through-a-goose confirmation process. You have the votes to blow up the filibuster and put him on the Supreme Court if you have the sand to do it that way. You have the support of a good chunk of the elite political press and of some timid Democrats who are willing to trade the Gorsuch nomination for a bag of magic beans to be delivered at some vague date in the future. You have many options. But spare us the pieties, please. Just shut up about Neil Gorsuch.

snip//

True, the Senate Judiciary Committee got about as many actual substantive answers out of Gorsuch as it would have from an immovable pillar weathering a storm. But, as the late Charlie Skinner once put it, that is some huckleberry bad writing. In any event, Flake hears with different ears than I do, but we don't really go off the trolley until later.

There was a time when the Senate didn't even require hearings for Supreme Court nominees, and as recently as the 1990s, nominees were routinely confirmed with near-universal, bipartisan support. Even President Obama's two Supreme Court nominees were recognized for their ability to do the job and confirmed without incident. Unfortunately, it appears that Judge Gorsuch will not be afforded the same courtesy and respect. Senate Democrats' decision to filibuster Judge Gorsuch is a sad commentary on this institution and reflects the breakdown in comity that once characterized this body. I hope they change their mind. We need this good man on the court.

Unfortunately for Senator Flake, the previous president nominated three judges to the Supreme Court. Flake knows this, and he knows what happened to the third one. He's just not inclined to bring that up at the moment. Let us discuss, for example, courtesy and respect.

Neil Gorsuch was granted the courtesy and respect of private meetings with the senators who would pass on his nomination, including the Democratic ones. Merrick Garland was not.

Neil Gorsuch was granted the courtesy and respect of a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Merrick Garland was not.

Neil Gorsuch will be granted the courtesy and respect of having his name placed in nomination before the full Senate. Merrick Garland never will.

C'mon, boys and girls. You know what you did and you know why you did it and you know that the strategy is only one small step from having worked magnificently. Take quiet pride in that and do what you have to, if you have the stomach for it. But please, for the love of god, stop talking about Neil Gorsuch.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Anyone other than Garland represents the end of Democracy.

We had an election, a man was chosen by a large majority, one of the spoils of the victor is choosing SC seat, and he chose a VERY moderate one.

We do not have a country or anything anymore if they can just nullify that whenever they want.

[FakeNoose]

3. This

[kairos12]

4. Yep.

[defacto7]

12. This is the fact.

[cwydro]

2. K and r. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Gorsuch was reversed 8-0 by this Supreme Court; not so for Merrick Garland. . . . nt

[GoCubsGo]

6. Spot on, Mr. Pierce! n/t

[tomp]

7. the refusal to give garland a hearing....

....was not just "lack of comity." It was dereliction of constitutional duty, an end run around executive privilege and constitutionally assigned power.

Gorsuch deserves NO deference.

[PdxSean]

8. Gotdamn, that was some good reading!

I was hoping it came from a democrat leader in Congress, but I'll take this with a hallelujah.

[pansypoo53219]

9. the rite ut their finger on the scales of justice when they installed georgee W. and they did it

again w/ garland. this i not blind, this is partisan.

[ismnotwasm]

10. K&R

[Dr Hobbitstein]

11. K&R! nt

[Cha]

13. KR!