Trump may not last a year, his Supreme Court shouldn't last generations

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-judiciary/324611-trump-may-not-last-a-year-his-supreme-court-pick-shouldnt

Trump may not last a year, his Supreme Court shouldn't last generations
By Lisa Graves and Arn Pearson, opinion contributors - 03/18/17 07:00 AM EDT


snip//

A year ago, 52 percent of Americans favored Garland’s nomination. Just 45 percent favor Gorsuch for the Court, the lowest level of public support for a Supreme Court nominee since the controversial nominations of Robert Bork (31 percent) and Harriet Miers (44 percent). The Senate rejected Bork, and Miers withdrew under intense criticism.

“The American people are perfectly capable of having their say — their say — on this issue,” said McConnell last year at this time. “So let’s give them a vote. Let’s let the American people decide.”

The numbers are in Mr. McConnell, and they don’t cut in Judge Gorsuch’s favor.

As if that weren’t enough, we now have a White House and Justice Department in chaos, mired in a growing scandal over possible Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion with Trump’s campaign that calls into question the very legitimacy of the current administration.

What should the Senate do when the most unpopular president in recent history makes one of the most unpopular Supreme Court nominations in recent history?

“The Senate is not a rubber stamp, and the Constitution does not require the Senate to give a nominee a vote,” McConnell insisted last year. “Let’s keep working together to get our economy moving again and make our country safer, instead of endlessly debating an issue where we don’t agree.”

Let’s call that the “McConnell Rule” on judicial nominations and, out of courtesy, stick to it as long as McConnell controls the Senate.

The Senate should table Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court until both political parties are prepared to search for a consensus candidate the American people can wholeheartedly support, and until some semblance of stability is restored in Washington, D.C.

Otherwise, Americans face the very real prospect of having a president who may not survive his first year — let alone his first term — cast his shadow over the legitimacy of our nation’s highest court for decades to come.



Lisa Graves is the executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy and previously served as Chief Counsel for Nominations for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for Senator Patrick Leahy.

Arn Pearson is the general counsel and policy advisor for the Center for Media and Democracy. He has worked for more than 20 years developing federal and state policy and legal strategies around campaign finance reform, government ethics, corporate accountability and tax reform.

[Motley13]

1. I pray for RBG every day, minute, second

in every religion & non-religion

[bettyellen]

2. Totally agree. The GOP said no to confirmation in Obamas last year in office - let's wait a year or

[metalbot]

3. What type of "consensus candidate" could exist?

"The Senate should table Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court until both political parties are prepared to search for a consensus candidate the American people can wholeheartedly support, and until some semblance of stability is restored in Washington, D.C. "

Gay rights, abortion, guns. If a candidate has an opinion on any of these, there isn't going to be a consensus.

[Jonny Appleseed]

5. A judge who got into a car accident and has total retrograde amnesia

No bias.

Or.. ya' know... Merrick Garland....

Mr.Turtle was the one who didn't want him, and the GOP lemmings fell into place and put party over country again.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. A big, fat K&R!

What a great article! I wholeheartedly concur with the authors.

[MurrayDelph]

6. Which means we should apply the McConnell rule

A president in his last year should not appoint a Supreme Court Justice.

Now, we just have to make sure it's his last year*









*(legally, of course)