I predict they commit mass suicide, Jonestown-style.
Wow. This is a grenade tossed into the already messy election season.
Yes, disagreeing with his ideological position is reasonable. But dismissing his knowledge of law, or his ability to form supremely logical arguments for his position, is not.
He provided a counter weight to Ginsburg on the left, and what was cool was that despite having such drastically different views, they liked and respected one another, even vacationing together. I think it’s a lesson that’s worth more people learning. Perhaps it stems from their lifetime appointment, so there was no incentive for them to attack each other.
But when people try to dismiss Scalia’s knowledge of law, those people are fools. He knew more about law than pretty much anyone. And he was able to communicate it exceptionally well. One of the great things that he could do, perhaps better than anyone, was to cut through the crap and isolate the most critical and essential point in a case. He could consistently find these points and ask questions that exposed the real question at hand.
I honestly hope that the Senate does not try and prevent Obama from choosing his successor. That successor will almost certainly not have similar views to Scalia, but this is how our system of government works. The president gets to choose these people, and unless there is a legitimate reason to doubt the capability of a justice, the Senate should not prevent it. Certainly they should not deny appointments a vote. The reality is, Ginsburg is way the hell up there to. The next president is likely going to pick one too. And we shouldn’t let partisanship get any more entwined in the process of choosing our justices.
Based on his opinions over the last 15 years, I’d say atavistic miserly old bastard best describes Scalia. I think my favorite is his heartwarming opinion regarding handicap accessibility in the public domain.
This is the devil’s hand after touching Scalia’s soul a few minutes ago.
His soul had a lot of sparkles.
Another closeted conservative who loved his glitter? Say it isn’t so!!! :P
Republicans either confirm a moderate nomination, or roll the dice that Trump (or maybe Cruz) isn’t the GOP candidate. In that event, it’s more likely than not that they lose both the White House and the Senate, and instead get a very liberal justice instead.
Was just reading that Scalia was confirmed via a 98-0 Senate vote. That sure was then. The longest confirmation process in American history for a Supremer sits at 125 days. Obama has over 300 left in office. We’re looking at a new record being set here, folks. The GOP have already been refusing to confirm Obama nominees to fed courts since last year, so this will just ratchet up the gridlock even more. If a Republican wins the WH and the Dems manage to flip the Senate, I’d refuse to appoint anyone for the next four years if I were them just as a colossal fuck you, eat that giant bowl of dicks you served the nation for the last 8 years and how does that shit taste now bitches.
It’s like the political wonks got their wet dreams realized, in terms of how crazy this is going to make the rest of the political year.
If there is actually an open seat on the court during an election? The turnout would be insane.
I can’t see them confirming an Obama nominee. I just can’t. Cases can still be heard. 4-4 decisions mean they get heard again in the future.
Wouldn’t an absolute refusal to admit any Obama nominee be unconstitutional? Couldn’t he sue to get them in-- Oh wait. Seriously, if any of the GOP Senators actually say out loud they will not accept any of his nominees, that’s a constitutional crisis right there.
This. There is no way of any Obama nomination, short of a far right ideologue, getting a confirmation hearing in Congress. No way. It will be mayhem for 300 days, but they will most certainly roll the dice on a Republican election victory. They already are, so why stop now?
…which is why Obama should nominate a super smart, amazing, far left liberal judge. There is absolutely no way any nomination will pass through, so why not go out making a statement, and give Hillary/Bernie something to hammer Republicans with all summer?
Oh there’s going to be weapons-grade hot takes for sure. I’d imagine some of them will come right out and say that.
Angus Johnston @studentactivism
The longest Supreme Court confirmation process from nomination to resolution was Brandeis, at 125 days. Obama has 342 days left in office.
This is going to be a fucking mess.
Detractors derided John Tyler, who in 1841 became America’s 10th President after William Henry Harrison died just weeks into his first term, as “His Accidency.” Whether or not Tyler deserved the snub, he was a total flop when it came to putting nominees on the bench. Throughout his term, Tyler’s opponents repeatedly thwarted his judicial (and sometimes Cabinet) nominations. During a 15-month span in 1844-45, Tyler put forward five men for Supreme Court confirmation a total of nine times. (John C. Spencer, Reuben H. Walworth, and Edward King all had their nominations scuttled more than once, and the full Senate never acted on John Read’s nomination.) Only one of the five, Samuel Nelson, was confirmed to the high court.
http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1895379_1895421_1895399,00.html
We are in for a hell of an election year.
I think they’ll appoint a moderate. Here’s why
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Republicans have a good shot of losing the Senate. In which case, no Conservative justice will happen, the Dems will play tit for tat or elect a huge liberal if the Dems win
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4-4 means lower court rulings hold- and lower courts lean Dem more than Rep
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Republicans are probably scared of a Trump nominee, Democrats are afraid of losing the Presidency
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A Supreme Court spot on the line prevents Sanders supporters from mutiny come Novemeber. Several of my friends said this was the one scenario where they’d hold their nose and vote for “that scumbag Hillary”- provided it’s a justice that would overturn CU.
Obama steps down in December, Biden nominates him.
If this were The West Wing, Josh Liman would (very carefully) convince Ruth Bader Ginsberg to retire in a bid to get Republicans to accept a trade - 1 conservative/1 liberal appointment.
In fact, wasn’t that the very plot of at least one episode?
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Saturday that the next U.S. president should be the one to nominate a justice to fill the vacancy left on the Supreme Court by the death of Antonin Scalia.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president,” McConnell said in a statement
Edit: Psst, Mitch:American voters already have.