Posted on 02/24/2016 8:35:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Since the reporting of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, most Republicans have rallied around the pledge to hold no hearings or votes on any potential replacement nominated by Barack Obama. The media has tried to find cracks in the front for almost as long, and found a couple of them with Senators Mark Kirk and Susan Collins, both of whom face uncertain electoral prospects in purple-to-blue states. Yesterday, however, Mitch McConnell declared that the Senate Republican Caucus had reached a firm consensus that no hearings or votes would take place:
“I can now confidently say the view shared by virtually everyone in my conference is that the nomination should be made by the president who the people elect in the election that is underway right now,” McConnell said.
“In short, there will not be action taken,” he said.
The Hill reports that the Senate Judiciary Committee has already declared that it won’t take up any nominations to the Supreme Court:
“We believe the American people need to decide who is going to make this appointment rather than a lame-duck president,” Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn (Texas) told reporters Tuesday after a special meeting of the committee.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said members of the panel reached a “consensus” that there should not be hearings or a vote on President Obama’s nominee.
“My decision is that I don’t think we should have a hearing. We should let the next president pick the Supreme Court justice,” he said after emerging from a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) office.
Frankly, that’s game over — as long as both McConnell and Judiciary chair Chuck Grassley stick to their guns. Mark Kirk and Susan Collins have no real input into this decision. Hearings on nominations get scheduled by the majority party in Judiciary; floor votes on confirmations get scheduled through the Senate Majority Leader. If Grassley and McConnell don’t want hearings to take place, then they simply won’t take place. Having unanimity among the Republicans on Judiciary strengthens that position even further. The only way that Kirk and Collins could impact that position would be in a confirmation vote — which has been mooted, at least for now.
That lack of impact does give purple-state Senate Republicans running for re-election in 2016 an out, however. They can disagree publicly with their caucus without doing any real damage to the blockade. It might anger those who have passionately advocated for the “Biden Rules” as undermining the argument, but it’s smart politics, especially if it can help maintain a Republican majority in 2017 — no easy feat, considering the lopsided number of seats the GOP will be defending in November.
Normally, the principles of effective government would push reasonable people to urge Senate Republicans to seek a compromise. Repeated efforts by Senate Democrats to impose “Biden Rules” on Republican presidents in 1992 and 2007, as well as Harry Reid’s unilateral demolishing of the Senate filibuster on judicial confirmations to allow Obama to stack the DC Court of Appeals, demands that Democrats pay a price for their own obstructionism and double standards. Without suffering adverse consequences, one party would be left with all the incentives to continue its assault on comity and reasonableness. Perhaps by the end of 2016, Senate Democrats will be open to establishing forward-looking rules to avoid these kinds of political plays. Until then, they can live by the rules they demanded over the last 24 years.
Monumental tactical error.
Have the hearings and then don’t invoke cloture or just vote them down. Same result but a MUCH different defense of one’s actions.
Let us not forget, the Dims are busy playing in their own pool. The Media is enamored with Trump ... for now. Expect that to change RADICALLY once we have the nominees of both Parties.
But ... they never asked me so ....
They just better hope the Dems don’t turn out in the General.
Keep reminding Oduckama that he won though so his feelings don’t get hurt.
They’ll fold.
Bet the farm.
McConnell and his establishment ilk have to LOOK strong for the election process and an establishment candidate that they hope for. Once Trump or Cruz is in that seat, they will fold and give away the country. They do not care about it or the people’s wishes.
The fact of the matter is... Republicans have NOTHING to lose by doing this and EVERYTHING to gain.
If they cave and rubber stamp Obama’s nominee.. then Obama will pick a liberal to replace Scalia.
If they lose the general election because they borked Obama’s nominee.. then Hillary will still pick a liberal to replace Scalia.
If the Republicans hold firm and Trump gets to pick the next justice we have a 50-50 chance that Scalia will get replaced with a conservative.
The calm before the cave. I don’t trust McConnell or Cornyn not to pull a 180 on this. No sir. Do not let your guard down until this current term ends.
——Monumental tactical error——
I do not see it that way...
Why give the dems an issue to use in the upcoming elections...
Any senator in a purple state can claim leadership denied then the vote...which will be true..
Instead by having hearings it will be 24/7 news coverage and then you gave the media and the dems talking points, sound bites...etc...to use
You can bet your paycheck on it. When has the Turtle NOT folded after huffing and puffing with tough talk. He probably has a agreement to let hussain do a recess appointment, then the next president and senate will confirm her/him permanently.
You can let your guard down in about two months. That is when the Senate will hold hearings and approve Obama's nominee.
I fear a cave coming, but maybe the rise of Trump and Cruz and the continued so-called “anger” of the patriotic citizens has helped GOP-e find a spine. Now, if they can find some testicles to attach to it, they WILL be worth more than a bucket of warm spit.
I have counseled simply lying like democrats about sincerely wanting to work with ubama . . . and then doing nothing. Lying, of course, is their demonstrated long suit, but if they want to “man up” instead, I’m OK with that.
Oldplayer
Plus, now is the time to fight over this and put it to bed. It cannot avoid being a campaign issue for the dims, but doing it now can make it “old news” in the fall campaign. Perhaps even the MSM will tire of pushing the “obstructionist” line 24-7 by then.
“Have the hearings and then don’t invoke cloture or just vote them down. Same result but a MUCH different defense of one’s actions.”
Ordinarily, I’d agree with you, but due to the fact that we have so many RINOs in the Senate, we simply can’t allow the confirmation process to move foreward an inch. I am absolutelyl convinced that if a nominee were allowed to get to a floor vote, that the RINOs would band with the RATs and confirm.
Thank The Donald. Without him there’s no way the Senate Pubbies would have had the backbone to take this courageous stand. Now it’s time to thank them for taking this stand.
They know that if they allow a vote there are enough republicans Obama can blackmail to get his nominee approved.
Why do the middle class and conservative votes not come out in the general election? Because they have no confidence in the presidential candidates the establishment put forth. This year the turnout shows the people will come out for the right candidate leading the ticket. Make it a clear election about positions and not mushy middle positions.
Don’t be scared. That is our current leadership in the House and Senate even though they have majorities. Do the Democrats ever act scared when they are in the minority. Do they act scared of losing their seats when they are in the majority. No, they act.
Scared about what ?
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