>>The blue slip serves the important purpose of encouraging consultation between the White House and the Senate. The White House has an obligation to engage in good-faith consultation with home-state senators.<<
This “blue chip” practice is absolute nonsense because, for the sake of unnecessary “consultation” the President’s Constitutional authority to nominate Federal judges can be nullified by an adversarial Senator. NOTHING should be permitted to override the clear intent of the Constitution.
I think the point is that the blue slips cannot be used to override unless the Chairman of the judicial committee treats blue slips in this manner. Grassley does not and he included historical precedent showing most other chairmen have not allowed nullification by not returning blue slips. It’s just something Feinstein can use to whine about & motivate her base.