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Flip-Flop: Senate Democrat Who Opposed Alito Filibuster Now Backs Blocking Gorsuch
Townhall.com ^ | March 27, 2017 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 03/27/2017 5:01:36 PM PDT by Kaslin

Well, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) opposed a filibuster of Justice Samuel Alito in 2006, but now—thanks to liberal pressure—supports blocking the equally qualified Judge Neil Gorsuch because the balance of the Court is purportedly in trouble, or something (via Tampa Bay Times):

"You've got lots of court of appeals judges; you only have nine Supreme Court justices," Nelson said. "In this divided court, one justice can completely change the outcome."

Republicans also note that Nelson opposed a filibuster of Samuel Alito's Supreme Court nomination in 2006, calling for an up-or-down vote (he was ultimately against Alito) but today stands with Democrats in insisting on a 60-vote threshold.

"You bet I do. The filibuster has always forced the political extremes to come of the middle to build consensus," Nelson said, adding it was a "mistake" for former Democratic leader Harry Reid to lower the threshold on other nominees that were stymied by Republicans.

But detractors say Nelson is having it both ways.

"Senator Nelson has been caught red-handed playing politics with President Trump's mainstream Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch," said Rick Gorka, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. "The election is over. It is time for Bill Nelson to get to work and take his own advice: Judge Gorsuch deserves an up-or-down vote."

INBOX: @SenBillNelson is a no on Gorsuch— Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) March 27, 2017

Fact check: the balance of the Court is not being threatened. Gorsuch is replacing the vacancy left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia. A conservative is replacing a conservative. That means the split is the same; four liberal, four conservatives, with Justice Anthony Kennedy being the swing vote. There is no upsetting of the apple cart with this nomination. Now, a second vacancy is a different story and one would think that Senate Democrats would save their fight to the death for this Supreme Court nomination, but they’re not. Their base is demanding all-out war, even when the party is ill equipped to fight it, especially in a candidate, like Gorsuch, who is eminently qualified to be on the Court. Not to mention, this isn’t about consensus either. That’s unadulterated crap. Both Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas, both equally loathed as much as Scalia by the Left, were never filibustered. Bork’s nomination failed 42-58—his fate was sealed when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted down his nomination—and Clarence Thomas passed by a slim 52-48 margin. The point is that these two men, viewed as spawns of Satan by the Left, weren’t filibustered. If Bork and Thomas are worthy of up-or-down votes, then Gorsuch is certainly worthy of that courtesy.

Jeremy Adler of America Rising Squared said in a statement that there really is no candidate better than Gorsuch—and pretty much everyone, even Obama’s former solicitor general, has said that:

Senator Nelson joining this unprecedented obstruction effort against a superbly qualified judge shows that appeasing the far-left wing of the Democrat Party is more important to him than representing the people of Florida. Judge Gorsuch has been lauded by leaders and experts across the political spectrum and is unquestionably qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. It's clear that if Sen. Nelson is opposing him, there is no GOP nominee he would ever support.

Senate Republicans should get ready to launch that nuclear strike—big league.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gorsuch; scotus; supremecourt
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To: Kaslin

I think now they’re just using up as much of the clock as they can because they know when Gorsuch is on the court the travel ban and other important issues are not going to turn out their way.


21 posted on 03/27/2017 5:35:26 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: Kaslin

Nelson is my senator, I can assure you he is senile and will do what he is told to do...

He probably doesn’t even know how he voted...


22 posted on 03/27/2017 5:42:07 PM PDT by Popman
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To: Kaslin

The Democrats are fools to give up the filibuster over this Episcopalian who is very, very unlikely to make them give up baby killing.

They are going to need all their ammo when Ruth Buzzi cools and Kennedy resigns.


23 posted on 03/27/2017 5:48:16 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Die Gedanken sind Frei)
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To: Kaslin

“You’ve got lots of court of appeals judges; you only have nine Supreme Court justices,” Nelson said. “In this divided court, one justice can completely change the outcome.”

So what he’s is actually saying is he wants the court to sway in a particular direction (LEFT), PRESIDENT Trump should tell him to go pi$$ up a rope.


24 posted on 03/27/2017 5:48:46 PM PDT by Garvin (Moderate Muslims are the tall grass in which Jihadi Terrorists hide undisturbed.)
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To: KyCats

The GOP will have the votes to go nuclear over Gorsuch. They would not, next time.

Filibustering Gorsuch means the next nominees will be far more conservative.


25 posted on 03/27/2017 5:49:56 PM PDT by jdege
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To: Kaslin

For Democrats, hate is entangled n every pore of every democrats being


26 posted on 03/27/2017 5:53:34 PM PDT by realcleanguy
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To: Kaslin

My observation is that if Nelson spoke any slower he’d be speaking in reverse. His time in space hasn’t done him well....at all! Addle minded to say the least!


27 posted on 03/27/2017 5:57:54 PM PDT by Road Warrior ‘04 (Molon Labe! (Oathkeeper))
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To: Kaslin

You can see the damage that airbag in the picture did to his face.


28 posted on 03/27/2017 6:02:49 PM PDT by BobL (In Honor of the NeverTrumpers, I declare myself as FR's first 'Imitation NeverTrumper')
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To: Celtic Conservative

Looks like some kid of clock


29 posted on 03/27/2017 6:30:22 PM PDT by Kaslin ( The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triump. Thomas Paine)
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To: yoe

All 435 House members are up for reelection every two years, which means they will be up again in 2018


30 posted on 03/27/2017 6:34:56 PM PDT by Kaslin ( The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triump. Thomas Paine)
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To: Road Warrior ‘04

You are right,he has dementia symptoms for several years,especially after his space journey. I told his people in His office that it was obvious they were speaking for him,and why were they covering up for his addled brain? I said to them that they will do anything to keep their paychecks coming.


31 posted on 03/27/2017 6:36:39 PM PDT by samantha (keep up the fight..)
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To: Kaslin

There are zero democrat statesmen in the senate and you’d be hard pressed to even find any on the right.


32 posted on 03/27/2017 6:41:30 PM PDT by jersey117
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Trump could nominate Che Guevara and the democrats would still unanimously oppose


33 posted on 03/27/2017 7:15:29 PM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%fe)
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To: dandiegirl

He gives me the creeps. Has he had face lifts?......just yuck.......


34 posted on 03/27/2017 8:09:54 PM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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