[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

If both parties must wait until they have 60 partisan senators before they can appoint judges, it seems that it shouldn't take long to empty all the judicial seats. No more judicial confirmations at all then, on either side. As long as were clear on that.

[RJL]

If both parties must wait until they have 60 partisan senators before they can appoint judges, it seems that it shouldn't take long to empty all the judicial seats. No more judicial confirmations at all then, on either side. As long as were clear on that.

Exactly.

Let’s take the use of filibusters into the future. What will the Senate Republicans do the next time a Democrat sits in the White House? Will they politely pass whatever nominee the Democrat President sends them? No, as long as there is even one Republican in the Senate, they will now also filibuster any Democrat nominee.

Thus we will move from a nominally independent judiciary appointed to life terms to a highly political judiciary appointed only in recess appointments to get around the Senate filibusters.

This, because the Democrats would rather destroy the federal judiciary than give the Republicans a power that they rightfully earned at the ballot box.

[NeoCaveman]

If both parties must wait until they have 60 partisan senators before they can appoint judges, it seems that it shouldn't take long to empty all the judicial seats. No more judicial confirmations at all then, on either side. As long as were clear on that.

Can you imagine a Supreme Court in 20 years with only one Justice? Luckily, it will probably Justice Thomas.