Posted on 06/29/2018 7:15:58 AM PDT by GonzoII
The short answer: No
WASHINGTON (ChurchMilitant.com) - With Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's momentous announcement Wednesday that he'd be retiring, the focus now turns to the fight over the new Court vacancy.
Democrats won't have the leverage they've had in the past, as Republicans exercised the "nuclear option" in last year's battle to seat Justice Neil Gorsuch. After heated confirmation hearings, Democrats filibustered the vote, and Republicans made good on their promise to change Senate rules, voting to ensure cloture (the vote to end the filibuster) no longer requires a supermajority.
"This will be the first and last partisan filibuster of a Supreme Court nomination," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed at the time.
The change in Supreme Court rules will guarantee that Democrats can't block Trump's nominee to replace Kennedy via filibuster. But the nominee is not a shoo-in; with a handful of unreliable Republicans in the Senate, Trump's candidate whoever it might be is not guaranteed enough votes for confirmation.
Senators to Watch
Senator John McCain (AZ) has been absent all year owing to health reasons, and there is a good possibility he may sit out the confirmation vote, making the balance effectively 50 Republicans to 49 Democrats.
And defection by pro-abortion Republican Senators Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) is a real possibility, especially if Trump comes through on his promise to nominate a solidly pro-life judge.
Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) has been no fan of Trump and has even threatened to block any judicial nominees, while Sen. Dean Heller (NV) is facing a difficult midterm race in a state that overwhelmingly went for Hillary Clinton, and will feel pressure to vote against Trump's pick.
But Democrat defectors could save Trump's nominee, particularly those running in close races in red states...
(Excerpt) Read more at churchmilitant.com ...
I was looking at the list of 25 judges again. I noticed 5 of them are women.
Do we know if these women are constitutionalists?
Flake's situation reminds me of the closing scene in the show 1776 when the fate of independency falls on Judge James Wilson's vote.
Franklin: There it is, Mr. Wilson. It's all up to you now. The whole question of American independence rests squarely on your shoulders. An entirely new nation ready to be born or to die at birth, all on your say-so. Which will it be, Mr. Wilson?Dickenson: Come now, James. Nothing has changed. We mustn't let Dr. Franklin create one of his confusions. The question is clear.
Wilson: Most questions are clear when someone else has to decide them.
Adams: It would be a pity for a man who's handed down hundreds of wise decisions from the bench to be remembered only for the one unwise decision he made in Congress.
Dickenson: James, you're keeping everybody waiting. The secretary has called for your vote. Please.
Wilson: Don't push me, John. I know what you want me to do. But Mr. Adams is correct about one thing. I'm the one who'll be remembered for it.
Dickenson: What do you mean?
Wilson: I'm different from you, John. I'm different from most of the men here. I don't want to be remembered. I just don't want the responsibility.
Dickenson: Yes, well, whether you want it or not, James, there's no way of avoiding it.
Wilson: Not necessarily, John. If I go with them, I'll just be one among dozens. No one will ever remember the name of James Wilson. But if I vote with you, I'll be the man who prevented American independence. I'm sorry, John. I just didn't bargain for that.
Somebody needs to pull Flake aside and tell him that he will go down in history as the man who prevented the return to the rule of law in the Supreme Court, and only for the petty reason of personal pique against the President.
Flake will be the person who put himself above the fate of the entire nation for many generations to come.
-PJ
Yes, most likely will get a few blue senators from red states crossing over in attempt to save their seats...
Heitkamp, Tester, Manchin, McCaskill, Nelson, and Possibly Brown and Baldwin... are the list of D’s that more than likely some will cross over.
Depending on the timing of the vote, and closeness of their individual races, at that time other could join.. but yes, just like the Gorsuch nomination some D’s will join for confirmation.
I am simply pointing out, EVEN if the D’s held solid, R’s hold the majority... D’s can’t stop the confirmation.
Grassley!
Gorsuch got Donnelly, Hietkamp and Manchin to cross.
My preious list shoudl have had Donnelly on it too.. my mistake...
So Basically about 8 D’s mostly in red states, of which some if not all will Cross to try to save their re-elections .. and 3 who have already shown they will.
Manchin will almost certainly Cross, as will Heitkamp. Manchin knows he’s on the wrong side of the party line in his state now.... and is desperate to hold on.... to hear him speak these days you would think he was a Trump backer from day one.
Flake has already said hes not going to obstruct
-PJ
Re: “Heller in a state that went overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton”........
There are thousands of illegal invaders living & working in Las Vegas & Clark County.
THEY are the ones who voted for Hillary.
The legal voters of this state did not vote for Hillary.
How bad are the voter rolls in Clark County:
Waylon Jennings is registered there to vote-—he has been dead for years.
Someone registered the entire Dallas Cowboys football team to vote there a few years back. Don’t know if they have been removed.
One address in Las Vegas had 93 ‘voters’ living there. When someone finally looked into it, the frail, very elderly lady who actually did live there (for years) knew nothing about all the registered voters at HER address.
In one Clark County district, the Republican party sent out THANK YOU notes to all the persons who ‘voted’ in 11-2016 election.
93% of them came back with :
No such address
No such person at this address
Address is an empty lot
the above 93 persons registered at the old lady’s address
And a laundry list of other problems
This was just ONE District in Clark County.
Keep in mind that this is also Dirty Harry Reid’s home.
Can Dems Block Trumps Supreme Court Nominee? Not if God wills the selection.
He could sure change his mind
The sisters from New England are going to be a problem. They are pro-choice and will be asked to cast their votes to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Collins says she wants a Justice who "respects precedent."
Somebody needs to ask Collins the following:
Do you believe that a Congress can bind a future Congress? In other words, can this Congress pass a law that forbids a future Congress from changing it?If not, then why do you believe that the Supreme Court can make a ruling that forbids a future court from changing it?
The Framers didn't make a Constitution that could not be changed in the future. The President cannot issue executive orders that can't be changed in the future. Congress cannot pass a law that cannot be changed in the future. So why do you think that the Supreme Court is the only body that must be bound in the future?
-PJ
You’re so cute - using logic on a female legislator, expecting accountability.
That’s precious.
It’s easy - who ever 45 picks goes up there and says, “I believe in stare decisis.”
There you go. Done.
What’s she going to do?
As for Roe v. Wade - whatever. Best you can do is through it to the states again, which is entirely appropriate. Laboratories of democracy.
The way it has to happen is for a state like Alabama or Utah to jump up and say, “We’re banning abortion in almost every case but a few (rape and medical necessity)”
Somebody will complain, and it will go to the SCOTUS. They’ll uphold it in Utah.
Nevada, however, will pop up and say, “We’re soulless - come to Las Vegas and whack out your flesh and blood - then gamble!”
Nevada will do huge business in killing kids.
There you go.
“But I’m pregnant, and can’t afford to go to Nevada.”
OK, then have the baby and put it up for adoption. Think of it as a 9 month biological probationary period for not having a goalie in front of the net. Side benefit, you’ll likely be able to have kids when you are older and less stupid. Oh, and you won’t have a murdered child on your conscious. Oh, and a kid gets the chance to grow up and be something.
Everybody wins.
There is enough rinos to block it unfortunately
-PJ
The judge Gorsuch answer is perfect. “It’s settled law”
(Subject to change if a new case comes before the court)
McConnell can just change the rules. Reid started this and the Rep should jam it hard and deep to the libs every. Chance they get!
McCain, like Gin-burg, is effectively dead. Why keep them around?
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