Posted on 02/15/2016 10:55:56 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Probably not. So he needs to decide how he wants to pressure Republicans. He has several options.
President Obama has promised to uphold his "constitutional responsibility" to nominate a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative stalwart who died over the weekend. Now, he just needs to decide whether to try to soften Republican senators with the pick or make it a full-throated, election-year political statement.
Numerous Senate Republicans have already said they will not confirm a new Supreme Court justice before this fall's presidential elections. Given that the new appointment could tilt the court's balance of power from conservative to liberal for the first time in decades, there is little reason to think Republicans are bluffing.
"I don't see the Republicans just giving in and giving President Obama the opportunity to do that," says Mark Hurwitz, a political scientist at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo....
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
He could appoint Jeff Sessions. <^..^>
Another not impossible situation is that there are a dozen or so Republican US Senators who are absolute enemies to conservatives. After the election, with lame ducks and people those who will do anything to punish Constitutional Conservatives, would those 'pubs out of spite vote for the Obama choice?
Obama isn't on the ticket to bring out legions of nonthinking juniors and reflexively-racist DemonRat Plantation voters this time. Beastwoman is putting Democrat voters to sleep. The Bern will take the Young Communist League home with him when Hillary! takes the nom away from him.
The only player energizing Democrat voters is Donald Trump. He's calling them in with Left-themed attacks on Bush and Cruz that are right out of the 2004 Kerry campaign.
Those voters, if they come out in the general, will be the down-ballot threat to the GOP Senate that Hillary will not bring because she's so godawfully boring.
That could have been Slick Willie's motivation all along in encouraging Trump to jump into the GOP nomination race. (And I think he did.)
They might well vote for a stealth liberal or, as someone suggested, a sitting RiNO senator (GOP Senate caucus -1) or primaried RiNO (like Eric Cantor). The "good government" </off Bush 41 sloganeering> Republicans would lunge at such a nomination, and the result would be another rollable, "grow"-able Anthony Kennedy/David Souter on the Supreme Court.
An AJ like that would be every bit as much a threat to, e.g., RKBA and prolife cases as another Diesel Kagan. As Pew Associates pointed out in their 1999 political sociology survey, when gun-control was a hot issue after Columbine, it's the "good government" and business-management Republicans who are the weakest on gun ownership (they don't want their employees owning them) and might, Pew helpfully suggested, provide the allies the Left needs to eviscerate 2A.
I would bet that's what the Dems are looking at. Keeping a recess appointment at bay is easy. But keeping the Senate??
It's a very small time frame in January...but it's an opening if we lose the Senate.
I am not sure there is a transgender SCJ, though I wonder about Sister Sontamare (sp).
Cait Jenner is the perfect choice. She is smart, accomplished and looks good in black.
I’m betting that the GOPe senate will crumble to Obozo’s wishes.
And recess appointment.
However, that would be temporary and the Republicans could run out the clock with it.
Would it make Ted Cruz happy?
Sure. Hatch will lead the way.
The twit Mitch McConnell will find a way.
“Is there any way Obama can fill the Supreme Court vacancy”
Look up how many Republicans voted against Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at that time the most left wing radical kook ever nominated, and you will have your answer.
I'm pretty sure Powell doesn't have a legal background, nor even a law degree. No serious person could ever nominate, much less confirm someone like him as a Justice.
You got that right buddy and the GOPe is probably ready to run with it. The money’s in the bank.
“The only thing standing between us and judicial tyranny is the Republican Senate.”
“My faith is SHAKEN.”
Then the only thing between us and an oncoming train is tissue paper, it amounts to about the same thing.
Under my scenario, I don’t think a recess is needed - just a Dem majority on Jan 4, and O in the WH until Jan 19.
As for a recess appointment - that would be difficult with a GOP majority. The “recess” must be longer than 3 days. Someone can be there and conduct some meaningless “business”.
Will some Reps defect? Maybe - perhaps O will pick someone of universal acclaim who is a centrist that all will agree upon, then fight this fight with the Ginsberg vacancy. This would be best for the institution - but it won’t happen. Otherwise, not enough will defect to give O the appointment he wants now.
If Obama has an ounce of decency and that much concern for averting a Constitutional crisis, that's what he'd do. There wouldn't even have to be total agreement from Republicans. It would only have to be someone who could shed off a half dozen Republican votes.
I heard Lindsey Graham remark, we warned you about changing the senate rules so the d's could stack the district courts, now its payback, no more confirmations and definitely not a supreme.
Sure given the GOP Congress has a long history of preemptive surrender to King 0’s dictates
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