Posted on 09/23/2020 7:52:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Total victory is upon us, folks. And some Republicans have managed to get on a path towards redemption with conservatives. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said he wouldn’t block the nominee. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is a ‘no,’ but as we’ve said before—Maine is an oddball state. She gets a pass. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a runner up in the biggest pain in the a** contest among the GOP, did initially say that she’s opposed to filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ruth Bade Ginsburg, but is now changing her tune. The last justice passed away last Friday making the 2020 election even more interesting. And now, Murkowski is changing her tune (via Alaska Public Media):
If Democrats were counting on Lisa Murkowski to vote against President Trump’s next nominee to the Supreme Court, they should think again.
Sen. Murkowski said Tuesday she could not rule out that she would vote to confirm a Trump nominee if the Judiciary Committee approves one before the November election.
“I know everybody wants to ask the question, ‘will you confirm the nominee?’” she said outside the Capitol, as her Republican colleagues were gathering for their weekly policy lunch. “We don’t have a nominee yet. You and I don’t know who that is. And so I can’t confirm whether or not I can confirm a nominee when I don’t know who the nominee is.”
Sen. Mitt Romney took a similar position Tuesday, so it looks nearly impossible for Democrats to block Trump from seating his third Supreme Court justice.
The other possible wild cards, Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), all said they’re backing the move to fill the seat.
That’s the ballgame.
And on the Democratic side, there could be a curveball hurled by Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV). Manchin voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, which was one of the most vicious Supreme Court fights in recent memory. This battle will make the Kavanaugh hearings look like Sesame Street. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said that liberals must make Mitch McConnell know he’s “playing with fire” with RBG’s seat. Mitch isn’t afraid of AOC. AOC is not in the Senate; stay in your lane, lady. You don’t get a say. As for Chuck Schumer, well, he’s threatening to use all the things to block this nomination, saying all options are on the table regarding retaliation. Many have come to see this as a court-packing threat. AOC even hurled impeachment threats against Trump and Attorney General William Barr in an effort to gum up the works. Nancy Pelosi has also said similar things (via Fox News):
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday would not rule out impeachment as an option to stop President Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court pick from being confirmed to the bench, saying Democrats will “use every arrow in our quiver” to block the eventual nominee.
Again, these clowns can rant. They can whine. They can say the vilest, nastiest things against us. But when they’re done. We’re going to fill this vacancy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said they have the votes to get this out of committee. Mitch McConnell said there will be a floor vote. Romney is onboard. Murkowski is now a maybe. There are no loose ends. We have the votes and we’re going to get this done and there is nothing they can do to stop Trump from filling this seat. The Washington Post aptly noted that Democrats are pretty much “powerless” to stop this train:
Senate Democrats and their liberal allies confronted the grim reality Monday that they have no path to blocking President Trump’s pending Supreme Court nomination other than a political pressure campaign that peels away a minimum of four GOP votes.
Deep into their sixth year in the minority, Democrats can use some procedural tactics that might briefly slow the confirmation process, but if at least 50 Republicans approve of Trump’s pick to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, that nominee is certain to be seated.
[…]
“We’re in a situation where Mitch McConnell is the only person in this building that can decide when and whether and how to move the nomination forward. My hope is that there will be enough Republicans to stop it, but I don’t think the likelihood of that is high,” Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.) said.
Elections have consequences. We won. You lost, so prepared to be owned again.
Also, this will certainly help Senate Republicans running for re-election. Nothing unites the base more than a SCOTUS fight.
Oh, and please, Democrats, impeach Trump for doing his duty in appointing judges to fill a vacancy. I can’t wait to see how that quickly blows up in your face.
Do it! Please!
I double-dog dare you.
Collins probably isn't sure either. She has a month to gather polling data and could easily switch by saying she was overwhelmed by the hearings , meeting her and her deep study of the nominees opinions etc. etc.
I know a lot of FReepers like to dump on these two women, but I’m gonna come to their defense here.
Let’s not forget, it was Susan Collins who shot down Christine Blasey Ford’s credibility and allowed Brett Kavanaugh to be confirmed.
Also, it was Lisa Murkowski who stopped the Senate Impeachment cold when it looked like the Democrats wanted endless hearings. And neither one voted for Impeachment, Romney was the only Republican to do that.
So, I’m saying they’re wiser than we give them credit for ... they’re both in electorally-tough areas and have to walk a fine line ... let’s see how they all vote
Collins is the best if unofficial Democratic senator Maine ever had or is ever likely to get.
Just sayin'...
Maybe that very telling, years-old, pic of her and DiFi that’s gone pretty much viral recently embarrassed her in to doing the right thing. Whatever it takes ...
“No matter how these three traitorous Senators vote, their constituents should vote them out of office. “
...and just who do you think would do better than re-electing Susan Collins in November and has a shot at winning? Three options:
1. The Democrat
2. The Libertarian
3. The Green
So did Murkowski’s constituents change her mind or did she get visited by the Turtle who made her an offer she could not refuse?
It is not possible to serve as a Republican and not vote right on this institutional, party nomination.
The only option is to retire.
The pressure is from every corner, every faction of the Party. And all PACS, think tanks and media elements.
The woman she's running against supports female genital mutilation.
Collins may still join the bandwagon depending on how this polls for her.
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She already waited 72 hours to say that she would officially vote NO, so I am assuming that she did her polling during that time.
On the other hand, Murkowski is up for re-election in 2022, and Trump already said he would campaign against her.
A Republican Senator voting no for this nominee will go down in history - not the historical reference one would actually want. I think they realize the historical significance of this. We all remember who the assassin of Julius Caesar was, he who lives in infamy.
As far as debate in the Senate, all McConnell has to do is to turn off the cameras and phones. The questioning will be more real and short if these primadonnas can’t get before the cameras....
What religion is the supreme court judges?
Catholic court
A majority Catholic court
Today, six of the nine justices are Catholic — if you count Neil Gorsuch, who was raised Catholic and has attended an Episcopal Church. The other three are Jewish
No question.....musta been a lot of log-rolling going on.
I’m predicting at least 5 dems will join republicans to vote for ACB
Only way confirmation will happen before election day is if the committee hearings are bypassed. Schumer’s invoking the “two hour rule” will drag out proceedings and keep the 4-4 split in SCOTUS to hear election challenges. Dems may end up losing on the seat, but both sides win on their desire to get rid of Trump. Hating Trump is the one item both agree on.
Who?
So now she has a base line to compare what happens after she publicly said no.
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