The Passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 2:59 am
I can't tell you how humbled I am regarding the plight of this woman. I hit the rocking chair at age 63 and I'm living a life of no alarm clocks and forgetting what day of the week it is. The thought of continuing to slave away at my former occupation has long since left my psyche. I don't even dream about work anymore. RBG worked in a stressful, high profile environment until she died at age 87, not missing a single court session for over 25 years as she battled various health issues. I'd have to work another 24 years, or 60% of my 40 year career, to match her work record. She sacrificed her life for what she felt was the best interests of her country.
The opening on SCOTUS has thrown a monkey wrench into the election, mostly in favor of the Chief Buffoon. The upcoming appointment takes the focus off the coronavirus, which is Trump's Achilles heel. Biden and the Dems had in recent days been able to return the focus to Trump's titanic bumbling of the crisis after revelations disclosed in Bob Woodward's new book. Trump is behind, and a SCOTUS nomination could be his Hail Mary. It's one of the reasons why Biden has been laying low and not commenting about the upcoming SCOTUS nomination process or justices he might nominate if he were making the call. However, it's a double edged sword for both parties, and thus the Dem and R leaderships have advised their members to avoid commenting. They don't know which way this issue is going to break, especially for the Senate, the body tasked with holding hearings and approving or disapproving the nomination.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McDonnell has already kicked up a firestorm by saying that the Senate will take up a Trump nomination before the election. It's not an unprecedented situation to take up deliberations during an election year, but it put McConnell in a hypocritical position. He gave a convoluted explanation as to how this election differs from 2016 when he kept a SCOTUS seat open for 10 months until after Trump was inaugurated, arguing then that the voters should have a say in the process. Now he wants to hold a vote within the next 45 days. It's unclear if McConnell has the votes to force Senators to take a position on a nominee prior to the election. He can't afford to lose more than 4 R Senators. Susan Collins has already said that they shouldn't be voting on a nominee before the election.
Secondly, it hurts Dem Senatorial candidates in red states, places like Alabama where Democratic Senator Doug Jones is in a tough re-election campaign and Montana where a former D governor is trying to unseat the incumbent R. It forces those Dem candidates in conservative states into a no win scenario by having to openly oppose or support a nominee. a stand they wouldn't have otherwise have had to make. It's just my humble opinion, but this could very well cause a lot of the evangelist that might have forgotten about the role the Senate plays in SCOTUS confirmations and drive them back to the Republicans. It could torpedo Dem efforts to retake the Senate.
To say the least, it's a potentially explosive development in what has already become the most contentious, weirdest election years in recent memory.
The opening on SCOTUS has thrown a monkey wrench into the election, mostly in favor of the Chief Buffoon. The upcoming appointment takes the focus off the coronavirus, which is Trump's Achilles heel. Biden and the Dems had in recent days been able to return the focus to Trump's titanic bumbling of the crisis after revelations disclosed in Bob Woodward's new book. Trump is behind, and a SCOTUS nomination could be his Hail Mary. It's one of the reasons why Biden has been laying low and not commenting about the upcoming SCOTUS nomination process or justices he might nominate if he were making the call. However, it's a double edged sword for both parties, and thus the Dem and R leaderships have advised their members to avoid commenting. They don't know which way this issue is going to break, especially for the Senate, the body tasked with holding hearings and approving or disapproving the nomination.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McDonnell has already kicked up a firestorm by saying that the Senate will take up a Trump nomination before the election. It's not an unprecedented situation to take up deliberations during an election year, but it put McConnell in a hypocritical position. He gave a convoluted explanation as to how this election differs from 2016 when he kept a SCOTUS seat open for 10 months until after Trump was inaugurated, arguing then that the voters should have a say in the process. Now he wants to hold a vote within the next 45 days. It's unclear if McConnell has the votes to force Senators to take a position on a nominee prior to the election. He can't afford to lose more than 4 R Senators. Susan Collins has already said that they shouldn't be voting on a nominee before the election.
Secondly, it hurts Dem Senatorial candidates in red states, places like Alabama where Democratic Senator Doug Jones is in a tough re-election campaign and Montana where a former D governor is trying to unseat the incumbent R. It forces those Dem candidates in conservative states into a no win scenario by having to openly oppose or support a nominee. a stand they wouldn't have otherwise have had to make. It's just my humble opinion, but this could very well cause a lot of the evangelist that might have forgotten about the role the Senate plays in SCOTUS confirmations and drive them back to the Republicans. It could torpedo Dem efforts to retake the Senate.
To say the least, it's a potentially explosive development in what has already become the most contentious, weirdest election years in recent memory.