President Obama nominates Merrick Garland to be Associate Justice
This is something of an upset, since Sri Srinivasan was the heavy favorite. There is a theory why:
In other words, unless McConnell or Grassley agreed to move Garland, I don't see a rationale for his nomination right now by this POTUS.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) March 16, 2016
Srinivasan or Garland are not flaming liberals like Sotomayor is and was. Srinivasan has been described like a male Justice Kagan.
Why might there be a deal with the GOP? Well first, the next President is Hillary Clinton, who will have a Democratic Senate and House. Second, Garland is 63, older than most new Justices. And he is a centrist. Here is the new spectrum of the Supreme Court:
Liberal——————————————-Center—————————————Right
Ginsburg—Sotomayor—Kagan–Breyer–Garland–Kennedy——-Roberts—Alito——Thomas
Deal? At this point I think Senate Republicans would be hurt more by backing down on their pledge not to hear or approve Obama’s nominee. If there is a vote, any Obama nominee will be filibustered or voted down. Maybe Garland is the one Obama doesn’t mind throwing away. I think the vetting process must have included his willingess to keep his mouth shut at least until the election, and to tolerate unprecedented bullshit.
Suspect he’s a throw away as well, but Obama’s has had plenty of disappointing conservative moments and this may well be another one.
“unless McConnell or Grassley agreed to move Garland, I don’t see a rationale for his nomination right now by this POTUS.”
Democrats couldn’t very well demand that the Senate “do their job” if the President hadn’t done his.
The GOP will fall in line behind their Great an Powerful Oz, for no other reason than to take the SCOTUS. They cant block a nominee for 8 years, but they CAN change all their positions/fully come out as fascist racists and get behind the monster… which they will… in order to replace Scalia. looks like i’ll be readying my internal organs to donate to RBG.
I am waiting to hear what makes Garland “centrist” rather than corporatist or right-leaning.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told Newsmax last week that President Obama “could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man” to the Supreme Court. But he quickly added, “He probably won’t do that because this appointment is about the election. So I’m pretty sure he’ll name someone the liberal Democratic base wants.”
DD, I wish I had your optimism. We’re at the point now, where you can pretty much pick the worst thing the GOP, and now, their nominee, and ideological figurehead, Drumpf, could say or do… and that’ whats gonna happen. They will block Garland, try to discredit him entirely… then line up to get on Dear Leader’s good side.
Like Obama’s proposal to cut Social Security or “reform” corporate taxes, this is a deal Republicans shouldn’t pass up this time. But they will.
Hatch’s quote tells me that McConnell could confirm Garland and declare victory, having tricked the black guy into appointing a conservative.
Garland is not a conservative. He is left of center, probably too centrist for puck, but he is to the left of Kennedy, not to the right.
Garland is a great choice. The Right is terrified. The gun nuts are mobilizing.
Turtle man has already re-affirmed his stance that the Constitution is merely a set of suggestions. If fortune smiles on humanity and keeps Trump out, Clinton should let Elizabeth Warren sail through a Dem controlled senate nomination.
Nah. Warren is too old. If Hillary wins, she gets a Dem Senate. The Dems will go nuclear on filibusters, and President Clinton will nominate a young liberal to sit on the bench for a few generations.
Justice Obama has a nice ring to it.
Never happen- “Justice Obama has a nice ring to it. “