Let President Sanders Do It

United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away over the weekend.  In a show of deference and respect to the Justice, flags across the country are being flown at half staff.  It's only right given the prominence of the deceased.

I'm not sure if the body was out of the Texas ranch where he was found before Sen. Mitch McConnell decided that it would only be right and proper if President Obama abrogated his Constitutional responsibility and leave the appointment of a successor to the next president.  After all, it's only a year away.  And that would only be right.

Of course that's not what Law Review contributor Mitch McConnell wrote back in the 70's.  THAT Mitch McConnell wrote that:

"The President is presumably elected by the people to carry out a program and shifting the ideological direction of the Supreme Court would seem to be a perfectly legitimate part of a Presidential platform."

I read and read but couldn't find the part where he wrote "unless I disagree with him".


This SAME situation occurred in 1988.  President Ronald Reagan, in an election year, nominated Anthony Kennedy to the Supreme Court.  Congress was then controlled by the Democrats.

You know what happened?

THEY ALL DID THEIR JOB!

Of course the Republican clown car of candidates fell all over each other - especially Senators Cruz and Rubio - to state in no uncertain terms that they will block any Obama appointment.  It matters not that they have no idea who that appointee is.  A couple of names that have been floated were just approved by said senators (and ALL senators for that matter) for Court of Appeals positions. 

Apparently they have become disagreeable.

Oh wait, they couldn't have become disagreeable because they were ready to obstruct before they knew any facts.

Again.

The hallmark of the Republican led Congress has been "obstruct but don't construct".  It may even be on the Republican Caucus letterhead.  They have no ideas, no alternative, no anything, except "no" itself.  Now they want to politicize the Court.  Deep lovers of the Constitution that they allegedly are, you'd think that they would move forward with business of governing and try and leave politics out of it - as the Framers intended. As we've seen, though, that matters not when they don't agree with it.

Rubio and Cruz' knee-jerk reactions without even knowing the nominee is petty, political and does NOT serve the needs of the American people.  It also clearly illustrates that they are only ideologues with not a practical bone in their bodies.  But then they've proven that they have no interest in what is good for the American people - unless it meets their definition of what should be good for us.  A conservative Christian equivalent of Sharia law, if you will.

Independents and centrists that will control the election in November can see right through power plays, inaction and stagnation that the Republicans are becoming famous for.  In a year where control of the Senate can turn to the Democrats and a more liberal President than Obama (those of you that have no idea what the actual definition of "Communist" is notwithstanding) could take office.

I'd LOVE to see what happens when this bolt of brilliance - more obstruction and stagnation - inevitably backfires.  We will see a Democratic Senate advise and consent to a President Sanders' nominee and these dolts can stand by and wonder what if they actually worked WITH the last President.  Actually DID THEIR JOBS.

Of course they'll just wring their hands and blame everyone but themselves.  Welcome to the Trumpification of the GOP.