The US Senate showed exactly how dysfunctional it is yesterday. The Republican majority decided that it will not even consider any appointment to the Supreme Court made by President Obama. Essentially, the Senators said we’re not going to do our job. In the real world, people get fired for doing that. In an election year, some Senators might, too.
The Senate could easily have agreed to hold hearings and then rejected Obama’s nominee, giving at least the semblance of performing their duties. Instead, they’re about to get played. Obama might not get his nominee, but Republicans may well pay a political price.
This morning, Obama made a post to SCOTUSblog, the respected blog following the workings of the US Supreme Court. In it, he laid out the type of person he wants to nominate. He also said he expects the Senate to “fulfill their constitutional responsibility to consider” his nominee. Obama is clearly drawing the battle lines. It’s not really about confirming or not confirming. It’s about function or dysfunction—and right now the American people already believe Congress is dysfunctional.
Obama is laying the ground work for a big argument going into the November elections. Of the 34 Senate seats up for re-election, 24 are Republican. Of the ten most competitive seats, eight are held by Republicans. Their unwillingness to perform their constitutional duty along with government shutdowns and paralyzing gridlock makes the GOP look unable or unwilling to govern.
In addition, African-American voters, a major part of the Democratic base, will see the refusal to hold hearings on an Obama nominee as an attempt to cast the first African-American president as some how illegitimate. They’ve seen this tactic since the end of legalized slavery. Yesterday, the Senate gave them a reason to vote for Obama one more time.
In a state like North Carolina, Richard Burr might not be able to expect much African-American support, but he could hope for a lower turnout this year than in 2012 or 2008 when Obama was on the ticket. Now, he can probably expect just as high a turnout since he’s decided to diss the president. He’s given them something to vote against.
Obama is setting the stage for a showdown with the Republican-controlled Senate. They’re in a lose-lose situation. If they stand their ground and refuse to hold hearings, they are obstructionists who won’t do their jobs. If they give in to Obama, they look weak to their base. Once again, they’ve been outmaneuvered by the president by playing politics instead of doing their jobs.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Burr lost my support when he signed the Iran letter, He just confirmed that I made the correct choice.
As for all of this trying to block the nomination process a lot of those republican senators should think about the justice that just died , they didn’t wait until he was cold before they were already at war about his replacement . What kind of respect did they give him or family?
Anyone else remember when Republicans demanded judicial nominees be given an “up or down vote?” That’s only when those nominees are submitted by a Republican president.
Obviously your memory isn’t that good. This has happened on both sides for decades. Yes the Republicans pushed for up or down votes – but they didn’t get them – see Reid, Harry.
And don’t forget Senator Joe Biden back in ’92 arguing that the Senate should not approve a SCOTUS nominee in the last year of a President’s term.
Richard Burr has given Tarheel voters much to vote against. As a signer of the letter to the Iranian leadership, he committed a form of treason against the nation. In a state where pollution is a serious problem, he has been a solid vote in favor of polluters and against the people. He is a Koch-bought vote for the ALEC agenda.
Don’t forget his advocacy for bank runs.
Treason, eh? Wow, that’s a serious accusation. Have you considered petitioning the U.S Department of Justice to indict the Senator? Or are you just blowing more left wing smoke?
This is what I wrote on the petition on another website-
The people did make a choice. We chose President Obama twice to lead us and to do his Constitutional duties for as long as he was in office. Not to be a figurehead during his last months, or to only fill a certain number of Supreme Court seats.
We did choose this president to represent us until the day the new one takes the oath of office, and to appoint justices for the court as needed for whatever reason.
I ask that you let the will of the people, which we have already shown, be carried out.