One of my wiser social media friends had an excellent point yesterday. If RBG had retired between 2009 and 2010, she would have walked out of SCOTUS as a hero. All people would have talked about is her trailblazing path to become a woman's rights advocate and justice. But why then, and not now? Anyone with any awareness, knows we are on the cusp of the Mother of all Battles. As such, any accomplishments that RBG might have had, are going to be muted by the noise of upcoming election and battle for power.
Maybe a trip down memory lane would be in order. In 2008, there was a blue wave which hit the country. After eight years of G.W. Bush, and with the Republicans putting up a tepid nominee to run to be the next President, the table was set for the Democrats. Enter Barack Hussein Obama. A historical moment - we could be getting our first mixed race President.
When the election came, Obama won a decisive victory, and his coattails were very long. The House became even "bluer" keeping Ms. Nancy as Speaker, and the Senate became solidly Democrat. In fact, the Democrats in the Senate almost a "super majority".
In 2009, the long contested Minnesota Senate vote was over. Al Franken was declared the winner. Also, Arlen Specter switched parties and became a Democrat. And just like that, the Democrats had the White House, the House, and a "super majority" in the Senate. The Republicans became just white noise, as the Democrats were calling every shot. Yes, then came the infamous "ObamaCare", and the Republicans had zero chance of stopping it.
This would have also been the PERFECT time for RBG to retire. The Democrats would have had the party of parties for her. Washington was bright blue, and glowing. RBG could have then lived out the rest of her days, just being RBG, and maybe writing books and articles.
But that was then, and this is now. For reasons which escape most of us, RBG, with cancer and all, thought she might live forever. Instead she died during the term of Donald J. Trump - a President she had little time for. Now to appears that RBG will be replaced by ACB (Amy Coney Barrett). As ugly as the upcoming fight will be, this might be the time and the place for ACB. It will be hard for the Democrats to give her the same shellacking that Brett Kavanaugh took - but they will still try.
When RBG was confirmed under the Clinton Administration, it was almost unanimous. She was treated very fairly by the Senate (both by Democrats and Republicans), and I don't think there were any questions brought up about her Jewish faith.
However, when ACB was being vetted to be a judge on the Seventh Circuit, Senator Diane Feinstein (who is Jewish), was very uneasy and critical about ACB's Catholic faith. Made quite a big deal out of it. Why? As we all know, Catholics who are strong in their faith, are pro-life. What if (gasp!) we allowed someone in the judiciary (or SCOTUS), who could threaten Roe v Wade? Allow innocent babies to live? And that - is what this upcoming war will really be about.
Get ready folks, and buckle up. The ride ahead of us will be hard and bumpy. This fight will not only be for all the marbles, but maybe even life and death (of the unborn). If you are praying types, pray for the safety of whomever Donald Trump picks to succeed RBG. And pray for this great nation. We are on the edge of the cliff right now, and it will not take much to push us over.
2016, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas): “It has been 80 years since a Supreme Court vacancy was nominated and confirmed in an election year. There is a long tradition that you don’t do this in an election year.”
ReplyDelete2018, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): “If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump’s term, and the primary process has started, we’ll wait to the next election.”
2016, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.): “I don’t think we should be moving on a nominee in the last year of this president’s term - I would say that if it was a Republican president.”
2016, Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.): “The very balance of our nation’s highest court is in serious jeopardy. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will do everything in my power to encourage the president and Senate leadership not to start this process until we hear from the American people.”
2016, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): “A lifetime appointment that could dramatically impact individual freedoms and change the direction of the court for at least a generation is too important to get bogged down in politics. The American people shouldn’t be denied a voice.”
2016, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): “The campaign is already under way. It is essential to the institution of the Senate and to the very health of our republic to not launch our nation into a partisan, divisive confirmation battle during the very same time the American people are casting their ballots to elect our next president.”
2016, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.): “In this election year, the American people will have an opportunity to have their say in the future direction of our country. For this reason, I believe the vacancy left open by Justice Antonin Scalia should not be filled until there is a new president.”
2016, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.): “The Senate should not confirm a new Supreme Court justice until we have a new president.”
2016, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Col.): “I think we’re too close to the election. The president who is elected in November should be the one who makes this decision.”
2016, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio): “I believe the best thing for the country is to trust the American people to weigh in on who should make a lifetime appointment that could reshape the Supreme Court for generations. This wouldn’t be unusual. It is common practice for the Senate to stop acting on lifetime appointments during the last year of a presidential term, and it’s been nearly 80 years since any president was permitted to immediately fill a vacancy that arose in a presidential election year.”
2016, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.): “I strongly agree that the American people should decide the future direction of the Supreme Court by their votes for president and the majority party in the U.S. Senate.”
2016, Sen. Mitch McConnell “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”