Board 8 > Politics Containment Topic 320: Comin' Out of the Woodward

(+) Yeah! (+)

Graham is a spineless coward and will do whatever Trump tells him to do

---

xp1337 posted...

I mean, the most cynical play is to hold it empty to try and use it as an election tool to bring back GOP voters who were leaning towards Biden (while talking up "oh just like 2016 we'll wait") and then if Biden wins anyway, just fill it in the lame duck because they have no principles other than power.

This is 100% what Mitch is going to do.

---

Well, there goes any hope America ever had.

---

LordoftheMorons posted...

I'll believe it when I see it, but Graham's also on record about not filling a seat in 2020:

i literally don't believe that

like that's just some glitch in reality where we saw into the clinton wins timeline on Earth-2 for a moment

---

definitely gotta be "lmao believe it when I see it" Graham

literally just campaigned on his opponent hiding his tax forms (who then immediately released them)

---

Jakyl25 posted...

The SCOTUS lifetime appointment shit needs reform

One seat should be filled on a cycle every 2 years, on the odd-numbered years so that every POTUS term gets two.

If there are 9 Justices, that means you get a single 18-year term and then youre done.

Great idea. I'll just throw it on the pile of things that will never happen because it's impossible to change the Constitution without GOP approval.
---

And yes, strategically it makes no sense for the GOP to rush to confirm anyone before Election Day

Act like its an election issue to try and win as many Senate seats and the Trump re-election, and if it works wait and do it in January to keep your word that you wouldnt do it until the new term.

If it fails, break glass in case of emergency and do it during the lame duck period
---

Not_an_Owl posted...

This is 100% what Mitch is going to do.

If they do this, I really want Biden to expand the court to 13 while telling Mitch to fuck himself

---

metroid composite posted...

I eagerly await Mitch McConnel pronouncing that, much like Merrick Garliand who was "too close to an election" when he was nominated almost a year before the election, that Trump can't nominate anyone because it's like 40 days before the election.

Not what he said. He said because it was a lame duck president. Trump is not a lame duck president.

---

That would require Biden to have any sort of a spine or passion to rock the boat

Jakyl25 posted...

And yes, strategically it makes no sense for the GOP to rush to confirm anyone before Election Day

Act like its an election issue to try and win as many Senate seats and the Trump re-election, and if it works wait and do it in January to keep your word that you wouldnt do it until the new term.

If it fails, break glass in case of emergency and do it during the lame duck period

You are literally suggesting he do exactly what he refused to do with Obama.

---

Corrik7 posted...

Not what he said. He said because it was a lame duck president. Trump is not a lame duck president.

Do you honestly think it makes any real difference to Mitch?
---

Corrik7 posted...

You are literally suggesting he do exactly what he refused to do with Obama.

You are literally suggesting that Senators have principles
---

Jakyl25 posted...

Do you honestly think it makes any real difference to Mitch?

I am just laughing because metroid is erroneously already crying about him being hypocritical, when it isn't the same situation, while you are proposing he absolutely to be hypocritical under the correct scenario. It's just ironic.

---

Keep in mind it isn't exactly easy to fill a court opening quickly. Even with a majority, it still took 70 days to install Gorsuch. With less than 50 days until the election and having to likely wait a week until a nominee is even revealed I don't think they can get it done before the election.

It's more will they do it during the lame duck period regardless of the election outcome.

---

Corrik7 posted...

I am just laughing because metroid is erroneously already crying about him being hypocritical, when it isn't the same situation, while you are proposing he absolutely to be hypocritical under the correct scenario. It's just ironic.

Im not proposing he be hypocritical

Im saying what the best strategic play is
---

So obviously I don't frequent the topic, I try my best to avoid the political talks because I generally feel like I'm not informed enough and would rather just keep it to myself

But Ginsberg dieing and having a seat open is absolutely bigger than the election at the moment, right? Especially if they fast track a fill in? Like way way bigger?

---

TheRock1525 posted...

It's more will they do it during the lame duck period regardless of the election outcome.

This is politically advantageous to them either way. There is no way they vote on a nominee prior to the election.

---

Fastbreak posted...

But Ginsberg dieing and having a seat open is absolutely bigger than the election at the moment, right? Especially if they fast track a fill in? Like way way bigger?

This will alter the direction of the country for (however long the Justice lives).

---

Corrik7 posted...

I am just laughing because metroid is erroneously already crying about him being hypocritical, when it isn't the same situation, while you are proposing he absolutely to be hypocritical under the correct scenario. It's just ironic.

What's different about the two situations?

---

Fastbreak posted...

So obviously I don't frequent the topic, I try my best to avoid the political talks because I generally feel like I'm not informed enough and would rather just keep it to myself

But Ginsberg dieing and having a seat open is absolutely bigger than the election at the moment, right? Especially if they fast track a fill in? Like way way bigger?

Its hard to say that its bigger than the election because now it immediately becomes an election issue
---

red13n posted...

This will alter the direction of the country for (however long the Justice lives).

We haven't had a Supreme Court with a potential majority split in this way before have we?

---

I think it's bigger than the election because they're going to fill it regardless of the election.

---

I wonder how Merrick Garland is feeling right about now

---

Fastbreak posted...

We haven't had a Supreme Court with a potential majority split in this way before have we?

6-3? I would be surprised if we hadnt had that ideological split before
---

red13n posted...

This is politically advantageous to them either way. There is no way they vote on a nominee prior to the election.

I mean McConnell always chooses the most advantageous route so it's entirely possible he reads the tea leaves and goes forward with a quick confirmation.

The key is how vulnerable senators feel about all this. Sue Collins got "reassurances" from Kavanaugh about following precedence but I don't see her going with a nominee outright hostile to Roe v Wade.

---

Fastbreak posted...

We haven't had a Supreme Court with a potential majority split in this way before have we?

...How do you mean? SCOTUS has had a conservative bent for a very long time. It actually would have "flipped" ideologically had Obama not had his pick stolen in 2016. It's a large part of the reason the GOP made that move; a desperate last-ditch effort to prevent that, which ended up working out for them. It remained 5-4 conservative.

If the GOP can replace RBG it'll become 6-3 and progressive policy and action in this country is fucked for a generation or two.

---

LordoftheMorons posted...

What's different about the two situations?

Trump is in his first term.

---

TheRock1525 posted...

I mean McConnell always chooses the most advantageous route so it's entirely possible he reads the tea leaves and goes forward with a quick confirmation.

The key is how vulnerable senators feel about all this. Sue Collins got "reassurances" from Kavanaugh about following precedence but I don't see her going with a nominee outright hostile to Roe v Wade.

Your mistake is thinking Susan Collins has literally any integrity whatsoever.

---

Hes probably thinking people would rather vote Jill Stein so fuck them they deserve this and more

---

TheRock1525 posted...

The key is how vulnerable senators feel about all this. Sue Collins got "reassurances" from Kavanaugh about following precedence but I don't see her going with a nominee outright hostile to Roe v Wade.

Collins is in a unique position among the Senators wrt to this news, I feel. Backlash to Kavanaugh has fueled Gideon's challenge so I expect this to energize it even more. Collins absolutely can't take the public stance that she would go for someone like that before the election, but I think all bets are off in the lame duck (or in general if she wins and doesn't have to face election for another 6 years.)

Like my snap reaction is that this helps GOP Senate candidates in general for a multitude of reasons except for Collins where I think this hurts her.

---

StealThisSheen posted...

Your mistake is thinking Susan Collins has literally any integrity whatsoever.

She might not have integrity, but given that she's in a very competitive reelection campaign he might not want to make that vote anyway.

---

Remember with Collins they can have 3 senators break rank. She'll be one of them unless there are 3 others with a spine (lol).

---

Yup, Collins is in a tough spot if she wants to get reelected, because anyone openly hostile towards Roe v Wade (which most people on Trump's list are) would be a death knell for her campaign.

Hence why she might opt to not move forward with any confirmation.

---

I will say though that if Democrats, progressives, leftists, etc. aren't at 200% motivation to get out and fucking vote now then there truly is just no hope left.

Like say what you will, and not without merit, about this energizing some disaffected GOP voters to come home to Trump but this sure as fuck better energize the left as well. I mean, the past four years should have done that already but fucking seriously.

---

Its completely out of our hands, its not an election thing, its a Mitch can do whatever the fuck he wants to and make some rando Supreme Justice for Life which is fucking sick and kinda sorta the problem in this country.

Given how 2020 has gone, Trump is going to win re-election. Either outright or through fuckery.

---

PerfectChaosZ posted...

Its completely out of our hands, its not an election thing, its a Mitch can do whatever the fuck he wants to and make some rando Supreme Justice for Life which is fucking sick and kinda sorta the problem in this country.

No it's not. Mitch will absolutely do whatever he's able to do, but to stop this you don't need to flip Mitch. You need to flip any four GOP senators (which is certainly still not an easy thing to do, but I'll take a small chance over the 0% chance of Mitch not being a giant hypocrite).

---

Well, someone isn't waiting.

ABC reporting that Trump will put a name forward as his nominee to fill RBG's seat in "the next few days."

https://twitter.com/THETonyMorrison/status/1307111157728239618

---

Im surprised Trump stopped celebrating long enough to say that its only a few days away

---

And to the surprise of no one, McConnell has released a statement saying that Trump's nominee will get a vote on the Senate floor:

https://twitter.com/Bencjacobs/status/1307119421199179782

My mind is in a very dark place and I've basically felt chilled since the news came out and I want to just detach and sleep or turn my brain off but I don't think I can right now and sdljhfsdjak

---

https://twitter.com/acosta/status/1307120328464834560?s=21

What we already knew

---

I hope Mitch McConnell loses his seat somehow. I hope that they vote him out, and then he spends the rest of his miserable old life alone and bitter.

---

Mitch has, to his credit, done his job and accomplished his goals very well. We should all do our best to be as successful as Mitch has been, if nothing else about the man. Miserable, he is not.

I will say I do get a little tired about social issues always being on the forefront when things like this happen when they aren't very likely to be overturned or matter. Roe vs Wade is largely fine for example, most of the justices aren't major fans of overturning things like that.

Same thing for LGBTQ rights - nothing drastic is going to happen (actually a ruling earlier this year was surprisingly amazing for LGBTQ rights in the country)

My biggest worry is the power of corporations in this country and, which to be fair was horrific even under Obama and "mr moderate" Kennedy so I mean!

---

DoomTheGyarados posted...

Mitch has, to his credit, done his job

Going to disagree there. If he did his job, he would have brought forward a vote on Merrick Gariland.

He didn't do his job.

---

Mitch's job is to be a partisan hack and he does it superbly.

---

There's no way Roe v Wade doesn't get overturned. If evangelical Christians give Republicans a 6-3 majority on the SC and it's still not enough, they are absolutely gonna be disillusioned with the party.

Now will you still be able to get an abortion in the US? Yes because it will be kicked back to the states. It's just going to be awful if you live in a red state.

---

metroid composite posted...

Going to disagree there. If he did his job, he would have brought forward a vote on Merrick Gariland.

He didn't do his job.

I am sorry,

Not like his officially stated job of fair job.

I mean the job he wanted to do.

I can see how I used confusing language.

TheRock1525 posted...

There's no way Roe v Wade doesn't get overturned. If evangelical Christians give Republicans a 6-3 majority on the SC and it's still not enough, they are absolutely gonna be disillusioned with the party.

Now will you still be able to get an abortion in the US? Yes because it will be kicked back to the states. It's just going to be awful if you live in a red state.

Believe it nor someone like Roberts doesn't serve at the whims of the people who vote Republican. His record is not something I like but also I would be shocked if he struck down roe v wade

---

LordoftheMorons posted...

What's different about the two situations?

If it was after he lost the election, he would be a lame duck as Obama was. If it is before the election, he is not a lame duck like Obama was.

---

https://twitter.com/NilesGApol/status/1307124514954850311

---