Author Topic: Politics, Religion, etc.  (Read 99312 times)

brjones

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4575 on: September 19, 2020, 05:12:49 pm »
If the positions were reversed the Democrats would do exactly the same thing.  The executive and congressional branches are broken, let’s not try and break the last part of the federal government.

Too late, the Supreme Court was broken by McConnell 4 years ago when he arbitrarily decided to not hold hearings for Garland. And the court system as a whole has been further broken by the continued appointment of unqualified judges over the last four years. Now they're acting in bad faith again and further politicizing the court by not following their own fake rule.

If this nomination gets confirmed before the election (and before inauguration if Biden wins), Democrats would be 100% justified in packing the court.
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Ron

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4576 on: September 19, 2020, 05:16:43 pm »
PR should be a state if they want to be one.
DC’s outside of the federal land should be returned to Maryland, just like part of it was returned to Virgina.

My issue with framing the Supreme Court in the manner Tico was, it is undermining the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. The court becomes illegitimate than it is easier for Democrats to argue to pack the court. The Supreme Court should be like an ump in baseball calling balls and strikes and not turned into Joe West and Angel Hernandez.

If the positions were reversed the Democrats would do exactly the same thing.  The executive and congressional branches are broken, let’s not try and break the last part of the federal government.

Excuse my bluntness, but this is utter bullshit. Some people (especially Republicans and cynics) say this sort of thing (they all do it, they are all the same, etc) all the time and there is no basis for it. This was utterly unique and broke the sanctity of the appointment process. 

The Republicans in recent years have clearly demonstrated their complete disregard for institutional integrity and basic fairness (voter suppression anyone).  I have no problem condemning Democrats when they behave dishonorably (I fought the Daley machine in Chicago for decades), but the behavior of the Republican Party in recent years is like nothing I have seen in my lifetime.

Playtwo

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4577 on: September 19, 2020, 05:26:31 pm »
I wouldn't be shocked if Trump deferred offering a nominee.  His election chances are better if social conservatives see that they will get a conservative replacement for RBG only if Trump is reelected.
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brjones

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4578 on: September 19, 2020, 08:12:30 pm »
Pulling this over from the Today's Game topic...

RBG was such a mensch even that ill-tempered old fascist Scalia loved her.  But she really should have retired in 2015 and done the right thing for the country.

Well, McConnell would've pulled the same BS with that opening that he did with Scalia's seat. He would've found a way to justify not confirming a replacement in the last two years of the term because he cares about nothing but making sure Republicans have more power.

brjones

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4579 on: September 19, 2020, 08:26:09 pm »
Susan Collins becomes the first Republican senator to say they should wait to confirm a new Supreme Court justice until after the election.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-19/sen-collins-senate-shouldn-t-vote-on-nominee-before-election

As far as I can tell, though, she didn't go as far to say she'd definitely vote "no" on any nominee before the election. And if/when she loses in November, I wouldn't be surprised if she changed her mind in the lame duck period in December/January.

Ron

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4580 on: September 19, 2020, 09:04:39 pm »
Susan Collins becomes the first Republican senator to say they should wait to confirm a new Supreme Court justice until after the election.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-19/sen-collins-senate-shouldn-t-vote-on-nominee-before-election

As far as I can tell, though, she didn't go as far to say she'd definitely vote "no" on any nominee before the election. And if/when she loses in November, I wouldn't be surprised if she changed her mind in the lame duck period in December/January.

Murkowski had already said she would not vote for a replacement until after the inauguration.

brjones

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4581 on: September 19, 2020, 09:09:50 pm »
Yeah, but that was a hypothetical statement yesterday afternoon before the news was announced.

CUBluejays

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4582 on: September 19, 2020, 09:31:03 pm »
Excuse my bluntness, but this is utter bullshit. Some people (especially Republicans and cynics) say this sort of thing (they all do it, they are all the same, etc) all the time and there is no basis for it. This was utterly unique and broke the sanctity of the appointment process. 

The Republicans in recent years have clearly demonstrated their complete disregard for institutional integrity and basic fairness (voter suppression anyone).  I have no problem condemning Democrats when they behave dishonorably (I fought the Daley machine in Chicago for decades), but the behavior of the Republican Party in recent years is like nothing I have seen in my lifetime.

Republicans have decade long griefs with Democrats on the court confirmations.  Each party does the takes it up a notch as payback and we get to where we are now.  Democrats block a bush appointees, Republicans block more Obama appointments and Reid ends the filibuster on federal judiciary appointments. McConnell then applies it Supreme Court and Br thinks Democrats should pack the court.  While the current Republican Party is a mess, Democrats will over reach and then when Republicans get back in power and then the pack the more because the Democrats did it. 

Both parties have moved to their extremes, helped by rigging districts so that they are safe Republican and Democrat districts and now we can’t even pass a freaking budget anymore.  Hopefully Biden can bring some sanity back to Washington and get the parties working to do something worth while for America or we are truly 100% f***** as a nation.

Deeg

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4583 on: September 19, 2020, 09:41:34 pm »
I’d almost rather Trumpers were just honest about their views rather than spouting the above false equivalency bullshlt.  That’s actually more damaging.

Mitch will schedule a vote after the election to protect his vulnerable members. I guarantee you four Republicans won’t vote to block a nomination under that scenario.

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CUBluejays

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4584 on: September 20, 2020, 09:58:15 am »
This will be the 4th time I haven’t voted for Trump in November so nice try. It is nice to know that you think your political side is perfect and has no responsibility for the current situation in the country.

Trump is 100% a Republican problem. The lack of functional government is a Democrat/Republican problem.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2020, 10:07:44 am by CUBluejays »
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ben

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4585 on: September 20, 2020, 10:41:33 am »
While I agree with CubBluejays that both parties are to blame for our dysfunctional government, I wholeheartedly agree with Ron's statement:

"The Republicans in recent years have clearly demonstrated their complete disregard for institutional integrity and basic fairness (voter suppression anyone).  I have no problem condemning Democrats when they behave dishonorably (I fought the Daley machine in Chicago for decades), but the behavior of the Republican Party in recent years is like nothing I have seen in my lifetime."

Republicans in the Senate who have enabled this horrific excused for a "President" should be ashamed.  History will judge them most harshly!
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otto105

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4586 on: September 21, 2020, 06:25:12 pm »
I’m curious about this.


The US Constitution doesn’t set a number justices that serve on the court and leaves that up to the Senate. Instead of expanding the court if republicans succeed in sitting another conservative justice they reduce the number if they win back the senate.

Than a president Biden could reappoint all justices, is that possible?

CurtOne

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4587 on: September 21, 2020, 06:36:50 pm »
I think the Constitution sets that a Justice is for life unless impeached.   I recall that FDR's effort to pack the Court didn't go well.  The idea of packing the Court by either party is counter-productive because the next party in power can just undo everything.  It would become a silly circus.   I think the Republicans are making a serious mistake on trying to get somebody now before the election; the voters could be negative about that.  I think the Democrats packing the court threat is equaling ill advised because that gives all those pro-life and Court appointments voters rise to vote for Republican Senators.   

I think we should wait and see who Trump nominates.  Even a blind pig can find an acorn.   The Republicans have 5 weeks to the election; they have 12 weeks after the election.  If the election goes as badly for them as I think, they can still push something through lame duck.
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Deeg

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4588 on: September 21, 2020, 07:04:49 pm »
I’m curious about this.


The US Constitution doesn’t set a number justices that serve on the court and leaves that up to the Senate. Instead of expanding the court if republicans succeed in sitting another conservative justice they reduce the number if they win back the senate.

Than a president Biden could reappoint all justices, is that possible?

No, he can't replace and reappoint.  But the constitution says nothing about the number of justices, and it fact that number has already been changed extra-constitutionally several times.  If indeed Moscow Mitch manages to hold together enough votes and ram through a confirmation (no doubt after election day) and the Ds win control of the WH and Senate, expect a serious push to increase the court to 11.  Even small-c conservative Dems seem to be coming around to the idea.

brjones

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Re: Politics, Religion, etc.
« Reply #4589 on: September 21, 2020, 07:29:51 pm »
I'd even expect a push to 13 to give the Democrats control. An 11 justice court would still have the conservative side with a 6-5 advantage.