There is only one good thing that can come from the power-mad Republican rush to jam Amy Coney Barrett onto the Supreme Court before Election Day: Of a sudden, as the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan used to say, Americans in the tens of millions now know that our country faces a crisis of democracy triggered by the right wing’s quest for unchecked judicial dominance.
Barrett’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and President Trump’s comments before nominating her, brought home just how dangerously disrespectful of democratic norms the enlarged conservative majority on the court threatens to be.
Her silence on the most basic issues of republican self-rule tells us to be ready for the worst. She wouldn’t say if voter intimidation is illegal, even though it plainly is. She wouldn’t say if a president has the power to postpone an election, even though he doesn’t.
She wouldn’t even say that a president should commit himself to a peaceful transfer of power, telling Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) that “to the extent that this is a political controversy right now, as a judge I want to stay out of it.”
I believe your current POTUS will not win, but after the 2016 experience, I wait to say it.
ReplyDeleteXersex - Yes, it's a waiting game right now.
ReplyDeleteRad - OMG, I hadn't heard about this latest attempt. Yes another blatant power grab. Thank you for letting me know.
@ RAD - Those "rules" can be changed at any time by any Majority Leader.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree we need to put more than 9 on the court. Ginsberg left bread crumbs for Congress during her tenure on the court. These things need to be handled with legislation. Pass laws and let the assholes challenge them through the courts.
whkattk - I think the entire system needs to be changed so things like this can't even happen.
ReplyDelete