RIP Antonin Scalia

Certainly for a group like NOW it is.

 

I'm more concerned by the notion that the guy is 63 years old and doesn't appear to have ever taken a case that required him to discern a view on abortion or guns.

 

Would be hilarious if there's a left-wing, Harriet Miers like, revolt against this nomination.

Does Bernie Sanders support his nomination:

 

McConnell's speech from the floor was awesome. The cynicism was palpable.

 

Why doesn't Garland have his own thread?

I think it was a likely mistake to nominate Garland.
Current Senate leadership (McConnell, Grassley, Sessions, etc.) opposed his nomination to the Appeals Court. So they can simply say we opposed him then and we're opposing him now.
On the other hand with Sri Srinivasan, they all voted in favor of his nomination to the Appeals Court, so they would have a much harder time explaining why they're opposing him now.

 

C'mon man. The Harriet Miers revolt was because she was a clown who wouldn't even have been qualified for a spot two steps down the ladder.

There's a lot to debate about the left's reaction here, but let's leave poor Ms. "You are the best governor EVER!" out of this.

 

Srinavasan would have been a better choice - he's a better coalition builder (to counter Roberts on the conservative side), is intelligent and has a short paper trail of decisions. But a failed confirmation would close the court to him forever. Garland is a safe no with the idea that a Clinton administration can nominate Sri.

 

This nomination has put the GOP in a terrible bind. What a brilliant play by Obama.

For the GOP--

Oppose him and you come off as obstructionist.
Oppose and defeat him, Hillary wins in November, and she nominates Srinivasan, the more liberal pick.
Approve him and you look 'establishment,' further guaranteeing Trump wins the nomination and a GOP loss in November.

I 100% believe Obama wanted Srinivasan and that's who will be on the Court in the end.

 

The comparison is not perfect.

I just think left wing criticism of the pick would be hilarious. You know the hard left isn't thrilled with the pick. But, will they criticize it?

If he was the nominee of a Republican president -- and it sounds like he could have been -- there would be open opposition to him.

 

I agree with you. Again, though -- you're trying to compare it to a nominee who all sides agreed would have been an embarrassment. Garland is an A-list candidate.

 

Obama said Garland quit his law firm, where he had made partner, and took a 50% pay cut, to become a prosecutor, because crime in D.C. had reached "epidemic proportions" and he wanted to help:

This was a time when crime here in Washington had reached epidemic proportions and he wanted to help. And he quickly made a name for himself going after corrupt politicians and violent criminals.

Transcript: Obama announces nomination of Merrick Garland to Supreme Court

Garland said his first big case was to put away gang members.

I'm concerned Garland may have contributed to the over incarceration problem.