Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Dead at 79

Just heard about this. Here's some sources: Here, Here, and Here. Condolences to friends and family.

Scalia was a tough conservative, and the empty seat he left behind has huge potential to change the balance of the court. I don't know if Obama will get the chance to appoint a new justice, or if the Republican-controlled Senate will just keep refusing to confirm anyone he nominates until after the election, but if he does, or Hillary or Bernie win in November, there would be a liberal-leaning court. I suppose if a Republican wins the White House, his appointment wouldn't make too much of a difference unless another Justice or two die during his term, but in any case, this will be something for people to watch. There are some important cases going up before the court, after all.

 

There is no such law. In fact Justice Kennedy was appointed in '88 by Reagan during his last year in office. But the Republicans seem to have forgotten about that. It does, however, say in the Constitution that it is the president's right to nominate justices to the court. The Republicans coming out and saying that they refuse to consider any nominee Obama may appoint are just obstructing justice and should be reamed for it. I just wish my damn state would wise up and send Mitch McConnell the hell packing. He's been in Washington way too damn long.

I don't know about the country "stay[ing] afloat or fall[ing]," because that sounds a little dramatic, but the next president will definitely have a chance to create a new court, given that there are a lot of oldies sitting on it right now who could croak at any minute. And there are a lot of cases coming up where a ruling could have huge effects on a lot of people.

Hopefully everyone does what is right and a highly qualified justice is appointed as soon as possible.

 

They claim that no president in their last year has appointed a justice in over 80 years, making it not really law but just a common practice sort of thing, but that's a lie, as evidenced by Justice Kennedy. It says nothing in the Constitution that a president on his last term doesn't have to fulfill his duties just because he'll be gone in a year. And it is his duty to nominate a justice to fill this seat, whether the Senate likes it or not.

They could have also been referring to a resolution passed by Democrats in 1960, that said: "S.RES. 334, “Expressing the sense of the Senate that the president should not make recess appointments to the Supreme Court, except to prevent or end a breakdown in the administration of the Court’s business.” but that refers to making recess appointments, not following the normal procedures, I don't think it actually holds anyone to anything, and lol, the Republicans objected to it. Because of course when it's their president going to make the appointment, it's fine.

Edit: Found this helpful election year appointment tweet (I don't know how to embed them properly, so I copy/pasted it below, and here's the link

Spoiler

@ igorvolsky

Senate confirmed 17 SCOTUS justices in election yr. Most voted on within months. GOP says we can't do that no more

I'm pretty sure most everyone in Washington regardless of their party is worthless and selfish, but Bush did make picks, and they were eventually confirmed. I would be irritated, but still somewhat understanding, if Obama had made a nominee, the Senate didn't think they were good enough for the job, sent it back to Obama for another pick, and so on, but to boldfaced go on record as saying that they don't care who he picks, qualified or not, they aren't even going to entertain the idea is completely wrong and is just the Senate flat refusing to do the job we are paying them for. And I would say this if it were the other way around, with a Republican president and Democratic Senate.

This is all just partisan bullshit, because you have to know damn well that if Obama were a Republican, the Senate as it is now would be just fine with him picking the new justice. They keep saying the American people need to vote in this next election and give voice to who they want for the next justice, forgetting that Americans did that three years ago when they reelected Obama to perform all the duties of president, for all four years, not three because the Republicans are tired of dealing with him, and are desperately hoping their presidential candidate makes it into the white house next. Everyone just needs to do their damn jobs.

I dunno, some of the names I've seen mentioned as possible nominees do sound qualified for the job. Though you're right in that there's almost always an agenda (I say almost to hang onto some last tiny bit of hope that some people in Washington do actually care about this country).

True enough.

Edit:

For some more hypocrisy, here's more Mitch McConnell:

Link. Bold is mine.

 

I think maybe they might have been once, but they spend too much time there and get corrupted. I think we need term limits in Congress, but I don't know how that could ever happen. Certainly they'd never vote for it themselves.

It's ridiculous that no one wants to do their jobs. Congress goes on more damn vacations than they do show up for work, meanwhile we're paying them to sit around and not do anything they're supposed to be doing. It's a damn shame when politicians are more concerned about benefiting themselves than they are actually serving this country. It would be nice if voters would vote some of these do-nothings out this upcoming election, and send a message that people are tired of the bullshit and we want everyone to do their jobs properly.

It shouldn't be too much to ask for the Senate to fairly do their jobs. I know the Republicans are pissed that Scalia couldn't hold on until next year, but too bad for them. I would never expect them to confirm someone who was horribly wrong for the job, or even someone who was highly-qualified but very far to the left, because common sense, but you can't tell me that Obama can't find someone fairly moderate who would have appealed to the Senate and been confirmed any other time. And if he does, and they still don't confirm that person, that's obstruction for their own petty reasons, in my opinion, and not doing what's best for this country.

 

People do tend to pay a bit more attention and also vote more in an election year, so it could happen. Maybe.

I think there are a lot of different ways he can go with this, depending on what point he wants to make. I don't know. I read an article the other day of an interview with retired Justice Sandra Day-O'Connor, who was calling for Obama to name a replacement so that the court can get on with it as soon as possible. I wish she'd come out of retirement and Obama would nominate her again. She was a Reagan appointee, but was moderate on some issues, and the Republicans in the Senate would be hard-pressed to explain why a woman who did sit on the court for so many years was suddenly undeserving of the job. But who knows what will happen. I do think that Obama will probably eventually get a nominee confirmed. It's a long time until the next president takes office, and in addition to the potential for a Democrat to win the presidency, there are also a number of Senate seats up for reelection, some in traditionally democratic or swing states, that the Republicans will want to hold on to. I think the Senate will talk big now, but depending on how much the media covers the issue, will end up doing their jobs no matter how much they like being paid to do nothing.

 

'07, I think? But yeah, I agree. I read somewhere that sources were expecting Obama to make his nomination about three weeks from now. So I suppose we'll all just have to wait and see.