Discussion: Obama: 'The Constitution Is Pretty Clear' On SCOTUS Nominations

Um… I dunno about Obama’s comments. I’m thinking Obama should have first consulted with Ammon Bundy about what it says in the Constitution.

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if I’m an obstructionist Republican, I simply act like I’m giving the nominee fair consideration for several months, then deny the nomination. Send it back to the WH for another nominee. It is really not that hard to run out the clock on this process. Cynical as fuck, but not hard.

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They’re barbarians. It’s a generational thing. The baby boomers–right or left–have always been antirational, have always blithely ignored the consequences of taking jackhammers to the foundations of our society.

I’m amused when I hear people who claim to be strict interpreters of the constitution suddenly reading into it, a whole series of provisions that are not there," Obama said.

It’s even moreso amusing that it only seemed to begin happening once you were elected sir.

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The nomination has to go through the Judiciary Committee, where there will be hearing(s), discussion, debate, and eventually a vote.

Then it’s off to the full Senate for more hearing(s), discussion, debate, and a vote.

The Constitution only says “advise and consent” - the GOP would be within their prerogative to stretch that out as long as they want. @fourlegsgood is right - it’s up to public pressure to get that nominee over the line, once he or she has been named.

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Yeah, without some sort of leverage or negative reinforcement, I don’t see how you could actually force them to act - not when they can just pretend to act. Literally forever.

It’s patently obvious that God wanted Obama to pick the next Justice of the Supreme Court. Otherwise She would have waited until Obama left office to bump Scalia off.

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Apologies from the “Obama to have a presser” repost, but I am genuinely interested in other comments, re: shouldn’t Obama and Dems be upping their game, especially on such a hot topic.

In watching the presser, Obama had some decent points about obstructionism in the Senate, including 14 federal judges unanimously confirmed out of the Judiciary Committee, but still not voted in the Senate.

Obama’s failure is he did not sufficiently call out Republicans (McConnell) and demand a vote. Now.
Then ask Americans to demand a vote, since it is their judiciary that is undermanned. Otherwise, it is more of the same- these guys are obstructing for some reason, we don’t like it, but whatever…

Obama, Reid, and Schumer need to light some fires.

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Not to mention the number of times I have heard the MSM refer to Obama as a lame duck.

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how incompetent republicans must be if they think the next Dem president won’t nominate someone to the left of whom Obama will nominate or if they actually think Trump will be president.

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i believe the President is being gracious and waiting until Justice Scalia is cold and underground. Obama is in a win-win situation. In fact, he could be at checkmate, but most certainly at check. The last thing the GOP wants is this. Couldn’t happen to a nicer crowd.

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NPR gets played with a conspiracy theory that Mr. Spock faked his death in a long-range plan to kill Scalia???
Sounds like a joke but they admit it themselves…

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<snark>
How dare he appear at a press conference without wearing a tie.
</snark>

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I dunno Les. Senate Ok’ed Kagen and Sotomayor. Perhaps Obama feels he owes them one and will put up a centrist Dem for nomination to appease the Republicans. You know, a centrist Dem who might vote Republican from time to time. I wouldn’t be surprised.

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There’s a TV show called Agent X where a secret page of the Constitution is hidden in the VP’s residence authorizing the VP to have a secret extra-legal agent who can do anything he or she wants regardless of legality.

Apparently the GOP has taken this idea to heart, and believes there is a secret page of the Constitution somewhere that halts liberalish Presidents from nominating Supreme Court nominees or proposing budgets in the last year of office.

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That wasn’t quite fall-off-my-chair funny but i was teetering.

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In the hours after Scalia’s death was reported, Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell and other Republicans insisted the new justice shouldn’t
be chosen by Obama because there is a presidential election in
November.

And that is a bullshit reason Mr McConnell and you know it. Article 2 Section 2 says the President shall (not “may or probably can”) appoint judges with the advice and consent of the Senate. Which means Obama is obligated to nominate and you are obligated to do your job (I know you won’t). In any other job you would get fired in a heartbeat.

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There he goes again, reporting those liberally-biased facts.

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These republicans just don’t learn. Obama is going to kick their asses AGAIN! Where do they think public opinion lies in this matter?

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As I walk through life interacting with friends who seethe with venom towards the left, 100% blaming racism, the economy, police violence, terrorism, middle east issues, congress obstructionism, and everything everything everything on the the left… my brain just… melts.

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