Discussion for article #231572
Is it possible that this nomination— which is only for a district court seat— could have been used to make sure similar attacks do not occur on Obama nominees in the next two years? Did anyone try to cut such a deal? All of the important cases get another look in courts of appeals and maybe the Supreme Court so why not make an effort? While Obama appointed a lot of judges, many of them were in their 50’s or even 60’s, whereas the Republicans manage to get judges appointed in their 30’s and 40’s.
Democrats appoint older judges so we can judge them on their records. Opposition to abortion is disqualifying.
How much help do you expect this Supreme Court to be on that issue?
Boggs was nominated as part of a deal, but that’s not it. The Boggs nomination wasn’t made to get future nominees considered, but a bunch of nominees who had already been confirmed.
The White House, Senate Democratic leadership, and Senate Republican leadership made a deal which a collection of Obama’s nominees wouldn’t be blocked, and would go through the ordinary approval process. The Republicans’ “ask” in this deal amounted to two additional nominations - Boggs, and some moderate judge whose names escapes me right now. But the deal was never that those judges would all be confirmed; it was that they would go through the process and not be blocked with the magical powers provided in the Senate rules.
So, Obama got something like eight of the nominees he wanted onto the federal court, and in exchange, the Senate considered and rejected (informally) the Boggs nomination. Not a bad deal.
3 Likes
That’s good to know, and a point that might have been usefully incorporated into the article.
So this looks like a clear victory for the good guys. Unfortunately, by my count the last 74 things that seemed like a clear victory for the good guys turned out, later and upon further review, to be a momentary annoyance easily overcome by the oligarchy.
But, hey, it’s a New Year. Maybe things will be better in 2015.
[quote=“RonThompson, post:5, topic:14901”]
But, hey, it’s a New Year. Maybe things will be better in 2015.
[/quote] Right. Just keep drinking that eggnog.
The Rich shall overcome.
President Obama has a history of starting in the center, then making “deals” to accommodate the far right. What a terrible strategy! He should start as far to the left as the GOP does to the right, then make “deals” in the center.
Republicans fight for their base, Democrats don’t. That’s why our nation is in the mess it’s in. Hopefully, the President will spend the remainder of his term fighting for those who elected him, not for the Blue Dogs who vote with the Republicans at every turn.
I thought republicans block everything because Obama is black and they are racist. Is Harry Reid a racist? (Actually, that’s a relevant question, but one for another day). Maybe, as the facts in this article make clear, political and policy decisions are based on political and policy considerations.