Discussion: The Most Important Thing At Stake In Senate Control Is Not What You Think

Discussion for article #227573

All these Republicans have skeletons in their closets. Their family members have skeletons in their closets. Their business associates have skeletons in their closets.

There are a lot of people out there with good, life-destroying information out there. Time to put it to good use.

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History will judge this period of US Congressional politics as the ugliest since that of pre-Civil War days.
Men like Mitch better pray to whatever pig god he worships that there is no afterlife, because if there is he’ll spend his down in the 9th Ring of the Inferno where the most evil bastards get to spend eternity.

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No, THIS specifically is what’s truly at stake in the battle for Senate control:

Ginsburg: Age 81, and in poor health
Scalia: Age 78, questionable mental state, poor physical condition
Kennedy: Age 78
Breyer: Age 76, said to be considering retirement
Thomas, Age 66 and scAlito, age 64: questionable sanity

Now, we can whistle past the graveyard and think Obama’s not going to have to worry about it…or we can hedge our bets by assuring that the Senate remains in Democratic hands.

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Not sure if the Dems can “Man Up”, but I hope they can “Message Up”. They need to show the republicans for what they are; greedy, corporate and billionaire interests who don’t give a damn about race, health care, minorities, immigration, a minimum wage, housing, working conditions, social security, etc.

You want to win Dems? Stop running away and stand up to the GOTP bully.

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No different than the last couple of Pres. elections…it has been about the S.C. for some time…and what a mess of a court we have now…part of the Bush Cheney legacy along with the Middle East

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It’s not just the Supreme Court itself, but it’s also that “Equal Justice Under Law” thingy on the pediment. A Republican Senate is unlikely to produce any laws that provide for equal justice (equal pay, voting rights, protection for ethnic or racial minorities, etc.). The law should apply to everyone equally, of course, but we all know it doesn’t. Still, justice is administered by the courts while laws are made by the legislature. Sadly, there is very little justice in the world despite a plethora of laws

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Quite right.

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With his florid complexion, his excess avoirdupois, and his tendency to apoplexy, Scalia is a myocardial infarction waiting to happen.

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Its less bad than it could be. No judicial nominations for two years is much better than the GOP negotiating and getting some of their awful judges on the courts.

Oh and don’t bet on there being no time to confirm anyone. The filibuster rules are dead and the lame duck session will approve every pending nomination if the Dems lose control. Again, there is no need to bother about the consequences because the GOP will be maximally bad regardless.

2016 will be the year the tea party Senators come up and the Dems are expected to take the Senate back even if they lose this time round. Which actually looks increasingly unlikely because the GOP’s talent for shooting itself in the foot is so big they could actually manage a net loss. Kentucky and Kansas are in play and they should not be on normal political fortunes.

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Exactly. Anything can happen. I remember I was at my best friend’s wedding, and had just got back to my motel room (still VERY drunk), and turned on CNN to find out William Rehnquist had died. So not only does Dubya get to select a new member of SCOTUS, he gets to select a CHIEF JUSTICE – and that’s how we got the Roberts Court.

We cannot wait for history to happen, or hope it goes our way when it does. We need to hold the Senate – period.

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With the five corporate puppets on the current corrupted court, it’s become “Unequal Ju$ti¢e Under Law”!

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If that is the risk he has nothing to worry about.

Even if the Republicans refuse to confirm an SC nominee, everyone agrees that the Democrats will take control on January 4, 2017. Obama will still be President, and the Senate leadership would then approve his nominee.

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Which is what I mean by “poor physical condition”. I’m being charitable, though he hardly deserves it.

A lame-duck president’s nominee being confirmed by a newly-constituted Senate.

That would keep the talking heads buzzing for several news cycles.

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Yes. If the GOPhers capture the Senate, Obama will be unable to fill any judicial slots, unless he capitulates to the right.

While Democratically-appointed judges now occupy a majority of seats on the Courts of Appeal, the edge is slim, and would be soon overcome if, Heaven forbid, Republicans take over the White House in 2016 or 2020. And if a vacancy should occur on the Supreme Court before 2017, it would remain unfilled.

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Which is what I presumed. I just thought I’d elaborate a bit. After all, “poor physical condition” is a sliding scale, and I didn’t want anyone to think that he just wasn’t up for winning the Olympic marathon or challenging the heavyweight boxing championship. Scalia is one good rage binge away from forced retirement (or interment).

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McConnell needs to lose this November.

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Sadly, I think if Democrats manage to retain the Senate in 2014, it makes it more likely they will lose the White House in 2016. If Democrats keep the Senate this year, the GOP narrative in 2016 is going to be “Change, change, change… these guys have been in power long enough!” It will be easier for the GOP (rightly or wrongly) to blame everything that happened/didn’t happen over the past 8 years on Obama and the Democrats.

On the other hand, if Democrats lose the Senate this year, it will be painful for the next 2 years, but come 2016, the GOP will have to bear the responsibility for all the crap they will surely pull in the House and Senate during this time. The Democratic nominee will have something to attack the GOP with in 2016, rather than just defending the previous 8 years.

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