SCOTUS Justice Scalia Dead

[Tyche]

Obama to name his SCOTUS nominee today. In about an hour actually. People are guessing Sri.

Here's a good long-form read on decisions he's played a major role in making.

[kuronosan]

I'll laugh if it's Warren.

[Tyche]

I'll masturbate if it's Warren. Her vote would never hit the floor though.

[Tyche]

Hmm...It's Merrick Garland. A moderate that was appointed to the D.C circuit by Clinton. Clerked for Brennen.

Fun fact, his nomination by Clinton was held up under a GOP senate in 1995 until after the 1996 election. Been there, done that, going to do it again.

Here's your long-form writeup of the Garland decisions.

[kuronosan]

Isn't he a little too liberal for confirmation, according to his profile?

[Tyche]

There's probably a lot that went into the decision, it'd be difficult to get into the brain of Obama, a constitutional attorney himself. If he nominates a true moderate, he runs the risk of it still not going through and Hillary, should she be elected, not signing off. By nominating a more moderate liberal, if he doesn't get pushed through this term, Hillary may well still sign off on it.

[Tyrath]

I just hope senate Republicans get their asses kicked in the elections if they continue to not even consider the nomination.

[Tyche]

Here's something else to consider. Garland is 63. He's not young. If Hillary wins in November, there's still a short window where the Senate can confirm Garland before Hillary takes office. There's also the senate elections to consider, where Dems could take majority. But it would still take 60 votes for cloture to even bring up the vote, so majority doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot when getting it to the floor, but they'd just need a few GOP senators to agree to bring the vote, which would to push him through if Dems take a tie or majority in the Senate. If Hillary wins and they don't push him through, the Senate takes the risk of Hillary nominating a more liberal and much younger justice. It's an interesting pick. Obama knew what he was doing.

[Tyrath]

And it's a guy Obama was urged to pick for previous vacancies by a gop senator. Obama def knows what's up.

[Tyrath]

In his speech Obama is even hammering that point. Last 2 vacancies the one name that was repeatedly mentioned was Merrick Garland.

[Ragnus]

But, but, it was only okay to like him when his nomination was going to push the bias to the right! Why can't Obummer realize that!?

[Gryffes]

Good pick for obama - take my not super left guy, or take hillarys super left guy

[Tyrath]

I read he has voted for some stricter gun laws. He's fucked lol

[Inshiya]

He didn't vote for the stricter gun laws, he just agreed for the en banc review.

And reading his opinions, I honestly can't tell where this guy stands on much.

I was hoping for a younger jurist though. I want a liberal on the court for the next 30 years.

[Salodin]

He didn't vote for the stricter gun laws, he just agreed for the en banc review.

And reading his opinions, I honestly can't tell where this guy stands on much.

I was hoping for a younger jurist though. I want a liberal on the court for the next 30 years.

If you want to talk about opportunity gain, this is a liberal when compared to Scalia.

[Quicklet]

I was hoping for a younger jurist though. I want a liberal on the court for the next 30 years.

Don't worry, Republicans will fuck themselves over by refusing to confirm this guy, then when Hillary wins she'll put up the liberal equivalent of Scalia.

[Tyche]

You can be damn sure Hillary will let them know after November too. She will be asked by the media what she will do about Garland and she will bring up all the good things about him, then talk about his age and other factors. Then you'll get tiny bits of media leaks about some 40ish year old judge that Hillary is enamored with. I think if Hillary gets elected, Obama will get his confirmation in December or January.

[Quicklet]

I'm not sure it will work out that way. It depends how far along the process Republicans are willing to go. If they don't even bother to hold hearings, I'm not sure how feasible it would be to do that during the lame duck session. If they vote him down outright, I'm not sure what the logistics of a revote would be either. The problem is, if things get to that point, the process will be so broken that I don't think it will be so easy to just push him through at the end of the term.

[Tyrath]

Are we all forgetting that if Senate goes to recess like it's scheduled to in June, that Obama can appoint an interim judge and GOP will not want that happening?

[Churchill]

it's cute how many times I see one of you say "the repubs will screw themselves if they dont do it" as if they're constituents give a shit that some baby killer isn't being appointed to their palace throne.

jesus lol.