Originally posted by Gatefan1976
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Particularly, since they compounded their stupidity with their actions this week.
These are questions you and those on the left should be asking the Democratic leadership.
Consider: The atmosphere at this time is highly charged, very partisan. Far moreso than "normal". No matter what choice they made this time around, there was no way in hell the Democrats could have blocked Gorsuch. If they chose to filibuster, they had to know the Republicans would go nuclear, as they did in 2013 because the Republican leadership had been saying they would since Trump nominated him. And that is precisely how it played out. The Dems forced a fight they had no way to win, and they lost.
And as a result, precedent has been set. It now requires merely 51 votes to shut down debate. The only weapon the minority party had in fights like this has been rendered inert.
Here is where the stupidity comes into play. Breyer (Clinton, liberal) is 78 years old, Kennedy (Reagan, leans right) is 80 and Ginsburg (Clinton, liberal) is 84.
So there are very good odds that Trump may be able to nominate several more justices in the near future.
Thanks to the Democrats insisting upon pushing a fight they could not possibly have won, the only chance they had of pushing back is now gone. Wouldn't it have been smarter to play it smart this time, acquiesce on Gorsuch, and hope the environment might be less highly charged the next time a seat opens up? Maybe there wouldn't have been enough support for a nuclear option in a year or so, particularly if Trump screws up royally so the public no longer supports him?
They effectively traded a potential win in the future for a guaranteed loss this time around. I don't care what team you're coaching, that's a stupid move.
SCOTUS is now split 5-4, advantage Conservatives. Suppose those 3 justices, or even the 2 liberals retire/pass away/whatever (Kennedy would be a wash) ? That would give us a 7-2 court, advantage Conservatives.
While that is an excellent situation for those who think as I do, if I was a liberal/progressive, I would be wanting the Democrats who chose the strategy this time head(s) on a platter.
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