Holy shit.
This election just got really interesting.
Antonin Scalia died. Anybody need a hanky? I didn’t think so.
Mitch McConnell has already said that the next president should nominate someone for the vacancy.
So did Ted Cruz.
Of course they said that. And of course, Mitch McConnell will block the nomination of whomever President Obama puts forward, even if the man or woman’s halo is clearly visible to Scott Kelly from space.
According to my husband the lawyer and Google, a 4-4 tie in the US Supreme Court means that the lower court ruling will stand.
Things are gonna get interesting.
Many thanks to my bloggin’ buddy Mark at Exile on Pain Street for letting me know the news.
FiftyFourandAHalf 
This will be super interesting. I’m appalled at how much power has been assumed by a handful of people – the Supremes and the President – power, that was supposed to be given to the voters or their elected representatives. The next judge selection will be major.
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It will be interesting, but I have to differ – strongly — on your comment that “power has been assumed by a handful of people – the Supremes and the President …”
It is a three-branch government, intentionally divided by the Founding Fathers to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. The President, and the Congress are elected, the Judiciary appointed. Under the Constitution, the President has a duty to choose justices for all federal benches including the Supreme Court. That is why the SC is such a big campaign issue. Because the court reflects what the voters have chosen — in this case, like it or not, they chose Obama by 5 million votes. Thereby President Obama WAS given the authority to choose who gets to be on the court.
The Senate’s obligation is “advise and consent” — and that’s not what McConnell and the GOP presidential candidates are offering. they are not fulfilling their roles — they have shouted NO! from the rooftops when they don’t even know who President Obama will name. They are claiming that this vacancy should be filled by the NEXT president, when there is a long time until he/she will take office. They have obstructed other, important judgships and Executive Branch folks (it used to be that the Senate almost automatically approved Presidential nominees — because it is essentially hiring staff (albeit high level).
Now, as to the power of the Supreme Court, it is very significant, and since their terms in office are lifelong, well, they can have longstanding influence. That is the system, though.
Unless we change it, it is our government (and I would go for making judgships a finite term, not lifelong. I would also go for changing the damn 2nd amendment). We can’t pick an choose which parts of the Constitution we agree to and then go with only those.
The Supreme Court — with all the decisions it has made that I disagree with — is fulfilling its role under the Constitution as is the President. It is, in my opinion, the Congress that is stepping all over the Constitution.
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Oh my God. This election is already exhausting and we’ve only begun. Its a wrestle for the soul of this country and I’m not feeling good about it.
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It gives the republicans another chance to do absolutely nothing while stopping anything from being done…
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Yes, but they can’t hide this one. And they will pay in November. Their obstruction, before Scalia was cold(er — he was always a cold SOB), was IMHO, a damaging blow. They profess to love the Constitution, but they don’t know what their duties or those of the prez are under it.
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Their duty was clearly stated… make sure Obama doesn’t get anything done.
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Well, the second amendment clearly states “a well-regulated militia” — that doesn’t stop them from claiming it means they can have any weapon up to and including nukes …
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lord knows I could use a few nukes…
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Just a matter of gamesmanship …. and President Obama has the chance to put them truly between a rock and a hard place … so the question is, will he?
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I think so. He has given up on compromising.
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I’ll put it another way … His nomination could reinforce their action or set them up to look bad.
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I think they already look bad.
I wish he’d nominate himself! Wouldn’t that be fun?
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That thought hasn’t come to mind. But would he have to resign during the process? … Nah.
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It isn’t going to happen, of course. But it does make me smile! Hoist them on their own petard — with a lifetime appointment for their version of the devil!
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Also, not for nothin’, but… Cinderella Guevara?
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Are you trying to confuse me?? If so, you are succeeding wonderfully!
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That’s the name of the person who officially pronounced him dead. Seriously, Cinderella Guevara.
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What a hoot!
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I feel dumb; this whole time, I thought his name was Anthony!
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I did too, for a while. I think our minds change things over a bit sometimes!
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Crike, now I gotta go look up who this chap was…
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Supreme asshole on the Supreme Court.
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Looked him up… what a wanker that guy was. I hate to speak of the dead, but when you suck, you just suck.
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There aren’t a lot of tears on this side.
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As if blocking something Obama wanted to put forth is something new…business as fucking usual with this crew of nut cases with one agenda ..THEIRS. I’m hoping that their true colors will FINALLY been seen by everyone, not just the smart ones like ourselves.
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Me too!
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I’m from the UK and even here his passing has attracted a lot of interest and speculation
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It will be interesting. I hope it awakens a bit more of an understanding in the need to pay attention to whom we elect. Because the GOP in Congress are getting elected by promising to not cooperate with the Dems. Ummmmm… the result is gridlock and everybody loses.
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We were stunned by the news yesterday afternoon. My daughter saw it on Twitter as soon as it broke. It is fascinating, but it also already ugly.
Of course, when I heard Scalia had died while on a hunting vacation, I wondered if Cheney was anywhere in the vicinity.
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That was one of my first thoughts too! Does Cheney have an alibi? I was also wondering if Scalia’d been shot — which would be a just ending for someone who could have prevented some of the carnage from guns but chose not to. Alas, he died in his sleep.
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Well, I wouldn’t wish violence on anyone, but I definitely thought of Cheney right away. And I could definitely imagine someone writing a conspiracy story. The first reports seemed to really emphasize “natural causes.” 😉
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Yes! How long before they claim Bo Obama was behind it?!??
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It’s probably already out there!
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“Interesting” for a value of painfully, illegally farcical.
Might be time to check out real estate in Canada.
Hell, Syria might be better than this.
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Well, yeah. I wonder, if the Senate does the expected and blocks the nomination, will the President be able to sue Congress? And will it end up in the Supreme Court???
New Zealand sounds lovely and warmer than Canada. Or perhaps a tropical island!
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Win or lose, I think Obama can have some fun with this one. As for Scalia, he seems to have died about 200 years past his time. Perhaps he should be buried in a pine box with pennies over his eyes, the way they did back in the days of the founding fathers.
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And a stake through his heart.
After reading Nancy’s comment, I decided that Obama should nominate himself. 😈
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I love that idea. Especially if the GOP keeps rejecting his nominees. Come January 19th of next year he can just nominate himself, and hopefully with an incoming Democratic-controlled Senate.
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I was thinking that he could nominate himself, they would obstruct. Then he could agree to withdraw his name if the Senate agrees to accept his nominee The nominate Michelle …
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Oh to be President right now, and have all that fun. 🙂
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But imagine, if Obama nominates himself, he can promise to resign as president as soon as he is confirmed! And the Republicans have been dreaming about the Obama’s resignation since about November 2008!
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You had me at Bette Davis. ❤
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It’s such a great movie. Maybe we should all just watch old flicks until November.
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I’m up for it. 😀
(<~Movie fanatic)
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The word imperative enters the fray. Regardless of who the Democrat nominee is, s/he must be elected. Everything else political is secondary now.
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Absolutely!
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Are you kidding? You were the first person I thought of.
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I wish you could have celebrated with me! I cooked lobster …
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If the Republicans stall, but the Democrats win the White House again, Hillary or Bernie can nominate Obama. So there’s an upside.
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Oh, I love that. That may be how Obama’s nominee gets through. Or maybe he can nominate himself!
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I knew you’d have something on this!!! Yikes. And holy crapy….wow. The R’s are going to look SO. BAD. on this.
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Like they care …
It really is going to be fascinating… at a minimum, it might just get folks out to vote!
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Oh boy, I was wondering when this would happen. This won’t play out easy, that’s for sure. Politics are about to get uglier. If that’s even possible.
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it is…
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Yes. It’s going to be something.
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Yep. This, on ties: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/11/what_happens_in_ascotus_tie.html
BIG news. BIG BIG BIG. Life, continually interesting, eh?
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That’s the article Google led me to. It is not terribly well written, though. They make it appear that Bush v. Gore was a 4-4 vote. It most assuredly was not!
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No. Aside from that it was informative, I thought. So much to say, and I try so hard these days not to call names… ugh.
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And I’m trying really hard not to sing this:
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