The President echoed those words a day later, promising to provide the Senate with an “indisputably qualified” nominee. If every nervous reelection-seeking Republican like Sen. Also gone are senators who had electoral motivation to compromise, including Democrats from GOP states such as Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Pryor of Arkansas, plus Republican Lincoln Chafee of Democratic Rhode Island. Thankfully, that ends tomorrow: The three will convene at the White House, along with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Judiciary ranking member Patrick Leahy, to discuss the issue. Leaning on this logic, the Judiciary Committee letter goes on to suggest the Republican majority will “exercise its constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court submitted by this President to fill Justice Scalia’s vacancy”. “These timetables would apply whether Democrats or Republicans were in charge of the Senate, whether the same party controlled the White House and the Senate, or whether the two parties split the control”.
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Instead of pretending like this is some sort of high-minded, apolitical process, all players should instead be honest and make their case for why their agenda is best served either by waiting or confirming a nominee this presidential term.
“We look forward to reiterating to him directly that the American people will be heard and the next Supreme Court justice will be determined once the elections are complete and the next president has been sworn into office”, the statement reads. Earnest said would be for the Republicans to continue consulting with the president. Toomey is one of those people in lockstep with the Republicans.
Second, consider the timing. Some of them say the Senate is too polarized for that to succeed today.
The expectation is not that the president will cede all of his upcoming decisions to his successor. It is the job of elected public officials to work together for a consensual appointment of a new Supreme Court judge to filled the vacancy left by Judge Scalia.
“They think they are going to wait and see what President Trump will do I guess as far as the nomination is concerned”, Reid said at the stakeout. Will Republican leaders let conservatives down, or will they remain firm?
Making predictions about upcoming political events is always tenuous, but the dramatic pressure of the presidential election season often makes matters a little more predictable. “Ultimately, they’ll have to decide their own course”.
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Senate Democrats may call for a rushed confirmation now. The Senate’s refusal to meet with Obama was never ultimately based on avoiding a liberal appointee, but rather on a thoroughgoing commitment to discerning the will of the people. The poll also asked whether the U.S. Senate should consider President Obama’s nominee. “We are sending a signal to our country and to the world that it’s a political institution and it’s not supposed to be, and it shouldn’t be”.
