I was reading over at my favorite right-wing political forum (the only one I can stand to read, because it’s the only one that doesn’t oppress dissenting opposing viewpoints), and I came across a topic by a short-sighted right-wing ideologue brilliant political strategist. Here’s his argument, syllogistically interpreted by me.
Premise the first:
Justice Stevens is about to retire.
Premise the second:
President Obama will nominate a new SCOTUS Justice.
Premise the third:
Republicans are a bunch of navel-gazers who are trying their best to remain the minority party. (Apparently.)
Conclusion?
Republicans will filibuster any nomination for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States who weighs in at anything less than right-of-center politically.
That’s the “rumblings” anyway.
…
WHA—?
That would be positively political suicide. But that’s not where it ends. The conservative homer claims that the GOP will filibuster any non-center-right through the 2012 presidential election, and, if need be, the 2016 presidential election.
I have no doubt that this idea is the brain-child of some sad fellow on the right who is pouting because his team isn’t on the winning side right now, and that this idea would make all but the most fanatical right-wing Senators shake their heads in wonder of how the extremest portions of their base will survive the next election, where the GOP almost certainly will not regain the majority. I have no doubt that these so-called “rumblings” are more related to indigestion within the GOP than they are to any insider strategy discussions.
Obama will nominate a person—almost certainly a judge or law professor—who is left-of-center. Perhaps even far-left-of-center. Most Republicans will hem and haw and criticize the pick. Some will complain. All of them will certainly try to use Obama’s pick as part of a fund-raising scheme.
And then the Republicans will assent to a confirmation vote.
It might require a cloture vote to get a confirmation vote, but cloture will come. You can probably even predict which Senate Republican will be the one to agree. You know, perhaps one of the Senators who declared that former President Bush’s nominees deserved up-or-down votes?
And the Democrats will be sure to trot out that abused treasure of a line: The President’s nominee deserves an up-or-down vote. (Until we’re no longer in power.)
Obviously, the President and his nominee will face the modern-day Inquisition from the right and far-right, and at least a bit of inquisitiveness from the center-right and moderates.
But a bloc of GOPers who will vote for naught but a right-of-center judge? Nothing larger than a LEGO® bloc will materialize in this current Senate.
And I’m not talking about a 2×2. (Think smaller.)
How about, instead of fantasies, the right-wingers start coming up with ways that they can work with the rest of us? That’d be nice for a change.
Tags: filibuster, GOP, how to lose elections, right-wing crazies, scotus, supreme court justice