In response to promises from Republican Senators including Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, and Wisconsin’s own Ron Johnson that they would obstruct any Supreme Court nominee put forth by President Barack Obama, former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold issued a statement.
“The authors of the U.S. Constitution did not outline a two-party system. Nor did they imagine that a plan for reasonable checks and balances would become a tool to empower petty obstructionists like Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.”
That succinct statement is precisely why I can’t wait until Russ Feingold is once again representing Wisconsin in the United States Senate.
Except that 10 years ago, Russ Feingold was one of 25 Democrats who attempted to filibuster Samuel Alito’s nomination (they voted against cloture). Those Democrats included Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Harry Reid, and Chuck Schumer — 25 Democrats in all.
Except that 10 years ago Russ Feingold didn’t come out BEFORE Alito’s name was even announced and say he’d obstruct any nominee put forth by the president, unlike Republicans this year.
Not that I’d expect you to admit there’s a difference.
You know you’re a clown, right?
This is like the time then Senator Obama in 2006 tried to block Aliotos nomination to the Supreme Court.whoops
… And Russ Feingold.
Completely different. Obama didn’t come out BEFORE a nomination was made and say he’d obstruct ANYONE nominated by the president, unlike Republicans this year.
I’ll give you that, Zach. But Chuck Schumer did say exactly that — that he would block, sight unseen, any Republican appointee. Sen. Schumer said in July 2007 that no George W. Bush nominee to the Supreme Court should be approved, except in extraordinary circumstances, 19 months before a new president was set to be inaugurated.
“We should not confirm any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court, except in extraordinary circumstances,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in prepared remarks to the American Constitution Society, a liberal legal organization.
Chuck Schumer will be Mitch McConnell’s counterpart as leader of his party. Chuck Schumer will be Russ Feingold’s leader, should Russ get his old job back.
Yes, but Russ Feingold is not Chuck Schumer, and let’s not forget Russ Feingold voted to move John Roberts’ Chief Justice nomination to full Senate (one of only 3 Democrats on the Judiciary Committee to do so), and he also voted to confirm Roberts once the nomination was put up for a vote before the full Senate.
Sure, Feingold opposed Alito’s nomination, but it seems pretty clear his opposition was due less to reflexive opposition to a Republican president and due more to his concerns about Alito’s fitness to serve on the Supreme Court.
Erik,
Actually, it’s nothng like that.
When will the brain dead zombies who call themselves Republicans realize the American people have had enough of the cock blocking politics. Seriously, one idiot, Owen Robinson, recently said “The serendipitous opportunity for the American people to choose both their next president and the make up of the Supreme Court is not to be ignored.” The f&$@ing ignorance that spews forth from the mindless mimicking mouths of such assholes isnt comprehensible. Since when did our Constitution allow the electorate to choose those who sit on the Supreme Court? Furthermore, why the hell would I want to leave this decision in the hands (possibly) of a Republican? Have you watch the debates, have you seen the things that they’ve been saying, the names that they been calling each other, the frivolous lawsuits by which they threaten each other?… Ri-DICK-ulous! At this point the Republican Party could reincarnate Ronald Reagan himself and I will be damn sure not to vote for him. Uncontrolled political suicide seems to have become the norm for the Republican Party… Just ask any African-American, Mexican, LGBT who they are voting for. Furthermore, for people like you and Owen Robinson to use Justice Scalias death as the soap box from which to shout perversions about Constitutional process is shameful! The Republican Party and all you mockingbirds can keep singing the same old song. In the meantime a Democrat will be moving into the White House and if need be nominating the next Supreme Court justice.
Coward
Blaska?,
If this truly is the real D. Blaska I’m surprised you have nothing more to say except “coward”. Your voice has always been bigger but I guess the party of your choice is once again showing its true colors to the point of even limiting you. As with Owen Robinson, you, so far, have failed to endorse anyone. Who’s the coward? Take a stand and tell us… who will be the Republican that nominates the next justice? And to go a step further, who would be the justice you would nominate? Maybe, I should just leave it at … coward!
If you read me at all I have been predicting and, frankly, hoping for Paul Ryan as president. Fall back position: Marc O’Rubio.
I would say Rubio is probably the most likely candidate but there’s that big blowhard named Trump that’s kind of getting in the way. It really does say a lot about the base (unstable as it may be) of the party to prop up a guy like Trump. There really are so many “qualified” candidates that could be in this race and I agree Ryan is one of them (not that he’d get my vote). Even though I ran kicking and screaming from the party years ago I always thought J. Huntsman should make another run. I feel sorry for those in the party who really believe in the conservative movement. The group of clowns, including Rubio so far, is really embarrassing to watch. As for if I read you at all… I try not to but curiosity always gets the best of me. I will say this, at least you don’t sockpuppet and troll your own site like the blogger at B&S does.
Hey, sure, let’s put it off until after the election when the Senate majority has shifted and Hillary or Bernie can nominate a real activist Justice to show the ghost of Scalia what political bias on the Supreme Court is really about! Let’s have none of the compromise-candidate, acceptable-to-the-other-side triangulating that President Obama would have to consider in picking a nominee, like the other side would give any of his picks a fair hearing or a consenting vote. By all means, let’s wait until we gerrymandered, fed-up with conservative assholes ruining our government and our country, liberal majority voters can make this SC nomination count!
(OT) “If you read me…” seriously Blaska, you need to come here to troll for readers?
Advice to the Dave who just won’t and doesn’t get it so just concentrate on the chorus DB: (absolutely no disrespect intended toward the artist and the original intent of the song by the late great, Dan Hicks. RIP)