One down, how many more to go?

[Guest zipperzone]

While one should not gloat over someone's death, it is hard to resist when an evil, homophobic curmudgeon such as ANTONIN SCALIA bites the dust. Today it was his turn. He died at a west Texas resort of causes not yet announced. There must be dancing in the streets.

Wouldn't it be delicious if it turned out to be a gay resort and he was there with a rentboy?

Thankfully this will enable Obama to place one more justice on the court and presumably the new appointee will not be homophobic.

This probably should be posted in the Politics Forum, but on checking there I note that the last post there is dated Oct 15/15 so one concludes that by putting it there it will not be read.

[MsGuy]

Zipper, aren't you assuming the Senate won't block any Obama nominee until next January?

I suspect that a number of Republicans will see this as a wedge issue for the presidential campaign.

And no, I don't really think it will come to that, but a lot of things have been popping up lately that I didn't think could possibly happen.

A 70 something year old self described socialist putting the squeeze on Hillary? The Donald crushing Jeb? The Kardashians still on TV? Who knows anything for sure any more.

[OneFinger]

Zipper, aren't you assuming the Senate won't block any Obama nominee until next January?

I suspect that a number of Republicans will see this as a wedge issue for the presidential campaign.

And no, I don't really think it will come to that, but a lot of things have been popping up lately that I didn't think could possibly happen.

A 70 something year old self described socialist putting the squeeze on Hillary? The Donald crushing Jeb? The Kardashians still on TV? Who knows anything for sure any more.

Unfortunately, I'm assuming the Senate will block anything that Obama does.

And, I've got to agree that this is one of the most "unusual" political times. I can't begin to guess who will be the final candidate on either side. These are very strange times.

[AdamSmith]

What we can hope it does is drive turnout by Democratic voters in the general election.

[Guest zipperzone]

Zipper, aren't you assuming the Senate won't block any Obama nominee until next January?

I suspect that a number of Republicans will see this as a wedge issue for the presidential campaign.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

I know that is a possibility but as the next president will probably (dare I say undoubtedly ?) be a Democrat the Senate can't very well block every nomination that the new kid on the block nominates.

And - could Obama not put his candidate on the court by "executive order"? Or is that just wishful thinking?

[MsGuy]

... could Obama not put his candidate on the court by "executive order"? Or is that just wishful thinking?

As an artifact of history, presidents can make interim (temporary) appointments to executive positions while Congress is not in session. No such exception exists for judicial posts. So yes, wishful thinking.

It bothers me that I'm hearing reports of Republican senators already announcing that they will block any Democratic nominee no matter who he is. This amounts to declaring Democrats not merely wrong headed but illegitimate as political actors. Attitudes like that make a democratic form of government difficult to sustain..

[AdamSmith]

Good:

Obama chooses to fight over Court

Antonin Scalia's death gives Obama a powerful new role during his last year in office.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/obama-scalia-replacement-battle-219255#ixzz407sndCVQ

[OneFinger]

Good:

Obama chooses to fight over Court

Antonin Scalia's death gives Obama a powerful new role during his last year in office.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/obama-scalia-replacement-battle-219255#ixzz407sndCVQ

Very good article. Thanks for posting it.

But, at the end of the article, there was a very troubling suggestion by Graham and Orin Hatch (R-UT who is 81 years old) could be a consensus nomination. OMG!! Hatch is the last person we need as one of the Supremes.

[TotallyOz]

It will be 4-4 for a while. But, they are all old. What happens if one of them dies. Then, 4-3 and depending on who it is, again, another whirlwind.

I do not like to speak ill of the dead, but my sister wrote to me this AM and said: "I'm sorry for your loss." with an attached photo of Scalia's grave and a dog pissing on it. This was in reference to a trip I took a few years back across the USA and I stopped in every state from California to South Carolina and went to a Chick-Fil-A and opened my door and pissed in their parking lot. I think she has high hopes for another round of fun.

[RA1]

The Senate may well try to stifle or delay any BO appointment. The counter side to this is that any 4-4 votes by the Supremes affirms the lower court ruling.

Best regards,

RA1