In the President's selection of a new Justice, Republican opinion is irrelevant.

[Towlie]

The selection of a Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice John Paul Stevens should in no way involve the anticipated response of the Republicans in Congress. In keeping with their usual stance on any position the President takes on any issue, their response here will prove to be predetermined by the identity of the nominator and will have nothing to do with the identity or credentials of the nominee, and will therefore not be an issue worthy of consideration. (Sadly, an example of this pervasive attitude has already been vividly illustrated on this forum.)

This is an important moment in Barack Obama's presidency and one of the most important reasons that those of us who treasure the values that make America great worked so hard to elect him. Let's all hope that by now, he's finally learned to stop trying to pet the snake.

 

[thaiboxerken]

the republicans will filibuster any candidate that is not far to the right

 

[Praktik]

But who's going to stop Obama if he nominates yet another judicial activist, who likes to legislate from the bench??

 

[drkitten]

the republicans will filibuster any candidate that is not far to the right

They can try, certainly. I'm not sure this will reflect well on them, though, ... and Obama can just pull the "recess appointment" trick to force an outright Marxist on them to make sure that cases get decided his way.

That's a risky game to play, as the Republicans have already learned to their displeasure several times (e.g. in the extension of unemployment benefits). The business of government must still go on, and the President has the authority to make it go on in the teeth of legislative obstructionism. Furthermore, the more obstructionist the Republicans are as a minority party, the more the 'party of no' label will stick to them at the general election -- and the less cooperation they can expect if they should happen to win a Senate majority in 2010 or 2012.

But they can certainly try.

 

[Brown]

But they can certainly try.

I echo the good Doctor. Incredibly, certain party "leaders" have already said they would oppose the nominee, whoever it is.

 

[Upchurch]

the republicans will filibuster any candidate that is not far to the right

Gawd, I hope they try. And I hope Beeps comes back to express his opinion about it.

I love good partisan hackery.

 

[Kodiak]

This is an important moment in Barack Obama's presidency and one of the most important reasons that those of us who treasure the values that make America great worked so hard to elect him.

Am I to assume then, that anyone who did not vote for Obama does not "treasure the values that make America great"?

 

[Kodiak]

Ford nominated Justice Stevens, a left leaning jurist.

I say Obama should do the GOP "a solid" and nominate a right leaning candidate!

 

[Cleon]

I say Obama should do the GOP "a solid"

Give it a rest, Mr. Steele.

 

[Kodiak]

Give it a rest, Mr. Steele.

I'm a libertarian. I think all the Dem and GOP sparring is incredibling entertaining.

Where is Shanek, anyway?

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Am I to assume then, that anyone who did not vote for Obama does not "treasure the values that make America great"?

That is correct.

 

[Kodiak]

That is correct.

Ah. Good to know...

Kinda reminds me of the good ol' Bush days when "if you were not with us, your were against us"...

 

[Fishstick]

That is correct.

I was under the impression that anything republicans put forward was pro American Values (tm) and anything Obama/Democrats put forward was not. Are we now switching positions?

 

[INRM]

I think it's a serious problem if the President does select a candidate that is too far to the left or right.

 

[Fishstick]

I think it's a serious problem if the President does select a candidate that is too far to the left or right.

And how would you define those boundaries? Obama is painted as "far left" by wingnuts, but by european standards he doesn't even come close to centrist and would lean towards the right.

 

[INRM]

Fishstick,

By American standards.

 

[Brown]

Ford nominated Justice Stevens, a left leaning jurist.

I say Obama should do the GOP "a solid" and nominate a right leaning candidate!

I take issue with the charcterization of Stevens as "left leaning" (or left-leaning). He was (and is) a member of the Republican Party who was nominated by Republican President Gerald Ford. At the time of his nomination, Justices William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall sat on the court. Compared to them (or compared to Justice Harry Blackmun, who was also on the Court), Stevens was most certainly NOT left-leaning.

Up to the time of his death, President Ford was proud of his nomination of Justice Stevens.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

And how would you define those boundaries? Obama is painted as "far left" by wingnuts, but by european standards he doesn't even come close to centrist and would lean towards the right.

America is not Europe. “European standards” have no relevance to us.

 

[Towlie]

America is not Europe. “European standards” have no relevance to us.

And what standards do have relevance to us?

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I was under the impression that anything republicans put forward was pro American Values (tm) and anything Obama/Democrats put forward was not. Are we now switching positions?

Obama's is pro Socialist/Communist/Something American Values(tm).