Perhaps in light of my previous post, in which I mentioned that discovering Clinton did not lead to disaster might lead some of the GOP base to wonder about their leaders, the refusal of GOP Senators to hold confirmation hearings of Merrick Garland for the SCOTUS is not quite as deeply bewildering as it may seem (although I may have mentioned this before, but think of it as confirmation). By most accounts, Garland is a solidly middle of the road judge with impeccable credentials and a record excelled by no one.
If the GOP Senators permit themselves to be seen rejecting someone who, frankly, is acceptable to the vast majority of Americans, then once again the castle in which the leaders of the GOP base have secreted themselves becomes a little less secure. The right-wing media has blitzed the GOP base with the message that the liberals, from Clinton to Pelosi to Obama, are untrustworthy and prone to extremist actions.
Garland is a nail in the coffin of that propaganda, one that the power-hungry leaders do not care to risk. Remember Trump at the announcement of Scalia’s passing? Did he express admiration for Scalia, or sadness at his passing?
The first thing out of his mouth way “Delay, delay, delay!” Don’t even let the liberals make their official case. Then the others at that debate echoed him.
And, ironically, it may be Trump who permits that nail to be driven into the coffin. His negative impact on the the chances of the general GOP selection of candidates in the Senate may give the Democrats the majority they need, and if the current rules on filibustering SCOTUS candidates permit the GOP to continue the ridiculous circus of blockading the nomination, these can be changed, as retiring Senator Harry Reid asserts in this Talking Points Memo story:
“I really do believe that I have set the Senate so when I leave, we’re going to be able to get judges done with a majority. It takes only a simple majority anymore. And, it’s clear to me that if the Republicans try to filibuster another circuit court judge, but especially a Supreme Court justice, I’ve told ’em how and I’ve done it, not just talking about it. I did it in changing the rules of the Senate. It’ll have to be done again,” Reid told TPM in a wide-ranging interview about his time in the Senate and his legacy.
“They mess with the Supreme Court, it’ll be changed just like that in my opinion,” Reid said, snapping his fingers together. “So I’ve set that up. I feel very comfortable with that.”
Then the question becomes whether Clinton stays with Garland or moves to a different candidate – assuming she wins the Presidency. While progressives may groan at the thought of Garland or a similar candidate, such a candidate may have a substantial impact on the ongoing process of reform of the GOP, as advocated by noted conservative Bruce Bartlett, by disproving the lie. By exposing one of the longest living assertions from the right-wing media concerning their loyal opposition, the Democrats and Clinton will expose the GOP base, especially those with open minds and hearts, to a bit more truth – and the leadership may lose another fingernail as it clings to power.
But the lies and obfuscations will continue. Get the popcorn, because nothing stops the desperate. But let’s hope the Senate goes to the Democrats, because they appear to be far closer to sanity than the GOP.
