2020 Presidential Election

Post by **River** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:03 am

He waited a whole ten minutes out of respect for the dead. Truly a model of honor and integrity.

Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:16 am

Lisa Murkowski has reportedly already announced that she will not vote for a nominee before the election. Both Susan Collins and Chuck Grassley (!!!!) have said the same in the past, though who knows whether he in particularly would follow through on that. Romney is certainly a good bet as well. Mr. McConnell might have a hard time ramming it through.

Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:29 am

I cleaned up my posts. I apologize for my outbursts.

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:48 am

Do you think they'll make any attempt to explain why Trump's nominee should be pushed through as quickly as possible but Obama's nominee to replace Scalia needed to wait till after the election, or will they completely stop pretending that there is anything resembling actual principles behind their actions?

Post by **Sunsilver** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:54 am

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:I cleaned up my posts. I apologize for my outbursts.

Voronwë, we understand, and you are forgiven.

Post by **River** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:58 am

yovargas wrote:Do you think they'll make any attempt to explain why Trump's nominee should be pushed through as quickly as possible but Obama's nominee to replace Scalia needed to wait till after the election, or will they completely stop pretending that there is anything resembling actual principles behind their actions?

Oh I suppose they'll come up with some mealy-mouthed b.s. That's part of McConnell's schtick.

Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:06 am

McConnell long since has explained that he considers it a different situation because in 2016 the presidency and the senate for held by different parties, whereas in 2020 they are both in GOP hands. Of course, he did not note that distinction in 2016.

Post by **Inanna** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:07 am

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:12 am

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:McConnell long since has explained that he considers it a different situation because in 2016 the presidency and the senate for held by different parties, whereas in 2020 they are both in GOP hands. Of course, he did not note that distinction in 2016.

That's so absurd I genuinely LOL'd.

Post by **River** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:23 am

yovargas wrote:
Voronwë the Faithful wrote:McConnell long since has explained that he considers it a different situation because in 2016 the presidency and the senate for held by different parties, whereas in 2020 they are both in GOP hands. Of course, he did not note that distinction in 2016.
That's so absurd I genuinely LOL'd.

And he'll sleep well tonight. That's the worst part.

Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:24 am

Here is an article from back in May when he made his comments. His office claim that he did make that distinction in 2016.

‘‘You'd have to go back to 1888 when Grover Cleveland was in the White House to find the last time a vacancy created in a presidential year was confirmed by the party opposite the occupant of the White House,’’ McConnell said in March 2016, a month after Scalia died.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politi ... story.html

Oh, he will sleep very well tonight, indeed.

Post by **Inanna** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:29 am

xxxxxxx

Post by **RoseMorninStar** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:16 am

McConnell is a frippin' ghoul.

Post by **Sunsilver** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:39 pm

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court building last night to pay tribute to her. Some are saying it was a larger crowd than gathered for 45's inauguration. Some held signs saying "Honor Her Last Wish".

https://dcist.com/story/20/09/18/hundre ... -ginsburg/

This gives me hope. (Though most of them weren't wearing masks... :'( )

Post by **Dave_LF** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:03 pm

So it seems the choice is between accepting a Trump appointee or going into a sure-to-be contested election with a 4-4 court.

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:25 pm

Unless you are counting Roberts as siding with the center/liberals, it is 5-3.

Post by **Dave_LF** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:35 pm

I should say 4-4 potential. I don't feel comfortable predicting how anyone would vote under those circumstances.

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:53 pm

Not that it will ever happen but - if we're all just going to accept the idea that the judges aren't actual impartial agents interpreting the law but are instead acting as politically partisan as everyone else in government, then the judges should be elected to office by the voters.

One of the many broken aspects of our democracy....

Post by **Dave_LF** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:59 pm

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if we should move away from having even the President be elected by the voters. Maybe the original idea where Congress picks him or her makes more sense after all. As things stand, the President gets there as the outcome of a nation-wide contest/fight that *everyone* feels invested in. So if I voted for the other guy, I find it difficult to support the winner in anything at all, because he's there against my will and because I *lost*. It's just a bad arrangement given the way human psychology works.

Post by **RoseMorninStar** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:32 pm

We got our ballots today. They'll be completed and in the town drop-box this afternoon.

I've read some speculation that, should there be a blue wave, they may opt add 2 positions to the Supreme Court for a total of 11. Is that possible?

It would take a mighty big person to fill the tiny little shoes of the notorious RBG.

The Hall of Fire