Democrats Oppose Replacing a Justice During an Election Year

 

In September 2020, Democratic Senators were unified: No President should nominate a Supreme Court Justice during an election year. With the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer, they now face a similar dilemma. Let’s see their positions just 16 months ago.

Chuck Schumer (D–NY): “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled.”

Bob Menendez (D–NJ): “We owe the American people a voice in a decision that will shape the course of our country for generations.”Elizabeth Warren: ”Mitch McConnell and his henchmen believe that they can ram through a Supreme Court justice only 45 days from the election.”

Richard Blumenthal (D–CT): “The American people must have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice.”

Bernie Sanders (I–VT): “We should let voters decide. Period.”

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): “Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave her all to us, and I will give mine to making sure the American people have their next President before her seat is filled.”

Tammy Baldwin (D–IL): “Voters across America should be allowed to cast their ballots first, before a Supreme Court nomination and confirmation process moves forward.”

Joe Manchin (D–WV): “Let the election happen and see where we go from there.”

Patrick Leahy (D–VT): “Apparently the American people do not get a voice when the White House and Senate are under the control of the same party.”

Sherrod Brown (D–OH): “We should not fill this Supreme Court vacancy until the American people have a chance to make their voices heard in this election.”

We can rest assured, Democrats will not be hypocritical and will wait until the new Senate is sworn in January 2023.

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  1. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Even in 2020 they were already taking the opposite view than the one they’d held a few years earlier.

    Hypocrisy is no sin to Democrats.

    • #1
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    • #2
  3. DonG (CAGW is a hoax) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a hoax)
    @DonG

    The Dems will make an except for Justice Michelle Obama.

    Watch: Michelle Obama tears down Trump in incredible ...

    • #3
  4. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Jon, Jon, Jon.  This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President.  Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia.  It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates.  It is all Trump’s fault.

    • #4
  5. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    • #5
  6. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    It is all Trump’s fault.

    • #6
  7. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Senatorial elections are different from Presidential elections in their impact on the Supreme Court, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect Senators to have the same view of nominating a Supreme Court justice in a Senatorial election year as they do for a Presidential election year. The President is the initiator of the nomination, and the type of nominee is sometimes an issue in a Presidential election (as it was in 2016). 

    • #7
  8. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Senatorial elections are different from Presidential elections in their impact on the Supreme Court, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect Senators to have the same view of nominating a Supreme Court justice in a Senatorial election year as they do for a Presidential election year. The President is the initiator of the nomination, and the type of nominee is sometimes an issue in a Presidential election (as it was in 2016).

    Exactly so. I take Breyer’s retirement announcement as one more sign that the left believes they will lose control of the Senate next January. We should all pray for the continued good health of Justice Thomas and Justice Alito.

    • #8
  9. Tyrion Lannister Inactive
    Tyrion Lannister
    @TyrionLannister

    I know this is just a red-meat article, but still: Presidential election years are what matter.

    Republicans had a majority so there wasn’t unified control. Mitch justified blocking the vote by making the case that in presidential election years if there was unified party control there was a vote, and if there wasn’t unified party control the nominee wasn’t confirmed. There is precedent for this which was Mitch’s justification.

    In a way, blocking the vote prevented Garland from going down in a losing effort and spared him the ignominy of defeat. There have been 14 vacancies to court in a presidential election year. 12 had a nominee submitted. 7 were confirmed- 6 of which had unified party control. 5 times the nominee wasn’t confirmed- all had divided party control. What Mitch did was actually following historical precedent. That’s what he justifies the move with and why he wasn’t a hypocrite to confirm Barrett.  (You can add Barrett to the list I think it’s short one).

    Democrats are almost always hypocrites- it’s in their nature.  It’s all a power game to them- they need to win at all costs.  When they can’t win, they change the rules.  See: stacking the SCOTUS, adding states, eliminating the filibuster, eliminating the electoral college, changing senate filibuster rules, changing voting rules, and open borders to flood the nation with their voters.

    • #9
  10. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    As Liz Cheney says, Trump must not be allowed to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    The appointments is a bad consequence of a necessary vote.  I sure hope I won’t have to do this again in 2024.

    • #10
  11. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    As Liz Cheney says, Trump must not be allowed to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    The appointments is a bad consequence of a necessary vote. I sure hope I won’t have to do this again in 2024.

     

    But Gary … this is all you know how to do.

    • #11
  12. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Percival (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    As Liz Cheney says, Trump must not be allowed to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    The appointments is a bad consequence of a necessary vote. I sure hope I won’t have to do this again in 2024.

    But Gary … this is all you know how to do.

    Ah, the “Scarlet ‘B'”!

    • #12
  13. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    LOL, now what are the odds that Breyer did this without a push from the leftist?  Zero.  Of course he was pushed.

    • #13
  14. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Are you kidding me?  We got three conservative justices out of Trump.  You would have had Hilary picking all the justices.  I guess that derangement syndrome just leads you into all sorts of ridiculous comments.

    • #14
  15. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    No, he didn’t. Neither did anyone else who voted for the venal houseplant. 

    • #15
  16. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    And while I am here, I would encourage everyone of good sense and conscience to post the quotes from Schumer et al on their social media today. 

    • #16
  17. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    I think he meant during a Presidential election year.  Still, it’s fun to compare the position switch based on political circumstances . . .

    • #17
  18. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Stad (View Comment):

    I think he meant during a Presidential election year. Still, it’s fun to compare the position switch based on political circumstances . . .

    Yeah. The filibuster is vital to our Republic, except it is and always has been irredeemably racist.

    • #18
  19. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    As Liz Cheney says, Trump must not be allowed to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

    Liz Cheney says a lot of things. Many of them lies. Big ones.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    The appointments is a bad consequence of a necessary vote. I sure hope I won’t have to do this again in 2024.

    Have you no agency? Take ownership of your actions, man! He made me do it is the cry of a three year old.

    • #19
  20. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Manny (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Are you kidding me? We got three conservative justices out of Trump. You would have had Hilary picking all the justices. I guess that derangement syndrome just leads you into all sorts of ridiculous comments.

    No, Hillary would have gotten only two Justices; Kennedy would not have retired.  

    • #20
  21. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Why are you complaining? You voted for Biden. You obviously want him to be choosing the next justice.

    As Liz Cheney says, Trump must not be allowed to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

    Liz Cheney says a lot of things. Many of them lies. Big ones.

    Or didn’t you think any farther than your hatred for President Trump? Didn’t you think through the consequences of a Biden win? Was this all about your own prideful posturing? Signs point to yes.

    The appointments is a bad consequence of a necessary vote. I sure hope I won’t have to do this again in 2024.

    Have you no agency? Take ownership of your actions, man! He made me do it is the cry of a three year old.

    Don’t nominate Trump.  I had a strong suspicion that he would cheat if he could.  That has now been proven.  If you want a Republican to win in 2024, don’t nominate Trump, that’s easy.

    • #21
  22. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I agree with the part of Gary’s and Stad’s comments pointing out that the argument in 2020 was in a Presidential election year.

    I don’t think that there’s any hypocrisy in the Dems nominating and confirming a Justice this year.

    I do wish that Trump was in the White House.  I doubt that Breyer would have resigned if this were the case, but the Dems will now be able to replace an old Left-leaning Justice with a young one.  

    • #22
  23. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Jon, Jon, Jon. This is not a Presidential Election Year, and the Senate is of the same party as the President. Of course, they are going to confirm Biden’s nominee.

    Thank you Trump for screwing up the elections in Georgia. It was more important for Trump to make a point about his loss in Georgia, than to get behind our two Senate candidates. It is all Trump’s fault.

    Are you kidding me? We got three conservative justices out of Trump. You would have had Hilary picking all the justices. I guess that derangement syndrome just leads you into all sorts of ridiculous comments.

    No, Hillary would have gotten only two Justices; Kennedy would not have retired.

    Only two.  Like that’s not enough.  Pulease.

    • #23
  24. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    I don’t think that there’s any hypocrisy in the Dems nominating and confirming a Justice this year.

    I don’t think it’s hypocritical, and even if it was so what?  Hypocrisy in politics is the norm on both sides.

    • #24
  25. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    I don’t think that there’s any hypocrisy in the Dems nominating and confirming a Justice this year.

    I don’t see a problem either.  However, they have to do it before the new Congress is sworn in, assuming it’s a Republican-controlled Senate . . .

    • #25
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