Next SCOTUS retiree/appointee?

[Martinus]

Hey, Yanks. I have two questions:

Who will be the most likely next SCOTUS retiree and is he/she likely to retire during the Obama's administration?

Will the Republicans in the Senate be able to block/filibuster Obama's appointee or does it work differently from other appointees (such as ambassadors)?

[CountDeMoney]

Who will be the most likely next SCOTUS retiree and is he/she likely to retire during the Obama's administration?

Doesn't really matter, it will always tilt to the right, as liberal judges insist on retiring during conservative presidencies, fucking shit up.

Will the Republicans in the Senate be able to block/filibuster Obama's appointee or does it work differently from other appointees (such as ambassadors)?

Still goes through the same bullshit.

[Eddie Teach]

Still goes through the same bullshit.

True, but at least in the case of SC nominees the public is paying attention. Eventually there will be a vote unless the nominee pulls out.

[Admiral Yi]

Has a SC nominee ever been filibustered?

I was going to say Harry Reid, that great friend of Yucca Mountain, exempted legislation and SC and cabinet nominations when he invoked the nukular option, but there might be an unspoken rule that SC nominees aren't blocked.

[DGuller]

Has a SC nominee ever been filibustered?

I was going to say Harry Reid, that great friend of Yucca Mountain, exempted legislation and SC and cabinet nominations when he invoked the nukular option, but there might be an unspoken rule that SC nominees aren't blocked.

Unspoken rules are meant to be broken when the stakes are high.  Republicans will be looking at cementing the conservative hegemony on the bench if a liberal justice times her death badly.  Then again, how badly do they really want the fifth abortion vote?  To me it seems like a very useful journey and a very dreadful destination for them politically.

[Admiral Yi]

Republicans will be looking at cementing the conservative hegemony on the bench if a liberal justice times her death badly.

Not really clear to me how they could expect to do that with Obama making the nominations.

[DGuller]

Republicans will be looking at cementing the conservative hegemony on the bench if a liberal justice times her death badly.

Not really clear to me how they could expect to do that with Obama making the nominations.

What if she dies in May 2016?

[Viking]

to be honest I'd actually like to see a 5th vote to ban abortion. Perhaps you'd get around to making it a medical health and ethics issue than a rights issue. Leaving it to the court has always been an abdication of responsibility by the legislature.

[Admiral Yi]

Either it's a Democrat nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans cementing etc. doesn't make sense, or it's a Republican nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans breaking the unspoken rule on filibustering doesn't make sense.

[DGuller]

Either it's a Democrat nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans cementing etc. doesn't make sense, or it's a Republican nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans breaking the unspoken rule on filibustering doesn't make sense.

Does it have to be either/or?

[Viking]

Either it's a Democrat nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans cementing etc. doesn't make sense, or it's a Republican nominating, in which case your comment about Republicans breaking the unspoken rule on filibustering doesn't make sense.

Does it have to be either/or?

President Bernie Sanders?

[Eddie Teach]

He's thinking the Republicans filibuster long enough to get a Republican nominating. Of course, in this scenario the voters have the power to validate the stratagem or not. Unless the justice dies during the lame duck term, but Congress never works that fast anyway.

[DGuller]

He's thinking the Republicans filibuster long enough to get a Republican nominating. Of course, in this scenario the voters have the power to validate the stratagem or not. Unless the justice dies during the lame duck term, but Congress never works that fast anyway.

[Tonitrus]

Has a SC nominee ever been filibustered?

I was going to say Harry Reid, that great friend of Yucca Mountain, exempted legislation and SC and cabinet nominations when he invoked the nukular option, but there might be an unspoken rule that SC nominees aren't blocked.

Have we all forgotten Robert Bork? 

[Grinning_Colossus]

Has a SC nominee ever been filibustered?

I was going to say Harry Reid, that great friend of Yucca Mountain, exempted legislation and SC and cabinet nominations when he invoked the nukular option, but there might be an unspoken rule that SC nominees aren't blocked.

Have we all forgotten Robert Bork? 

He was rejected by majority vote, not filibustered.