What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[OttoVonBismarck]

I mean until they went full retard I was a Republican and still mostly hold traditional Republican views; but the Democrats are basically right to act the way they did. Refusing to even hold hearings on Merrick Garland clearly was the point where I think the Supreme Court confirmation process ran off the rails permanently. We could go back and forth to the days of Robert Bork to argue about who started it, who raised the ante more often or etc, but that's kind of where I think it broke forever.

I genuinely believe that at least for a generation, you will never see a President get a supreme court nomination confirmed by an opposing party Senate. You may not even see any judges confirmed in that scenario, will have to see what happens when it first comes up, which could be a long time since I largely expect the GOP to control the Senate + White House through 2020; and suspect the Dems will control both after then, so the actual scenario is probably 6-8+ years away.

[Legbiter]

The one thing that gives me pause is that it has been clear from the very outset of the nomination that a majority of Democratic senators were going to vote against Kavanaugh no matter what - that the seat was "stolen", that they didn't want someone approved by the Federalist Society - and were going to use any grounds they could to oppose the nomination.  So I kind of understand where Kavanaugh's anger on the issue comes from.=

Gorsuch was nominated for the "stolen" seat, was also big in the Federalist Society, even went to the same high school. He is just as right wing, arguably even more extreme. His confirmation, while opposed by most Democrats, was not very contentious.

Kavanaugh came under fire for reasons unique to him: his extraordinary role in the Clinton impeachment and the extreme positions he took back then, his total about-face on those very same issues during the Bush presidency, his candor issues in the early part of the confirmation process, the unprecedented and dishonest interview given to Fox news, the allegations made against him, and his unhinged, angry performance at that hearing.

It's hard to say Gorsuch "was not very contentious".  Democrats filibustered his nomination - which resulted in the "nuclear option" of eliminating the filibuster.  Only 3 Democrats voted to confirm Gorsuch.

Democrats have gotten more traction in opposing Kavanaugh for some of the reasons you mentioned, but they were still just as opposed.   And the only Democrats that voted in favour were Democrats from deep red states that Trump had easily won.

Also on paper Kavanaugh is the kind of SCOTUS pick a President Jeb! would make in another timeline.

[Eddie Teach]

More worrisome is that I also wonder what his elevation will mean for the stability of the republic. What happens when there's a decision where he's the deciding factor? Will Democratic states accept it and if not, what then?

of course they will.  Nothing will happen.

I hope you're right and Guller is wrong.

[Camerus]

Am I a Guller sock now too?   

[Eddie Teach]

Reply 20139.

[Razgovory]

Trump is now claiming George Soros paid off the Kavanaugh elevator protestors.  So now he is adding anti-Semitic conspiracy theories to his big bag of nasty.

I've had it with fellow Jews who support this guy.  I don't care what he does about Israel - there are lines that can't be crossed.

Yeah, the George Soros Bullshit pisses me off.  What, are we taking our talking points from Iran now?

Uhm, not really. IIRC the alt-right started the Soros thing as an argument against Black Lives Matter, mostly. That's where Hungary got the idea and eventually built up the anti-Soros fight as the sole legitimisation of the regime. Since then, Soros has been "responsible" for everything from Georgian to Macedonian political troubles.

Not bad for a 90 years old guy.

First time I heard about Soros was 2008, from an Iranian propaganda video.

[Syt]

[Syt]

[Eddie Teach]

I think I'd trust the Bar more when their rating hasn't become so politicized.

[Legbiter]

Kavanaug's confirmed.

[Admiral Yi]

Flake, Collins, and Manchin vote in favor, Murkowski votes present.

[chipwich]

Someone remind me why flake was considered a swing vote?

[Oexmelin]

Because people like to take their wishes for reality.

Flake has basically lived up to his name by simultaneously wanting to appear a decent guy for history books, and an employable Republican for the current times.

[garbon]

Because people like to take their wishes for reality.

Flake has basically lived up to his name by simultaneously wanting to appear a decent guy for history books, and an employable Republican for the current times.

Yes, that seems like his whole shtick.

[dps]

Because people like to take their wishes for reality.

Flake has basically lived up to his name by simultaneously wanting to appear a decent guy for history books, and an employable Republican for the current times.

Yes, that seems like his whole shtick.

A more charitable interpretation would be that he agrees with Trump on many policy issues, but has contempt for Trump as a person and isn't afraid to speak up on issues on which he disagrees with Trump.