It's the courts stupid.

[onenote]

Last edited Wed Oct 20, 2021, 05:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Yes, I'd like to see the "big" infrastructure bill pass. But I'm a realist and understand that compromises will have to be made. Manchin and Sinema are holding up that bill. And over in the House, the other infrastructure bill is being held up by the Progressive caucus. No one will get everything they want and that's unfortunate, albeit hardly surprising.

However, for all the doom and gloom one sees in the media and even here on DU, there is another story, one that isn't being reported and that many DUers appear not to be aware of: Biden's record in appointing judges.

As of October 19, 2021, six of Biden's 13 nominees to the courts of appeals have been confirmed and seven more either have been reported out of committee or are pending in committee. As of October 19, 2017, Trump had only nominated 12 judges to the courts of appeals and only 4 had been confirmed. And Biden has nominated 38 new district court judges, 12 of whom have been confirmed compared to Trump who had nominated 35 district court judges at the same point in his presidency, only 2 of which had been confirmed.

As far as I know, every Democrat (including Manchin and Sinema) have voted for Biden's judicial nominees. For those that think we'd be better of if one or both were driven out of the Democratic caucus, consider all of those pending nominees that will be stopped cold by McConnell. Imagine the possibility that one or more SCOTUS seats opens up between now and November 2022 -- and Biden is prevented from filling those seats.

When Clinton ran, it was the economy, stupid. Now we need to recognize that its the courts, stupid.

[genxlib]

1. 1000%

Governing with a narrow margin sucks big time.

It is still a million times better than not governing.

The only bad thing is that voters are not savvy enough to know why things don't get done. They just blame the party in charge. But they would do that anyway even if the Senate were in Republican hands.

Take what you can get and campaign on it as if your life depended on it.

[cilla4progress]

3. Agree - take what you can get and keep moving forward.

Under the radar digs at Manchin will be appreciated! Mof***er!!

[cilla4progress]

2. Completely agree!

There are lots of fronts and I am confident in Biden and his admin that he is firing on all circuits!!

[in2herbs]

4. Before we lose our majority Biden should implement court changes cuz as long as any judicial

decision can reach the USSC the number of judges Biden can appoint at the federal level isn't going to be able to thwart the RW of the USSC.

Implementing changes to prevent MM from blocking nominations by putting time limits on the nomination process which would let Biden get his nominee(s) to at least a vote is one way. Another way is through an ethics disclosure forcing all judges to put their investments into a blind trust and recuse themselves from hearing cases which involve stocks/investments they own -- without allowing the judges any discretion.

GOTV is important but the DOJ needs to hold insurrectionists -- from Trump on down-- to the rule of law, otherwise voters will not be inclined to become involved in the political process when no one is held accountable.

[Hortensis]

5. Agree with need for judicial appointments AND passing both infrastructure bills

filled with many things our nation needs. It's not an either-or. Cannot be.

So we'll do half a new New Deal now. These will still be great and very needed achievements, and if a majority of voters agree we'll get to the rest later.

Right now the Republican Party's still doing its slow destruct, along with the stature of the religious right, worse every year with no apparent way to turn it around. We have many reasons to be grateful for our "skin of our teeth" 50-50 tie, dreadfully limiting as it is, but above all that it's helping keep the treasonous, corrupt Republican Party from completing a coup d'etat before it implodes.

And giving us a critical chance to woo the electorate while we still have one.

Judiciary's critical yes, though realizing that a first action of an authoritarian state would be to remove all liberal judges. Losing these next elections and comforting ourselves over our judicial appointments is not an option.

So IMO, for now, still, above all, "It's the elections, stupid." And that means achievements people can feel good about.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. What frustrates me is that it seems that WE are the only ones to have to compromise.

When repugs are in power, they do whatever the fuck they want. Is this what we must be satisfied with? The courts?

[11 Bravo]

7. Always was.

[TomSlick]

8. I agree that the courts are very important. At this point, I think the second most important.

The biggest issue today is the right to vote and the right to have that vote count. If the Democrats don't do something now about securing democracy, everything else will become a dead letter. If the GQP secures the White House and the Senate by defeating democracy, the Courts will fall in short order.

[onenote]

9. My concern is that without the courts, whatever we do on voting will be in jeopardy

[TomSlick]

11. You make a good point.

However, absent unexpected deaths or retirements, for the next several years, the make up of the Supreme Court cannot be improved. It can only get worse.

As it currently stands, we cannot rely on the Supreme Court to do anything to protect democracy. In the longer term, if there is no meaningful right to vote, the courts will all fall in-line becoming a court system that only enforces the will of the autocracy.

Democracy hangs by a thread. Without serious actions to preserve meaningful elections, it is entirely possible that 2022 could be the last election with any meaning. If democracy is not saved in the near term, the long term is to terrible to consider.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

10. Sinema🤬

I hate to say it, but a DINO slipped by me. 🥺