I think Garland is a bait. I also think Garland will NOT make a good Supreme for our side.

[Stinky The Clown]

If Obama gets the GOPee to follow through and not hold hearings, he wins. If they change and ultimately confirm the guy, they win.

I hope he fails to be confirmed.

[Chasstev365]

1. Spot On!

[arcane1]

2. Thank you for saying that, I wasn't sure I wanted to be the only one. Now I can!

I can't really call it a "victory" if the republicans agree on a right-winger. It's apparently supposed to be a Good Thing if they're nominated by a Dem, but if Bush had nominated this guy, all of DU would be against him.

[daleanime]

4. +1

[Old Codger]

3. He is

Just about what I would expect from Obama and I seriously hope they go ahead and keep blocking til Bernie gets in there and we give him some help in both houses

[WheelWalker]

5. Well, this was a stinky.

[herding cats]

6. Garland is simply to show how over the top the obstruction within the GOP is now

There's no literal seriousness to his nomination.

The GOP could do a lot worse than Garland, and they know it. I think they're actually hoping they win the election in November, and they can just punt the football until then. (Adding on edit here: that's not that far away now, it's almost April.) In some ways they have a valid point, if either Trump or Cruz were to be elected they'd likely go far more extreme than Garland. Since they're currently backing Cruz, I shudder to imagine what their sick fantasies imagine Cruz would nominate. I'm pretty sure it would make Scalia look like a moderate in comparison.

As it is now, they've created such a partisan divide, they can't afford to appear weak to their voters in an election year. Their supporters aren't about compromise after all. That's not what's won them control in the House nor the Senate. It was insane partisan beliefs which brought this current crop to power.

[Albertoo]

7. Based on the NYT, Garland is a sharp mind on the progressive side

I didn't bookmark the article, but the NYT placed the aggregate progressive/conservative score of SCOTUS justices on a scale. Left Justices scored between 0.3 and 0.4 to the left, Right Justices scored between 0.3 and 0.5 to the right (from memory). Garland scored within the range of the 'Left' cloud. Yet he manages to avoid controversy thanks to his nice manners and sharp mind. He's worth more than being a mere decoy.

[herding cats]

8. He's fine on certain matters.

But, the reality is no one knows where he falls on hot button issues like abortion.

Which makes him suspect by both sides. Which makes him a perfect tool for this specific purpose.

[Albertoo]

9. I sooo wished abortion stopped being controversial

What a waste of time and energy

[herding cats]

10. It should be a done deal.

Settled law and all that, but the RW refuse to concede defeat. Which leaves us where we are still fighting for a constitutional right some 43 years later. Not to mention we're losing ground on the issue currently.

Wedge issues. They're what Republican's exploit.

[Albertoo]

11. PS: I manage herding cats

At night-time, I click my tongue, and the two rascals move to their bedtime balcony.

[herding cats]

12. That's sweet. :)

I have three of them. One is almost 20 years old now. I inherited her. She minds no one anymore, except herself. The other two are sweethearts who do try and behave as best they know how.

[Albertoo]

13. Mine have an interesting story

My daughter befriended a stray she-cat. She gave her food often, so much so the stray would come in and out of the house to get food and shelter when she pleased. One night, that stray came and literally 'knocked' at our home's door, meowing her heart out. I opened and she beckoned me to follow her. I followed and found one hurt kitten that she had carried halfway near the door. Took hurt kitten 1 in. Mother kept meowing. Followed her again to kitten #2. When the two kittens were sheltered, the mum purred like I never heard a cat purr. Called SPCA emergency, they sent a medic who treated the kittens with antibiotics. The kittens stayed on. 3 months later when the kittens were off mother's milk, the mum went to have walks and was 'kidnapped' as a pet by a neighbor who knew her. Oh well..

[herding cats]

14. That is a truly beautiful story!

I'm just left hoping the mother was "kidnapped" into as good a home as her two children seem to have been.

No wonder your kitties "herd" well. They're obviously loved and in a safe environment.

Cats aren't stupid. They know when they've landed on a mother load of kindness, and they respond very well to it.

[Albertoo]

15. Well, now..

.. if you could teach them not to scratch sofas.

I have to defensively cover the base of sofas with anti missile metal plates.
Only works halfway.

[herding cats]

16. Ah, that one.

We've all been there. Two sided tape works at my house. They hate it!

That and lots of scratching posts made of twine, and covered in catnip scented spray. Praise them when they scratch the posts, and not the furniture. It helps since cats work only on positive affirmation. Also, try some Febreze, or some such, where they've scratched where they aren't supposed to. Some say it helps.

Me, at first I sprayed it with eucalyptus oil. Which I've since learned is a good deterrent and maybe not healthy for them, too!

I had no idea at the time!

[Albertoo]

17. "cats work only on positive affirmation"?

Not sure of that.
Apparently, they can learn some no-no's.
Some tables are OK, some tables are out of bounds. They get it.

[mfcorey1]

18. I agree and the dumb repubs are falling for it. I think the

plan is knowing that the Garland nomination will eventually be withdrawn. Anticipating a win by the democrats, Loretta Lynch will be nominated for Justice Seat. She indicated she wants to currently complete her appointment that will end when Obama leaves office. Then she is free to be a member of SCOTUS.

[pampango]

19. We lose if republicans are smart and stop listening to their hateful base. I like our odds.