GOP in October 2016: President Hillary Clinton will not get any SCOTUS-nominee ever.

[DetlefK]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/2/1/1628480/-Remember-when-Republicans-weren-t-going-to-let-Hillary-Clinton-have-a-SCOTUS-appointment-Ever

Senator John McCain: "I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if she were president, would put up. … I promise you."

And there was this gem:

Link to tweet

[pnwmom]

1. Yes. So there's no reason for them to expect otherwise from the Dems. nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

7. yes, what's good for the goose is good for the goose-stepper!!

[pat_k]

2. Dare we hope?

Dare we hope? Or will Dems repeat 1/31/2006 refusal to Filibuster Alito?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028580772

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. That would require growing a spine!!

[procon]

3. Do it!

Even the risk of the Turtle going nuclear, which is what that old cocker will do anyway now that Trump told him to do it. The Dems don't have any power, but there is universal solidarity for the brave and stalwart underdog who fights against impossible odds to uphold their principles in the face of bullies.

[Warren DeMontague]

4. How does the Republic recover from this?

Serious question.

[DetlefK]

5. Hopefully it won't. Serious response.

The political system of the US is ridiculous, archaic and fundamentally undemocratic.
From the winner-take-all elections who reduce the party-landscape to a Two-Party-System (which is just one step away from a One-Party-System, as Trump is proving as you read this), to undemocratic traditions like the Electoral College and the filibuster, to the ridiculously incompetent and error-prone voter-registry-system, to a rural vote being worth two to three urban votes when it comes to representation in Congress, to the ridiculous premise that politicians will stay away from corruption out of decency, to the influx of corporate campaign-money and partisan redistricting which makes politicians next to impossible to vote out of office, to a Supreme Court getting packed with partisan hacks by whoever happens to be in power at that time...

Here's a tip:
If your political system is so easily flipped from democracy to fascism and dictatorship, maybe there was a design-flaw in your political system.

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Hmmm. Interesting take.

Certainly I agree with your assesment of some of the inherent flaws; the higher weight given to rural conservative voters being a big one, which is why the federal government skews way more socially conservative, in particular, than where most of the populace is- still I would take issue with the idea that it's "easily flipped" - the framework and institutions have proven pretty durable, even when tested- the same checks and balance which make it hard to get anything done (boo!) also make it hard to get anything done (yay!)

What I suspect will happen this time around (again) is, our party will capitulate and "respect the institutions" even in the face of the egregious prior behavior of the other guys. Rinse. Repeat.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

9. This is what progressives warned about... just have to get back to a basic populist agenda and start winning again! What else is there?!

[Warren DeMontague]

10. I don't mean us, political strategy-wise. I mean the basic functioning of government itself.

Like with the situation we are presented with, here, re: Gorsuch. Okay, we all agree that what the GOP did with Scalia's seat was beyond the pale and unconscionable.

So do we filibuster anyone they nominate in retaliation, because to do otherwise would be to encourage and reward their shitty act? Seems reasonable. But then if we do that, we guarantee that the next time we have the WH and Senate, they'll pull the same thing. On and on and on, as any parent knows those "he hit me first!" arguments simply can't be resolved with logic. Of course, they might do that regardless.

Or else they pull the nuclear option, but then what does that mean- no supreme court vacancies will ever be filled again unless a party controls both; and there will never be any input from the minority party, periond...

And no matter who is marginally winning or ahead at any given time, we're gonna be stuck with a divided government. So if the parties can't work together at all, it's a problem.

None of the options are good. I don't see how this situation improves down the road, even without this administration.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

15. I hear ya... all good points. Wish I had a good answer.

[Cosmocat]

11. It doesn't

its over ...

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Yeah, like I said in that post up there, the crap they pulled with Garland

leaves us no good options. Unbelievable that McConnell has the nerve to turn around and try and lecture our party.

[Cosmocat]

13. That is actually quite believable

That is what Rs do.

The problem is that the country allows them to do it.

THIS is why we are fucked.

My whole life has seen an every increasing indulgence of republican jackassery.

This is just the next to last stage ...

[Warren DeMontague]

14. well like I said, it leaves us no good options.

And I don't see how the Senate returns to normal functioning in the future, because of it.