A Quick History Review on Two SCOTUS Seats That Should Have Been Defeated.

[The Whiskey Priest]

Scalia was confirmed unanimously (98-0) by the Senate September 17, 1986 Democrats held a 55-45 majority.

Thomas was confirmed by the Senate with a 52-48 vote on October 13, 1991. Democrats held a 57-43 majority.


This nomination might not be as important if we had blocked those two seats when we had the numbers.

[unblock]

1. it's truly insane. at some point, democrats in congres decided

that the president should be allowed to nominate anyone, no matter how politically or judicially insane, just so long as they paid their nanny taxes, never smoked weed, and can't be convicted of sexual harassment.

this is why the right wing is still up in arms about bork, because he is the very rare exception to this rule.

[eyesroll]

4. Well, the president *should* be allowed to NOMINATE anyone.

It's his prerogative.

But, the Senate shouldn't automatically CONFIRM anyone.

[WI_DEM]

2. Thomas should have been defeated

I don't know the explanation about Scalia--I assume that even Ted Kennedy voted for him--but Thomas had alot against him--The republicans said it was "she said, he said", but obviously there was merit to what Anita Hill testified.

[unblock]

7. it became a trial where "not guilty" meant a lifetime scotus appointment

what a ridiculous standard for confirmation.
nevermind the fact that he was unqualified quite apart from the alleged sexual harassment.

the fact that he STILL cribs off scalia proves how worthless he is as a justice. he's nothing more than a banaan republican aparatchik.

[eyesroll]

3. Did we know Scalia would be as he is, when he got confirmed?

(I was 11.)

I do remember the Thomas confirmation enough to know it should have gone to someone else.

But a lot of it is a crap shoot, and we don't know how good/bad someone will be until they're there. (See: Souter. He was protested by NOW when he was nominated. These days, he's reliably on our side.)

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. The record isn't good.

:evilfrown:

[LibertyLover]

6. We are so screwed for so many years to come

when Alito gets confirmed. It's going to happen because the Republicans have the votes and in the end enough of the Democrats will vote yes because they don't want to be seen as obstructionist or not nice or some garbage like that. I have to say that the one thing that bothers me with respect to the Constitution is that it provides for life-time appointments for Supreme Court and Federal Appeals Court judges with very little remedy available to remove them. I don't know what the answer is, nor do I expect any change in my lifetime. Frankly, both the Roberts and the Alito hearings, combined with the current political and economic situations in the US have me depressed and concerned for our country.

[The Whiskey Priest]

8. If the party, Democrats, had acted wisely and held up or defeat

Scalia and Thomas...we would not be so worried about the court at this moment.