Hypocrisy is piling on itself when it comes to replacing the late Ruther Bader Ginsburg on the United States Supreme Court. You wouldn’t expect Illinois politicians to miss the chance to join in on that, would you?
The issue is whether the United States Senate should act immediately on a nomination to be made by President Trump for Ginsburg’s replacement instead of waiting until after the elections.
Republicans want to act now but Democrats say wait until after the election when they hope to gain control the process.
Governor JB Pritzker, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot have all joined the chorus of Democrats saying wait, citing Republican hypocrisy as their reason.
Specifically, they all cite President Obama’s March 2016 nomination of Merrick Garland to the Court. The Senate, which must consent to nominations and was controlled by Republicans at the time, wouldn’t act, leaving the seat open. Let the election play out so the people have a say, Republicans argued at the time. It was later filled later by President Trump’s appointment of Neil Gorsuch.
It would therefore be hypocritical for Republicans not to do the same now, say Pritzker, Durbin, Lightfoot and many other Democrats. “It should be humiliating” for Republicans to consider filling the seat now, said Durbin.
But their own hypocrisy about that hypocrisy should be at least as humiliating. Obama, Hillary Clinton, Durbin and virtually all leading Democrats said in 2016 that there’s no reason to wait in an election year. Here’s a nice video collection of their comments:
Republicans claim no hypocrisy on their part because things are different when the presidency and Senate are in the hands of the same party, as they are now. The Constitution clearly vests the appointment power in the presidency and the Senate, and they have to agree. No minimum number of justices is specified. They didn’t agree in 2016, but they presumably would now, so there’s the difference.
Think what you want about that argument. Here’s what’s indisputable: To claim that Democrats, if they situation were reversed, wouldn’t try to fill the seat just as Republicans are trying now is simply laughable.
Laughable hypocrisy, however, is the currency of the realm in today’s politics.
-Mark Glennon
A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level.
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don’t want to touch the tax’s cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans’ tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more.
What would Harry Reid do? What would Michael Madigan do? Fill the seat.
See (hear) also https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/ruth-bader-ginsburg-and-the-democratic-meltdown/ WARNING: it takes an hour.
One of the biggest hypocrites out there–DURBIN.
Boo hoo. Republicans reap what they sow with Merrick Garland.
And they let a serial groper and Miss Teen World Dressing Room enthusiast choose this person.
Read all about Mitch McConnell and his revolutionary new form of governing. ‘Hey, I’m not here to pass bills and to debate stuff; I’ m here to NOT compromise or engage in any win-win political compromise. Screw all that stuff that made the US Senate one of the great deliberative bodies of the world. Let’s troll the libs by voting against the ACA 600,000 times!
https://bit.ly/2HnfmOw
Well, win the Senate and the Presidency, and you can do what you want.
Until then, stop whining. It’s unbecoming.
And, they will win it again if they appoint an originalist to the bench before Nov 3.
It’s not an apples to apples comparison though.
This is a false equivalency.