High court seat
High court seat
Once again politics prevails over the needs of the American people.
Senate Republicans will not hold hearings on a Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia. They want to delay a constitutionally mandated process so that a Republican president can make the appointment.
Had the situation been reversed, the Democrats would do the same thing. They’ve done so in the past.
Meanwhile, Scalia’s position remains unfilled and will remain so for a year.
Any future Supreme Court decisions resulting in a 4-4 tie revert to the lower court’s ruling. That usurps the court’s function and places judicial review power in the hands of a court not intended to have such power.
Is it too much to ask that the members of the Senate put partisanship aside and do what is right for the people who elected them?
Bruce Bumbalough,
Watauga
Let’s see if I understand this. Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, refuse to act on any Supreme Court nominee put forth by President Obama.
Their common refrain is: “Let the people decide by whom they vote into office next November.”
So, I assume that if Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders wins the presidency, the Republicans will confirm whomever they nominate to the Supreme Court.
After all, the people will have spoken.
But the reality is that the Republicans will oppose any person nominated by a Democratic president — now, next year or in 10 years.
Frank Matthews,
Fort Worth
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval just might have made a good Supreme Court justice.
I guess he didn’t want to be an Obama pawn, as the president’s far-left history of gamesmanship says he would never allow a moderate to be seated.
The bait offered to start the process would be yanked and another good justice would have been embarrassed by the king.
The president should offer up the radicals he truly wants.
There is risk in waiting for the next administration to confirm a choice, but it’s the right thing to do for the country. May Congress for once do what it said.
Paul Buckley, Mansfield
This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "High court seat."