Neil Gorsuch Confirmation Process Discussion (confirmed 54-45)

[Blackacre]

Michael Bennet was already the kind of trash that needs to taken to the curb before this.

Bennett and Gardner are introducing Gorsuch I believe because he's from Colorado. It doesn't mean Bennett's going to be voting for his confirmation

[Chief Justice Keef]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

Omg yes. I'm so tired of Democrats caving to Republicans in hope of earning political brownie points.

[Mr. Reactionary]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

You're seeing the forest for the trees. Yeah, it sucks he's here, but what exactly do you think happens if none of the Democrats show up? Get angry when Manchin votes to confirm, don't be mad at Franken for going into work.

The whole point is to give absolutely no signs of legitimacy to this so-called president and his nominations. He is the definition of illegitimate and he should be treated as such.

What are you? 5 years old?

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Currently Durbin is giving some generic #hottakes in his opening statement.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

livestream of hearing that doesn't require existing cable subscription: http://www.politico.com/livestream-2-watch-live-streaming

Also adding this to OP.

[Sorenroy]

I hope that all my fellow Democrats on here realize that they sound a whole lot like babies crying about how unfair it all is. Trust me, I literally had to get up and tell anyone I could when I saw Trump's favorables at -21 because I was so happy, but I have a lot less tolerance for this kind of "well they did it first" behavior. I mean, really. After complaining we did (and rightfully so) that Republicans held up the Supreme Court for almost a year, our reaction is going to be doing the same thing for the next four? Please. I thought the quote we were going with was "When they go low, we go high." I think that showing voters that the Democratic party is the party of the people, who go to meetings and vote in the interests of the public is a whole lot better strategy that showing that we are the minority, obstructionist party in every government branch.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

My preferred strategy with Gorsuch is "don't hold him up beyond what's customary, but vote against him and possibly try to Bork him if the situation calls for it", but...

I think that showing voters that the Democratic party is the party of the people, who go to meetings and vote in the interests of the public is a whole lot better strategy that showing that we are the minority, obstructionist party in every government branch.

...what exactly about the past decade makes you think that?

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I hope that all my fellow Democrats on here realize that they sound a whole lot like babies crying about how unfair it all is. Trust me, I literally had to get up and tell anyone I could when I saw Trump's favorables at -21 because I was so happy, but I have a lot less tolerance for this kind of "well they did it first" behavior. I mean, really. After complaining we did (and rightfully so) that Republicans held up the Supreme Court for almost a year, our reaction is going to be doing the same thing for the next four? Please. I thought the quote we were going with was "When they go low, we go high." I think that showing voters that the Democratic party is the party of the people, who go to meetings and vote in the interests of the public is a whole lot better strategy that showing that we are the minority, obstructionist party in every government branch.

No one follows "go low, go high" anymore.

Whitehouse is speaking now and is echoing my own concerns about Gorsuch - that he may be too friendly to corporations and be inappropriately aggressive in striking down regulations from the bench.

[Sorenroy]

I think that showing voters that the Democratic party is the party of the people, who go to meetings and vote in the interests of the public is a whole lot better strategy that showing that we are the minority, obstructionist party in every government branch.

[W]hat exactly about the past decade makes you think that?

Honestly, it's probably my political inexperience. Seeing as I'm barely 18 now I can believe what I want until my dreams get crushed.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I think that showing voters that the Democratic party is the party of the people, who go to meetings and vote in the interests of the public is a whole lot better strategy that showing that we are the minority, obstructionist party in every government branch.

[W]hat exactly about the past decade makes you think that?

Honestly, it's probably my political inexperience. Seeing as I'm barely 18 now I can believe what I want until my dreams get crushed.

Makes sense. I'm twenty-four (actually not for a few more weeks, but I'm getting used to saying it early), and whatever of my political optimism wasn't crushed by 2014 was crushed by the realization that the Democratic Party deserved 2014 even though the country didn't.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Graham clearly wants to jump in a time machine to the 90s.

[Blackacre]

I think the Democrats should do everything they can to hold up Gorsuch, but they should also signal to Trump that a different nominee would get through. If Gorsuch goes down and Trump either nominates someone 60+ years old or a moderate, I'd call that a victory.

[Sorenroy]

Cruz seems to be confused. "People" did not choose Trump or Gorsuch, the EV system did. I don't think Trump is illegitimate (he won the game), but he did not win the support of the "people".

[Sorenroy]

Oh s***, did I forget to attack the Little Sisters of the Poor yesterday? I guess I'll have to attack them twice as much today.

[JA]

The best political strategy for Senate Democrats is to allow hearings, show up for them, and enable the Senate to vote on Gorsuch. Allow a few Democratic Senators from conservative states to defect and vote for him, but ensure that 41 Democrats filibuster his appointment. Send out a few Democrats to signal that they'd be willing to vote for an appointment of a more moderate SCOTUS nominee if Trump is willing to nominate one. Then, if he does, allow a few more defections from swing states allowing the appointment of a compromise candidate.

[Blackacre]

The best political strategy for Senate Democrats is to allow hearings, show up for them, and enable the Senate to vote on Gorsuch. Allow a few Democratic Senators from conservative states to defect and vote for him, but ensure that 41 Democrats filibuster his appointment. Send out a few Democrats to signal that they'd be willing to vote for an appointment of a more moderate SCOTUS nominee if Trump is willing to nominate one. Then, if he does, allow a few more defections from swing states allowing the appointment of a compromise candidate.

Yeah, basically this. Then someone like Charles Canady (conservative but 62 years old) swoops in and saves the day

[ApatheticAustrian]

i would agree with J if this wouldn't just lead to a filibust-breaker and make the barn door open for the next court-changing conservative candidate.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Gorsuch is giving his opening remarks now.

[Cashew]

i would agree with J if this wouldn't just lead to a filibust-breaker and make the barn door open for the next court-changing conservative candidate.

What makes you think Mcconell will will be any more respectful of the filibuster if it is used in the future as opposed to now?

[ApatheticAustrian]

What makes you think Mcconell will will be any more respectful of the filibuster if it is used in the future as opposed to now?

nothing at all but total liberal opposition - after playing along now - at a more political convenient time, could be used in a better way, imho and the case for preserving the status quo would be more convincing, imho.

especially if the midterms go sour.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

With stage 1 (described in the OP) now complete, the committee has adjourned until tomorrow morning, when the next stage (Senators questioning Gorsuch) will begin.

[Dereich]

Ah, revenge! Republicans said disingenuous things about why they were holding no hearings or vote on any nominee put forward by President Barack Obama, and now some Democrats here want to say things even more disingenuous, obviously out of a petty desire for sheer revenge.
A plague on both your parties.

I need to find out whether Gorsuch actually is an originalist. I particularly need to find out whether Gorsuch knows what was the originally understood meaning of the 9th Amendment, and what were the originally understood meanings of the Due Process Clauses of the 5th and 14th, and what was the originally understood meaning of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th.

All indications I've seen point to Gorsuch being a textualist. True dyed-in-the-wool originalists have a very hard time getting into high judicial position; the changes they want tend to be radical and align with no other judicial groups. Justice Thomas is an aberration we are unlikely to see again for a long time.

[Virginiá]

The best political strategy for Senate Democrats is to allow hearings, show up for them, and enable the Senate to vote on Gorsuch. Allow a few Democratic Senators from conservative states to defect and vote for him, but ensure that 41 Democrats filibuster his appointment. Send out a few Democrats to signal that they'd be willing to vote for an appointment of a more moderate SCOTUS nominee if Trump is willing to nominate one. Then, if he does, allow a few more defections from swing states allowing the appointment of a compromise candidate.

This sounds reasonable. Things like this kind of seem lost among some activists who demand total obstruction - in some situations it might be necessary to have vulnerable Senators vote a certain way with the understanding that the bill or nominee still won't pass/be confirmed. I suppose you can't blame them though, since they might not know if it was strategic or not.

Honestly, liberals/Democrats probably need to start accepting that we are now 99.999% unlikely to get that seat. It's almost guaranteed Republicans will kill the filibuster before 2020, especially after 2018 if they win more Senate seats. The best Democrats could possibly hope to do, imo, is somehow obstruct long enough to force a more moderate justice (or maybe an older Gorsuch-like justice, like 60+), but even that is a stretch. Republicans made a big gamble and they won. They hold almost all the cards now.

We'll see.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The system by which Supreme Court judges are chosen is archaic and not fit for purpose.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The system by which Supreme Court judges are chosen is archaic and not fit for purpose.

why