1 - Common Sense
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Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
President Trump's choice to sit on the Supreme Court will get his turn in the political spotlight Monday after laying low for weeks. But what has traditionally been a high-profile confirmation fight is approaching with barely a whimper from the opposition party.
While Democratic leaders have revived their public criticism of Neil Gorsuch in recent days, liberal advocacy groups have all but abandoned efforts to defeat his nomination through public opinion -- with scant paid issue advertising or public rallies.Many progressives lament Democratic senators have been distracted by other ideological fights.
A group led by NARAL Pro-Choice America recently sent a blistering letter to Senate Democrats slamming lawmakers for not putting up more of a fight against Gorsuch ahead of Monday's confirmation hearing."Democrats have failed to demonstrate a strong, unified resistance to this nominee despite the fact that he is an ultra-conservative jurist who will undermine our basic freedoms and threaten the independence of the federal judiciary," said the letter. "We need you to do better."
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”
- Common Sense
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
Nomination of the Honorable Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesSenate Judiciary Committee
Date: Monday, March 20, 2017
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Hart Senate Office Building 216
Presiding: Chairman Grassley
Last edited by Common Sense (3/19/2017 8:45 am)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”
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Thread Starter- Just Fred
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
Well, the R-Tribe did a pretty good job squashing Obama's pick for the Supreme Court for about 350 days and then it was too late. I guess the D-Tribe figures that turnabout is fair play. It's all part of the 'team sport' politics has become.
- Goose
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
I want to see Mitch stand in front of some cameras and whine about the dems "slow walking" the nomination.
That would be rich.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- tennyson
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
Goose wrote:
I want to see Mitch stand in front of some cameras and whine about the dems "slow walking" the nomination.
That would be rich.
For sure ! 
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- TheLagerLad
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
So it appears the the Democrats are going to filibuster the Gorsuch nomination.
Dumb
Dumb
Dumb
Dumb
There is no reason for the Democrats to do this. There is nothing disqualifying about Gorsuch. He's a likeable enough guy. Gorsuch was one the one slice of sanity in this Trump presidential trainwreck. There is no public outcry, outside of the Dem base, to shoot down the nomination.
So what is Schumer and the Dems hoping to get out of this?
Revenge for Merrick Garland? Yes, what the republicans did to President Obama and Garland was disgraceful. And if the Democrats down the road want to hold up a nominee in the final year of a Republican presidential term, you will hear no beef from me.
And what is the end game for Democrats? A different nominee? Four years of having eight judges on the Supreme Court?
This isn't going to end well for the Democrats. Trump is destroying his administration on his own and the last thing you want to do is give him a talking point to push back against, especially when Gorsuch is more than both qualified and in the mainstream.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- tennyson
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
8 sounds like a good number for the Supremes !
At least that is what the R-tribe was saying LAST YEAR ! 
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- Goose
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
I don't know if it is smart or Dumb, Lager.
But, it may have been inevitable.
There was no reason that Garland should have been denied hearings, and the left base is screaming for payback, just like the right base would have done if roles were reversed. Democrat senators might feel that they have to go along with this, or face challenges from the left.
The end game? Making a stand and losing gallantly in the end.
Maybe dumb. Maybe smart. I dunno.
Think of the Alamo. It was pretty dumb to make a stand in that untenable location.
But, it sure set the stage for future victories.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- TheLagerLad
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
The base will stand with the Dems regardless.
The entire political world is focused on Trump's flailing presidency. If we're going to endure a Trump presidency for as long as it lasts, it will be helpful to keep him from accomplishing the truly horrible things he intends to do, like building a pointless and expensive border wall, or enacting bad trade policies.
Gorsuch, whether you agree with his judicial philosophy or not, is qualified to be a justice.
And keep this in mind: If McConnell uses the so-called "nuclear option" and pushes Gorsuch through on a simple majority vote, then the precedent is set and the next justice Trump gets to appoint, be it Judge Judy, or Ivanka, or someone who is committed to overturning Roe, can sail through a GOP senate with 51 members.
Schumer would be wise to think of the long game here.
To paraphrase the Tom Hagen
This is business. It's not personal
Garland was business
Gorsuch is business
You can't make this personal, Chuck.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- TheLagerLad
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Re: Dems struggle to stir up energetic opposition to Gorsuch
Come to think of it, after re-reading what Schumer actually said was that Gorsuch is going to need to get 60 votes in Cloture to get a full up and down vote in the Senate. He is urging his Dem colleagues to not vote against the filibuster, but I could see eight senators peeling off and voting for cloture and then against Gorsuch in the final vote.
You have to think Sens McCaskill (MO), Donnelly (IN), Manchin (WV), Tester (MT) are four red state senators up for election in 2018 that almost have to vote for cloture.
So maybe Schumer is trying to placate the base, but will allow Dems to to what's best for their own political futures.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump