Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took his Supreme Court obstruction road show to the air this weekend, explaining on Fox News Sunday that there is no way, ever, that he will allow a vote on Merrick Garland. His overlords just won't allow it.
WALLACE: So, final question—just to make it clear—you're saying no consider—no consideration of Judge Garland by this Congress even if Hillary Clinton wins the election? No consideration by this Congress? You're going to stand firm on that even in a lame duck session?
MCCONNELL: Yes. I can't imagine that a Republican majority in the United States Senate would want to confirm in a lame duck session a nominee opposed by the National Rifle Association, the National Federation of Independent Business that represents small businesses that have never taken a position on the Supreme Court appointment before. They're opposed to this guy.
I can't imagine that a Republican majority Senate, even if it were assumed to be a minority, would want to confirm a judge that would most court dramatically to the left. That's not going to happen. [emphasis added]
So apparently the constitution needs to be amended to allow for the advice and consent of the NRA to the president on Supreme Court nominees, and no nominee that the NRA doesn't agree to will get a confirmation as long as McConnell is around. It's not about "letting the people decide" and it's not about filling a vacancy in the last year of a president's term, not that those are legitimate excuses for refusing to do his job. It's about answering to the NRA and keeping a justice with a less expansive view of the Second Amendment off of the court.
Which is just one more reason why incoming Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has to be ready to use the full nuclear option to reform the filibuster. If the next Democratic president—elected by the people—is going to be allowed to do his or her constitutional duty, McConnell and his band of extremists can't be allowed to stand in the way.
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