Finally some fighting partisanship out of Obama.
WASHINGTON — President Obama will soon accelerate his efforts to put a lasting imprint on the country’s judiciary by simultaneously nominating three judges to an important federal court, a move that is certain to unleash fierce Republican opposition and could rekindle a broader partisan struggle over Senate rules.
This is the best news out of Obama in a long time. Does anyone doubt if the roles were reversed that Senate Republicans would have ended the Democratic ability to filibuster long ago? Or that they will do so the minute they have the Senate majority and a Dem minority in the Senate tries to filibuster a Republican president?
The result of the next midterms is unknown, but the Dems could lose the Senate. If that happens, Obama will lose any ability to put reasonable judges on any court. His last opportunity to have an impact on the courts could be now, before the next midterms.
For decades, Republican Presidents have had no compunction whatsoever about packing the courts with troglodytes. (Scalia? Thomas? Anyone?) Dems, by comparison, have been characterisically timid... appointing moderates over liberals, to the point that moderates on the Supreme Court are now mistakenly described in the mainstream media as liberals.
Is it too much to hope that the Dems now will show some spine and will use the leverage they've got to appoint some more moderates -- assuming it's wishful thinking to hope for any real liberals?
Here's to hoping!