Letters to the editor: McConnell and the court

Check your McFacts

It is hard to read Sen. Mitch McConnell’s op-eds without picturing the writer as a young aide so eager to please by finding an “outrage”, so set on getting his brownie points, and so confident of his own superiority that he totally underestimates our ability to read and think for ourselves.

“History provides a clear precedent” for not appointing a Supreme Court justice, says McConnell.

No such thing. There is no precedent clear or otherwise. Pundits and polls cannot even agree on the definition of “election year.” Is it from November of the previous year, or the year of the election?

The norm in the past several decades followed the Thurmond Rule, a vague policy that addresses election year appointments; however, there is no agreement on the time span.

What seems to be meant as the clincher in McConnell’s argument is Sen. Chuck Schumer’s proposition that appointments should not be made within 18 months of an election. This was a statement, not a resolution and certainly not official. Do two wrongs suddenly make a right?

Many of us believe what McConnell says. Others of us always check the facts.

Let Obama do his job

As Americans and voters, we are deeply disappointed in the reaction to the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death. Only a few hours after his passing became public and even before the body was cold, Sen. Mitch McConnell and many Republican senators were already refusing to even consider President Barack Obama’s eventual nominee.

Republicans are spreading misinformation about the history of Supreme Court nominations during election years. In fact, the Senate confirmed Justice Anthony Kennedy in 1988, President Ronald Reagan’s last year in office and an election year.

McConnell’s posturing on Scalia’s replacement is irresponsible and unprecedented in the modern era. The Constitution clearly states that the president nominates justices and the Senate provides advice and consent. There’s nothing in there about election years, and certainly nothing about waiting to fill a vacancy in the hopes that your party takes back the White House first. Obama was elected by a plurality of five million votes and he has almost a year left in his term. McConnell should get out of the way, let Obama do his job, then McConnell should do his.

Stubborn old man

Sen. Mitch McConnell: First, a Republican. Second, an American. And (who knows when?) a Kentuckian. This stubborn old man needs to change his priorities and give serious consideration to the nomination that the thoughtful and articulate President Barack Obama puts forward to replace the late Antonin Scalia.

If McConnell does manage to keep his promise to hold the Supreme Court to eight justices, with the multitude of problems that would create, he might not be as happy with the nominations of either President Clinton or President Sanders.

Remember, McConnell always keeps his promises: his number one priority was to make sure Obama was a one-term president.

Same old sad song

It is a very sad situation in our country when the Senate majority leader declares that there will not be a new Supreme Court justice until 2017. Washington has devolved to middle-school mentality with cliques and “mean girls.” The people of this nation are completely fed up with the juvenile behavior and lack of cooperation between the parties. The situation in Congress is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s song “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.”

“We are amazed but not amused by all the things you say you’ll do. Though much concerned but not involved with decisions made by you. But we are sick and tired hearing your song telling us how you are gonna change right from wrong. ‘Cause if you really want to hear our views, you haven’t done nothin’.”

Nominating and approving a Supreme Court justice in the next 10 months seems reasonable to maintain the continuity of the court per the Constitution and to protect the rights of citizens. Should the public expect anything different? Doubtful, since you haven’t done nothing.

Dysfuction junction

Let’s add to the dysfunction in Washington. Using Mitch McConnell’s logic that since Obama is a “lame duck” president he should not fulfill his constitutional duty to nominate a Supreme Court justice to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, then the same holds true for the 34 senators who are up for reelection in 2016 of whom 24 are Republican, and all U.S.House members. Somehow or other I can’t imagine the framers of the Constitution imagined that officials in their last year of service could not do any of the duties that they were elected to perform. Talk about twisting the originalism of the Constitution. I’m sure Scalia is spinning in his coffin.

History lesson

Mitch McConnell needs a history lesson on the Supreme Court appointee nominations and his own voting record. On Feb. 3, 1988, McConnell and the entire GOP senate voted 97-0 to approve Justice Anthony Kennedy. This was in President Ronald Reagan’s last year in office. McConnell shouldn't be able to have it both ways. His job is to work for the American people and he is not doing his job.

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor: McConnell and the court."