Meme & Quote Thread
- Thread starter sturg33
- Start date
I don't really see the Garland situation as a failure for anybody on the left. McConnell and company pulled out some truly special ****ery and as such were rewarded with a new Scalia.
Lol
They did what their constituents wanted, what they had the rightful ability to do, and exactly what the Democrats would have done if the shoe was on the other foot.
But let's blame Republicans for having the majority, let's not blame the Democrats for losing it, and, while we're at it, let's play master bitter-ender about the whole thing insofar as it extends to the absurd and entirely unfounded claim that Trump isn't allowed a piece of the Scalia Jr. appointment juju.
Losing the 2014 mid-terms was a failure for the left, as was the 2016 election. The Republicans refusing to do something that every other Congress has done when the situation presented itself is not a failure for the left.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
Come on Hawk, no matter what you or I think of Gorsuch or Garland, surely you have to admit that the way McConnell and his pals handled that whole situation was bull**** and against what the Constitution says.
Err, no.
Unconstitutional? Egads, no. You are gonna have to lay that out.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
I didn't actually say "Unconstitutional" I said "against the Constitution", ie it may not actually be illegal/unconstitutional but it certainly was chicken ****ty to say the very least. And don't you think when the Dems regain power, and we all know they will sooner or later, they'll take this example of "I don't have to obey the Constitution, I just have to do what I think my voters want done" and run with it like Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics? What will you say then? Oh well, I guess they're just obeying THEIR voters? The Constitution is supposed to be the supreme law of the land and not just an overall suggestion.
The only "egads" I see here is how often a very good and very smart person can do a really good Fred Astaire impression when it benefits his party or his guy.
Jaw
It's OVER 5,000!
I think it was just a product of the current political brinksmanship environment. Tip O'Neill and Reagan managed to work together, Gingrich and Clinton managed to work together. Somewhere around Pelosi and GWB that came to an end in the HoR and the Senate has been quick to follow. McConnell and crew had been shut out for too long by the Obama/Jarrett team and decided to go all in on the first decent hand they were dealt. It wasn't likeable, but shouldn't have surprised anyone. This idea that Obama was a victim here is pretty hard to stomach after the way he handled the Obamacare and ARRA fiascos, not to mention how hard left he went with the two previous SC nominees.
First of all, I supported Garland - and that's well documented - so let's just dispose of the partisan gesticulations with regard to this because they're moot.
So you believe the Republicans refusing to take up Garland's nomination was against the spirit of the Constitution (which - to be clear - is different than "obeying" the Constitution, which you allude to one sentence later). Ok. What I'm interested in here are references to statutes and clauses that might substantiate that particular claim.
I believe that the Constitution protected the Republican course of action. But let's compare notes.
And, I guess we'll just gloss over Obama willfully choosing to nominate a justice during an election year, after voting had begun, for the second time in history, fully knowing what the Republicans would do. That, to me, is more "chicken ****ty" than this supposed Republican Constitutional infraction.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
Let's just say that as much as I disagreed with many of Obama's policies, the way McConnell, Cruz, Ryan, etc., behaved during his presidency is even harder for me to stomach. Do you really think Obama started the "shutting out" of the Repubs? They said from day 1 they were going to obstruct every single day and on every single thing, regardless of whether it was good or bad for the nation. Have you forgotten that? Remember their uber condescending tone of "the President is supposed to consult Congress..." Those words are that bad but I recall the tone and what it really meant.
You're right about previous presidents and previous Congresses working together even though they didn't really like each other. IMO Pelosi and Reid are idiots and losers and both the Dem party and the nation would be way better off it they would just pack their stuff and go home, or pretty much anywhere other than Washington. Oh and they should definitely take Hilldog when they do so. Several times in our history have immature chicken **** Senators (including Joe Biden) mentioned/threatened to just "not go according to what the Constitution said, but instead play partisan ahole politics and just not give the SCOTUS nominee a hearing, but in the end they all backed off that childish BS stance. Not McConnell though, he wore it like a crown of honor.
If you want to play "one-ups-man-ship" and "anything goes as long as my party has the votes" then fine but that isn't what the Constitution called for and Repubs most assuredly shouldn't bitch when they lose either/both the White House and/or control of Congress. But we all know how short Repubs' memories are about their own bad behavior. How many times have you read here on this very forum how honest and honorable and totally non-partisan, non-racist, only interested in the public good they were during Obama's 8 years. I guess that's the thing about Kool-Aid, it seems to be fat soluble so it takes a LONG time to get flushed from one's system after its ingestion.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
Even though your political sentiments and affiliations are obvious, you've always stood out as being above the partisan Kool-Aid fog, but to be honest, since Trump has been elected and aholes like McConnell , Cruz, and Ryan have been playing their games I just don't know anymore. I realize politics is about "winning" above all things, but you know what, it shouldn't be. Doing the right thing and doing the partisan thing are often not the same thing. It's OK though, I absolutely support your rights to feel, believe, and support whatever course of political games you want. I just thought you were a little more constructionalist or old school regarding the Constitution and the ideals and intentions of the founding fathers. Oh well, live and learn.
Jaw
It's OVER 5,000!
I wasn't disagreeing with you OH. Just saying 'Yeah, it sucks, they're all like that now.' There was a time when the Senate acted a bit more like grown ups than the HoR did. I think McCain and Graham, as much as I disagree with them both, were big advocates of that. I also recall Obama shutting McCain down in a televised Obamacare meeting when McCain questioned some flaw in the plan. Obama basically told him the election was over and to shut up. In typical McCain fashion, he did.
I agree with you that we would all be better off if McConnell, Reid, Pelosi all went home. I think Schumer and Ryan would actually try to do things the right way. I also think they are in a time and a place where they would fail, be overthrown, or both. DC is a cesspit.