You’d Do It for the Gipper

It is now official: conservative Republicans have no desire to govern our country.  They only want to accumulate power and keep it.  Granted, many Democrats harbor the same ambitions, but I don’t recall any of them choosing to paralyze a full one-third of the federal government to achieve their goal.

This latest opportunity at recalcitrance happened last weekend when Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died at the age of 79.  His death wasn’t totally unforeseen; after all, he was an elderly man with health issues.   His death created a vacancy in America’s highest court and immediately the wheels of the Constitution were set in motion to choose his successor and ensure that the judicial branch of our government would transition smoothly for the court’s newest member.

OH, WAIT!   THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN!

Moments after Scalia’s death was announced, Republican leaders pulled the wheels out from under the Constitution, and stated their intentions to block any nominee President Obama named to replace Scalia. God Almighty, the body wasn’t even cold yet!   They maintain that the American people should have a larger say in who gets picked.  Therefore, they reason/conspire, the nominee and confirmation process should be postponed until after the Presidential election when Obama’s successor is chosen.

In other words, after seven years, the conservatives have still not warmed up to the legitimacy of Obama’s presidency.

The Constitution is very clear on what should happen next.   It allows that the president nominates a justice and the Senate weighs the nominee’s qualifications and consent to the presidents pick.  It does not allow for any procedural postponement when the president is not judged to be legitimate by the party in control of the legislative branch.

Unfortunately, there are a few things the conservative Republicans are forgetting about this whole business of smooth transition of government. I can understand how Republicans are weary of allowing Obama to make another liberal pick for the court, but let’s face it; 2016 is not going to be the best year for conservative Republicans.

First of all, your two leading contenders for your party’s presidential nomination (Trump and Cruz) are acting like two bullies in the elementary schoolyard.  These two should be thrown out of politics until they grow up!  I also realize that your pickings beyond these two are slim to none.  Now Scalia dies and your whole world is upended.

I know, conservative Republicans, it sucks to be you this year.

In this particular case, the vacancy was caused by an act of god.   This is the same God (I suppose) which the evangelical wing of the Republican Party worships and holds their elected officials beholden.  This is the same God (they believe) that tells them grown females are not smart enough to decide what they can and can’t do with their bodies, that same sex couples should not be allowed to be served wedding cakes, and everyone should be allowed to use their firearms wherever and whenever they choose.

The conservatives in Congress should also remember that the next President (whoever is elected in November) may get to nominate at least one, perhaps more, justices during their tenure.  They may have plenty of chances to stack the court in their favor (if a Republican wins) during those years.  So they should be patient and not be greedy now.

Oh yeah, like that’s going to happen!

Conservative Republicans have also forgotten who hired them in the first place.  We, the American people, are your employers!   We hired you to run and manage our government. We the American voter chose you to represent us - all of us.   We, the American taxpayer, pay your salaries and now you’re refusing to do your job?  This is insubordination!

It is prudent to remember what happened the last time a Supreme Court vacancy happened in the last year of a president’s term.  This would have been Ronald Reagan’s final year (1988); which was then as now an election year.  At that time, Reagan advised that the nominee should be confirmed with all expediency for the good of the country.  The Democrats had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the chamber for the final vote.

OH WAIT!  THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN!

The Senate confirmed Justice Kennedy 97-0, and nobody gave a damn who was in the Oval Office.

Come on, guys!   Do it for the Gipper!

(Thank you for reading.  Here’s to the Constitution!)