It is getting intense, though that is hardly Nancy Pelosi’s fault.
The Republicans have proven themselves to be unworthy of any trust or even normal order. Any ridiculous sense of hope that the GOP might have a sense of shame went out the door when on the evening that American giant Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, Mitch “Moscow” McConnell was already telling the American people that, unlike the last appointment, Americans would not have a say on this particular justice. Because McConnell, that’s why.
Democrats are generally the ones that bend over backward to adhere to the respectful etiquette to which we aspire. And thank god for it because we’ll never get back to that world, one where Americans work with each other and respect each other, if one party doesn’t continue to set an example. Ninety-percent of the time, the Democrats did the right thing by maintaining their dignity and not going as low as the GOP.
We’re beyond that now.
Nancy Pelosi says that she is willing to use every arrow in her quiver to block this nomination and appointment. How could the House block a nomination process that is confined to the Senate? Glad you asked. According to NBC News [1]:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Sunday would not rule out impeaching President Donald Trump or Attorney General William Barr if the Senate seeks to push through a Supreme Court nomination [2] during the lame-duck session should Joe Biden win the November election.
You might say, “But they’ve been there and done that and the Senate doesn’t even hold real trials.” Yes, true, but Pelosi isn’t trying to get Trump or Barr removed from office. She would be attempting to stall. The Senate must put off all business to handle an impeachment.
Let me break this down for you.
During a impeachment by senate rules all confirmations take a back seat during impeachment.
So if Nancy introduces articles of impeachment there is no vote for confirmation.
— Ford RIP RBG ♥️♥️ (@FordJohnathan5) September 20, 2020 [3]
Pelosi went on to say:
“Well, we have our options,” Pelosi said. “We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now, but the fact is we have a big challenge in our country. This president has threatened to not even accept the results of the election with statements that he and his henchmen have made.”
Would it work?
Hard to tell. Some of it would depend upon the mood of the American people. If Americans had just elected Joe Biden, especially by a wide margin, the public might fully support the impeachment of Barr or Trump (or both) in order to both punish them and to delay any possible confirmation vote.
Of course, it is just as likely that the GOP moves to confirm this new justice prior to the election to have her ready to rule in Trump’s favor in destroying the ACA on November 10th, and be there to vote for Trump in any election case.
We know the GOP would do the impeachment and even though we don’t generally measure ourselves against the GOP – for good reason – it might be sufficient, or at least different, this time. A hopelessly unbalanced Supreme Court for the next 30 years is on the line, so is healthcare, so are women’s rights, so is Trump’s “rule” for all we know.
It may happen.
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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom