aNewDomain — Antonin Scalia’s death at the end of a long and productive life leaves a chair open on the Supreme Court bench. The pundits are all over it. Scalia was “colorful” and “patriotic,” and everyone is careful to say so. He took care of the rule of law, yadda yadda yadda. And then, on to the drama left to the living: how to fill his empty seat.
The Republicans have made it clear already they won’t approve anyone Obama nominates. And Obama has made it clear it is his duty to nominate someone. Because whoever he nominates can look forward to being stuck in delays until the end of Obama’s term, Obama might as well make a statement.
The person must first be qualified but not attached to getting anything done. Committee is no place for a judge to write briefs.
He or she should also be patient — and used to an obstructionist house and senate.
The ideal candidate should have broadly liberal policies, too. No sense putting up someone centrist or right who might have a chance of getting approved but then gum up the works by being non-partisan.
Yeah, I have the perfect candidate in mind right now. He’s a constitutional scholar who studied in Chicago. Someone who has watched Congress sit on their hands for the last eight years, someone who Congress has personally sued.
Yes, U.S. President Barack Obama should self-nominate for the Supreme Court.
I know it’s totally futile. But that’s my point really. I’m sure the guy just wants to retire and get actual work done in the vein of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and nothing guarantees a lot of free time like waiting for the legislative branch to confirm a Democratic nomination.
For aNewDomain, I’m Jason Dias.
