U.S. Supreme Court: Post-Nino Edition

bonus: i'm not sure Trump really understands the filibuster, meaning that actually watch it play out is going to drive him absolutely (more) insane. totally expecting tweetstorms every day.

he sees it as an obstacle to getting what he wants so it obviously must be destroyed

Chait's analysis is correct

xp

Seriously. Fuck the GOP. They set the precedent, that's going to be how it is whether the Dems want it or not, so just embrace the cold civil war nihilism.

yea this is all such a bummer. my initial reaction to gorsuch was "oh wow he didn't appoint his own bag of shit lawyer michael cohen or some judge who wants to abolish the judicial branch, that's a win" but i can't really even think about this whole thing w/o feeling infuriated. mcconnell's "proudest moment." hypocrisy from the GOP right now is on another level. btw obama was kind of pussy about this last year, it was major major mistake not to push harder for garland

McConnell, a Senate colleague of Obama, understood Obama was an institutionalist. He knew his man.

And the Dems should know Trump is a chaos-fostering authoritarian demagogue, and that this will not get better.

the hrc pragmato-centrist lawyers i know are already well on the side of letting this one go in favor of 'the real fight' later

Seriously, ask them, what does that even mean when the GOP can just end the filibuster at any moment, and would?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C3meQP6UoAABGqb.jpg:small

yes, also i am dying to know what hrc pragmato-centrist lawyers think is more "real" than the supreme court, and whether they talked about it like that during the last couple of presidential election cycles.

well one campaigns in prose and governs in gibberish

Yam just said he would say "Mitch, go nuclear" if filibustered

blow, winds

I'm sure McConnell relishes looking like Trump's lapdog. What else can we goad Trump into saying he would command Mitch to do

lapturtle

heh

It's legal to marry your lapturtle these days, doncha know.

https://twitter.com/domjoly/status/826888856108675072

Trump posture part Nixon, part Penguin.

the arm-yanking thing is so weird

Gorsuch all "don't touch me"

Gorsuch recoiled the way they do in the movies after they prod the Blob and it doesn't give them their hand back.

the arm-yanking thing

it's basic bully. you demonstrate your strength and dominance, but also your unpredictability. it says "don't EVER cross me; I own you".

yea it's a dominance thing

https://twitter.com/willmenaker/status/826836172458569731

I hope the "Notorious RGB" crowd realizes how fucking dumb it was of her not to retire when she had the chance

kind of agree

in 2008?

hmm no wait 2010-2012 would've been the safest time I guess

ah I was right the first time

breyer too tbh

get off the fucking court when you're that old and have the chance

even in 2013 would've been better

this is sorta pedantic/semantic but the thing that rubs me the wrong way about the Notorious RBG thing is that um Biggie died young, dude was not exactly a "survivor" (also his music sucked but that's a personal opinion I know most don't share)

The tragedy was Scalia not dying a year sooner tbh. Hell, at this point it'd be better if he were still alive since then he might have a chance of dying at a more opportune moment. Obv Mitch & Co. are the real evildoers here, but still.

this is sorta pedantic/semantic but the thing that rubs me the wrong way about the Notorious RBG thing is that um Biggie died young, dude was not exactly a "survivor" (also his music sucked but that's a personal opinion I know most don't share)

― Οὖτις, Thursday, February 2, 2017

but her opinions just hypnotize me!

He's a worm..

That could have been predicted based solely on a cursory glance at his political allies.

dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres

Josh Marshall, engaging in one of his 3 a.m. ruminations:

No judge with integrity can look kindly on what we've seen from President Trump. So I take his remarks at face value. This afternoon many observers said that this was also good politics for Gorsuch and his nomination. While I agree with that judgment as far as it goes, the logic assumes a President who is in control of his emotions and faculties. Neither of which are the case.

Remember, we know President Trump very well by now. He has just gifted Gorsuch the opportunity which is the ultimate prize in any elite judicial career. The idea that Gorsuch would now pass a negative judgment on Trump and his behavior as President can only strike him as a betrayal. Almost any other President would be able to prioritize his interests over his ego and give Gorsuch the room he needs. Trump will almost certainly not be able to.

I even think it is possible that before this is over Trump will be asking his aides whether it is possible for him to withdraw Gorsuch's nomination even if he still seems certain to be confirmed. Likely? No. Possible? Absolutely. It would be a wildly self-destructive act. But we know Trump. Ego and affirmation are everything. Betrayal and humiliation can never be allowed to stand.

Likely? No. Possible? Absolutely.

every Josh Marshall post ever

tyvm

It would be a delicious gift to Democrats if T. withdrew the nomination over this. Adds to the "DJT is a whiny babyman who cannot stand to be criticized even slightly etc."

However all I'm seeing from the right is Scott Adamsesque "you are being played, masterfully, by a masterful master of playing you."

Gorsuch was going to be confirmed even if he flopped completely with the Dems, and seemed utterly incompetent - DeVos did. So if he's trying to play nth dimensional chess about it, he's showing weakness. This is in no way a win for the right.

Tom of, what's the deal with border agents and social media passwords?

Donald J. Trump
‏@realDonaldTrump
Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?

Gorsuch, of course, has confirmed what Blumenthal said. And he will definitely be asked about it at his confirmation hearing now. Nth dimensional tic-tac-toe.

Or Gorsuch's communications person has confirmed the comments. Nevertheless. Trump is an idiot.

fwiw i've spoken to several british people who've entered the country since the inauguration. none of them were asked for passwords. there is a form on the ESTA that asks for social media usernames (including github?!), but it's listed as "optional" and it was there before the election.

good morning

Canadian woman denied entry to U.S. after Muslim prayers found on her phone

dammit wrong thread, sorry

https://scotusmemes.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/scalia2.gif

(major lie)