Letter to the Editor / SCOTUS: The Need For Compromise
ROGER C. KOSTMAYER
No one wants, nor should want, Senate Majority Leader McConnell to invoke the “nuclear option” that would change the rules for approving Supreme Court justices. Doing so would change the requirement for approval from 60 votes, and some bipartisan support, to a simple majority of 51. A simple majority means more divisiveness, more extreme candidates, less cooperation and compromise with the minority party, and increased politicization of the Supreme Court. Clearly, this would be bad for our nation, for democracy and for both parties. Catastrophically, the Senate would become more like the dysfunctional House.
How, then, can we get off this self-destructive collision course? No one seems capable of stepping forward and offering to compromise for the good of all. “Winners” usually have the responsibility to offer their hand first, and a magnanimous gesture should produce a response in kind. It’s a very long shot in these difficult times, but there is a scenario that would avoid the train wreck, correct the proper order, and earn the flailing President some respect for protecting the historic Senate.
If the President acknowledged that both parties share the blame and that he would resubmit President Obama’s nominee, Judge Garland, who was denied the Constitutionally required “advise and consent” evaluation process – meetings and hearings to evaluate his qualifications and a vote requiring 60 yes votes. If Garland failed to get 60 votes, the President and Congressional leaders from both parties would then submit a nominee who could.
The country and the government could then move forward with a sense that the ship of state was righted, and a degree of tradition and fair play had been restored.
Roger C. Kostmayer
[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]
“Nobody wants~!?”
On the contrary.
When the left colludes to impede a perfectly ligitimate and suitable candidate for sheer political gain, I’d say it’s time to use the left’s ‘nuclear option.’
You make your bed and you sleep in it.
Hypocrites all~!
The distain I have now for the Left was never realized until they started to cry for lost power and liberal handouts. The battle between working Republicans and Freeloading Democrats will escalate until a civil war occurs or both come to the realization that neither is the best for America. Merge and forget greed and the power ladder! We are being conquered from within as Stalin ordered.
Isn\’t it odd that the Republicans refused to even give Obama\’s nominee a hearing while ignoring their constitutional duty to appoint a Supreme Court Justice. Now they whine when the shoe is on the other foot. I Didn\’t see Democrats attempting to change the law then while Republicans flaunted the finger. Wahhhh. On the other hand, it\’s business as usual in Congress, \”us against them\” without regard for the country and working Americans.