The exact statement is as follows: “The American people‎ should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.” As Leon Wolf noted here, this is entirely consistent with Senator McConnell’s previous statement that there would be no last-year judicial nominations for Barack Obama; and I agree with Leon that Barack Obama will do something smart like nominate a judge that was far to the right of what he and his base would consider acceptable.  So at the moment we can expect a brawl.

Let’s establish something here, right now: Sen. McConnell is legally permitted to be indifferent to every shrieking liberal agitator who wants to throw a tantrum over waiting a year.  From Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution:

He [The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President proposes, the Senate disposes.  If the will of the Senate is that all nominations are to be tossed into the trash unread, that is the Senate’s prerogative. If somebody tells you that the Senate is somehow not allowed to do this because liberals are having a tantrum of whatever theory they’re expanding, gently point out that they are, in point of fact, liberals having a tantrum.  You may even offer them a bottle of milk and a blankey, if you think that they’ll help.

That’s ‘can’ taken care of. Should Mitch McConnell do thi :interrupting myself: Of course Mitch McConnell should do this!  Barack Obama acted like a spoiled king for seven years, and in fact still acts like one; the Democrats have only themselves to blame for that.  As ye sow; so shall ye reap.  Perhaps the Democrats should contemplate this, the next time they’re in a position to run roughshod over the opposition. Or not! Either works for me.  Because my well of goodwill on this is dry.

And that should be the end of that.  Well, one other thing: remind me again how many Republican Senators are up for re-election this year? …That many?  Huh.  Be a real shame if they all managed to infuriate the base enough to stay home, wouldn’t it*?

Moe Lane

*The Democrats only think that they can make a similar threat.  And may they continue to think it.