The news that Scalia was dead was just minutes old when Mitch McConnel stated the next president should pick his successor. The rationale is a precedent when a Supreme Court justice dies, a lame duck president should leave it to his successor. The problem with that rational is that letting 11 months go without a successor would be inexcusable imo. Whatever decisions the current court would make would only apply to those jurisdictions the appellate court has made the decisions and would probably have to be litigated again. There is a short list of compromise judges that Obama could advance.
So the thinking among the GOP it's better to have a President Rubio/Bush make the decision than a President Obama. The flip side? A President Clinton or Sanders could put forward a nomination a true liberal. Especially if the Senate flips again. So it's a risky gamble for the GOP.
This is a mallet the Democrats to bludgeon the GOP with. Here's an example of GOP intransigence. What's going to be done with it?
__________________
Into terror!, Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell
So the thinking among the GOP it's better to have a President Rubio/Bush make the decision than a President Obama. The flip side? A President Clinton or Sanders could put forward a nomination a true liberal. Especially if the Senate flips again. So it's a risky gamble for the GOP.
This is a mallet the Democrats to bludgeon the GOP with. Here's an example of GOP intransigence. What's going to be done with it?
__________________
Into terror!, Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell