james_davis_nicoll | Antonin Scalia, U.S. Supreme Court justice, dead at 79

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Antonin Scalia, U.S. Supreme Court justice, dead at 79

Crossposts: http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/5563799.html

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From:

sean o'hara (from livejournal.com)

He has no judicial experience or even a law degree, which makes him even less experienced than Harriet Meiers, whose nomination was laughed out of the Senate by Republicans and Democrats alike. Coates would have no chance at confirmation, and rightly so because appointing someone solely for their views and not experience is precisely what the confirmation process is supposed to stop.

Right now the smart money seems to be pooling on Sri Srinivasan -- he's a moderate who was approved to the DC Circuit by unanimous vote, making it likely that the more principled Republicans in the Senate would break with the hardliners on the issue.

From:

graydon saunders (from livejournal.com)

If there's a serious chance of getting someone passed, absolutely.

If the republicans wouldn't pass Moses returned in glory and Harvard Law tenure, it might be time to go a bit political on them.

From:

w. dow rieder (from livejournal.com)

The best way to get political about it is to put forward a choice that, if rejected, makes it very clear that they are refusing to do their job as senators--then draw attention to this during the campaign. There are Senate elections this fall, too.

From:

nathan helfinstine (from livejournal.com)

The fact that Sri was approved unanimously is a political point. Republican senators could expect their next re-election campaigns to feature accusations of flip-flopping for voting to approve the guy in 2013 and then shit-talking him in 2016.

From:

goljerp

Also, Sri Srinivasan would add some diversity to the Supreme Court -- he is from India (moved to the US as a young child) so would be first Indian-American on the court. His law degree is not from Harvard or Yale -- which is probably a plus as well.

making it likely that the more principled Republicans in the Senate would break with the hardliners on the issue.

I'm not holding my breath on that, though...