The goal now has to be to defeat Trump in a landslide or at least decisively. Despite what happens with the court it would be huge setback for Republicans to lose the Presidency and the Senate in a realigning election. Alito and Thomas are not that young so they could retire within the next ten or so years, so it is important to pick up Senate seats and lay the ground work for maintaining the presidency just in case those seats become vacant. This is a long game and Democrats have to learn how to play it.

6 hours ago, Juliajms said:

This was on CNN's blog. Not sure I trust them to stick to it:

 

Here is a list of four Republicans senators who have said they will oppose a vote before the election:

1. Maine Sen. Susan Collins told the New York Times, “I think that’s too close, I really do."
2. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in September said, "Fair is fair," and she would not vote to replace RBG before the election."
3. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in October 2018 said, "If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump's term, and the primary process has started, we'll wait to the next election. And I've got a pretty good chance of being the Judiciary [Chairman]. Hold the tape." 
4. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said in July he would follow the Biden rule, "I'm just following what was established by the Biden Rule in 1986 and then emphasized by him in 1992... They set the pattern. I didn't set the pattern. But it was very legitimate that you can't have one rule for Democratic presidents and another rule for Republican presidents."

 

Grassley and Graham definitely will not. 

5 hours ago, Khan said:

Even if Biden were to win and the Democrats were to take back the Senate, I really doubt they will move to expand the SC.

 

Face it: a Biden/Democrats victory now means zilch to the nation.

 

I agree they won't expand the Supreme Court. I don't think they will have that power - frankly, I don't even believe Democrats will win the Senate, as their polling has regressed and as always bad choices have been made (like people dumping too much money on a weak candidate just because she's running against Mitch McConnell) - and even if they did, they wouldn't pull the trigger.

 

I don't agree that a victory would mean zilch. There are a lot of other problems we're facing and while I don't believe Biden can stop most of them, we are now at bare minimum level. Trump and those with him will eviscerate every last shred of this country. We may all be dead soon whatever happens, but there is no "may" if Trump gets 4 more years. I don't even say that to be hyperbolic at this point. We will be, or what will happen will be worse than death. 

 

I wish we lived in a country that did not put so much priority on the Supreme Court. I hope that this means the dream has finally ended and those in charge will make other, tougher, long overdue choices that should have been made a long time ago. 

 

I didn't think RBG would make it, as much as I hoped she would. I am so numb to what is happening and to what is to come. Everything just gets worse, and will continue to get worse, with little likelihood of change for the better. All we have left now is that tiny fragment of possibility, if we can grab it before it's fully gone. 

 

If this is what some needed to stop the weird fetishization of public officials and to start focusing more on policy and on the realities facing us, then that will be the one good thing to come out of this loss, and out of America being such a desiccated, likely beyond repair country.

I also do not think they will change the number of Supreme Court justices even if they can. I think Biden would be very opposed to it (even RBG was against it).  I personally believe that something should be done to make up for Merrick Garland but that is just wishful thinking.   I also read that 4 out of 5 of the conservative justices were picked by Presidents who did not win the popular vote which is infuriating.
 

If the Dems do win the Senate and I think they have a reasonable chance, I’ve seen discussions of adding Washington DC and Puerto Rico as states - which would give the Dems 4 more Senators.  I’ve seen the most discussion on the nuclear option which makes me nervous but they should probably do it if they can.

 

A victory would still mean a lot - not only would Trump be gone but so would Barr, DeVos, Kushner, DeJoy, Stephen Miller, etc etc - all of the evil incompetents.

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Darcy

Just wondering - if the Dems do win back the Senate and Biden wins the presidency, could there be a investigation launched into Kavanaugh’s elevation to the Supreme Court? Or was his Senate confirmation hearing the only chance people had?

11 minutes ago, OzFrog said:

Just wondering - if the Dems do win back the Senate and Biden wins the presidency, could there be a investigation launched into Kavanaugh’s elevation to the Supreme Court? Or was his Senate confirmation hearing the only chance people had?

 

There could be, but it would be costly and time-consuming and I don't think they would have the stomach for it. 

30 minutes ago, Darcy said:

I also do not think they will change the number of Supreme Court justices even if they can. I think Biden would be very opposed to it (even RBG was against it).  I personally believe that something should be done to make up for Merrick Garland but that is just wishful thinking.   I also read that 4 out of 5 of the conservative justices were picked by Presidents who did not win the popular vote which is infuriating.
 

If the Dems do win the Senate and I think they have a reasonable chance, I’ve seen discussions of adding Washington DC and Puerto Rico as states - which would give the Dems 4 more Senators.  I’ve seen the most discussion on the nuclear option which makes me nervous but they should probably do it if they can.

 

A victory would still mean a lot - not only would Trump be gone but so would Barr, DeVos, Kushner, DeJoy, Stephen Miller, etc etc - all of the evil incompetents.

 

I've seen a number of people say Puerto Rico would probably have one or even two Republican senators, but I guess Republicans aren't willing to take the risk. If Democrats ever get power back, unlikely as that seems, I hope they will be as ruthless. If Schumer ever goes that may happen.

 

Something else to provide a moment of respite. Although I didn't watch the town hall, I read a lot about this particular exchange and was curious about the woman who asked the question. A follow-up:

Ellesia Blaque, a voter who confronted President Trump on health care during a town hall, says she “broke down" and cried afterward “because he did not address the question at all.”

She was an undecided voter but now says she supports the Biden-Harris ticket. pic.twitter.com/ycxbQwPeta

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) September 16, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

  

On 9/17/2020 at 7:34 AM, Khan said:

I'm really sick of (white) people equating lockdowns with slavery.

THIS.

Here's a shock. 😠😠😠😠😠

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/09/19/politics/trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-vacant-seat-fill/index.html