With Judge Gorsuch assuming his rightful place on the Supreme Court, the Democrats can no longer hold America hostage
1
Well done - and Trump will get at least one, or even two more picks over the next eight years.
2
John Roberts will be relieve - now his DREDSCOTUS can lumber to life again and get on with task of turning the US into one vast, corporate slave plantation for black, white, brown and yellow alike...
2
Neil before the koch brothers...
2
It's a credit to our nation that the Supreme Court can withstand a whole year of Democrat subversion and attacks and still install a brilliant mind like Judge Gorsuch
1
Democratic subversion, yes indeed. It is amazing how alternative truths have confused the minds of so many.
1
First of all, why are these events termed as victories and losses? These are not sports events. The media promotes divisiveness doing so. Secondly, Trump hasno moral compass and does not care about what Gorsuch stands for. Trump is a salesman and all he cares about is selling something, someone, or himself.
3
It is ironic that Democrats deemed Gorsuch "too conservative" to replace Scalia when Scalia was confirmed 98-0.
How does the swearing -in of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice not warrant some mention on the front page of the NYTimes? Perhaps because the newspaper did not endorse the nominee? As a lifelong reader of the Times and defendant of its often accused liberal bias, I would have to agree with the conservative critics who will note this page A 19 article placement.
4
It's Trump Derangement Syndrome. The level of disrespect shown is unprecedented and unpatriotic
2
What a great day for America! For a whole year the Democrats have endangered the Court and democracy, first by making an illegitimate nomination in violation of the Biden Doctrine and then with unprecedented, unprincipled, baseless opposition to a great man like Mr. Gorsuch
4
Shameful that NYT has a photo of Trump instead of Gorsuch at the top of this article.
3
The seat is "stolen"? Democrats are such woeful hypocrites. They conveniently ignore the Biden Rule (where Joe Biden and Democrats called on the Senate not to appoint a Supreme Court nominee during an election year and stated he would delay hearings on a nominee until after the election), years of Senate tradition and Harry Reid's filibuster folly. Elections have consequences.
Congratulations to Judge Gorsuch - and Mitch McConnell.
Congratulations to Judge Gorsuch - and Mitch McConnell.
5
Thank you for reminding us of the history of the Biden Doctrine. The Democrats loved the Biden Doctrine when he imposed it on the nation without a vote in 1992, but as soon as Biden took a job working for a Black man the Democrats suddenly disavowed the Biden Doctrine, along with Biden himself. The nomination was traditionally his as Obama's VP, but the Party selected, not elected, Hillary
3
A dark day for justice.
3
The United Airlines fiasco, and this appointment draw eerie parallels.
2
The legacy of Ttump is growing. It is his Court. now. The republican plan to block Garland worked perfectly!
1
That Gorsuch would have even considered accepting a stolen Supreme Court seat offered by a stolen presidency shows that Gorsuch lacks the ethical integrity and respect for the law needed by a Supreme Court Justice.
1
The tyrannical Republican majority are hellbent on changing the political landscape to favor the rich and powerful. Greed and zealotry will prevail.
2
I blame the Democrats for the fact that Merrick Garland isn't sitting on the Supreme Court right now. True, Obama fulfilled his constitutional duty by formally nominating Merrick Garland as the next Supreme Court Justice. But that was as far as it went. The Republicans promptly regrouped and refused to give Garland the time of day because they knew their 5-4 majority on the Court was at stake. So they decided to ride out the election and let fate decide the outcome. During that agonizing year long wait Obama was no where to be found. He didn't bother fighting for his man to at least have his day in front of a Senate confirmation committee. And where were the other Democratic Senators? Why wasn't Harry Reid demanding that Mitch McConnell at least meet with Garland? Sadly both sides adopted a siege mentality and the result is that Neil Gorsuch is now a Supreme Court judge instead of Merrick Garland.
Want to know what Merrick Garland did as Neil Gorsuch was being sworn in to the Supreme Court?. He got up and went to work just like always.
Want to know what Merrick Garland did as Neil Gorsuch was being sworn in to the Supreme Court?. He got up and went to work just like always.
1
Who would pick the next Supreme Court Justice wasn't left to "fate", it was left to the American People, and we chose Trump!!
3
Every time I hear of someone who breaks down on a desolate highway and nearly freezes to death I'll remember a milestone case in Judicial Prudence by one Neal Gorsuch, knowing that if it comes down to me, my family, or the corporation, old Neal the Federalist will not be on my side. Brrr..., he gives me the chills.
DD
Manhattan
DD
Manhattan
2
Difficult indeed. Not easy to hide plagiarism, so make it public and ignore it. Making America great one nomine at a time. From Kindergarten to PhD no school can anymore claim a code of ethics, since the student has the "extreme" argument: One of the Supreme Court Justices has plagiarized and was confirmed by Congress.
1
Joe Biden is on the Supreme Court?
The GOP has confirmed the legitimacy of the Court. Because the selection of Garland was made in violation of the Biden Doctrine, Garland would have been an illegitimate Justice sitting in a stolen seat. By enforcing the Biden Doctrine and the Will of the People, the GOP has protected the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and the judiciary.
4
There is no legitimacy in the massive fraud of unequal protection of law that has been exploited to install your monster in the White House.
There is no such rule as the "Biden doctrine." This was invented on the spot by Mitch McConnell, who used old clips of Joe Biden completely unrelated to any election to craft a fake "rule." Sorry you fell for it.
Explain how the will of The People is carried out when a President is elected by an Electoral College mathematical formula counting some votes 3X more than the votes of others? Explain how the will of The People is carried out by a rogue GOP that outright ignores the SCOTUS nom of a President actually ELECTED by The People? The GOP cares not a whit about all America. They care about placating their base and unjustly accumulating power. The minority dictating to the majority. Didn't work out too well in South Africa. Didn't work out too well in any nation that has tried to keep the will of the people down throughout history.
Thank you, Obama, Schumer and Harry Reid for killing the filibuster and ensuring that all five future Trump Supreme Court nominees are summarily confirmed.
3
Only five!
This situation was created by Mitch McConnell and the senate Republicans, not by any Democrats. You're defending the indefensible.
Gorsuch is sworn in, taking up the McConnell Seat of Shame on the court. While it may turn out that Justice Gorsuch will be a "fair and balanced" justice, his presence on the court will forever be noted as the result of the seditious intervention of Mitch McConnell. An equally fine potential justice, Merrick Garland, was denied even a hearing by McConnell, purely as a political gamble, a long shot that won, insuring McConnell a shameful spot in the history of the Senate and the nation. Gorsuch's biggest challenge now is to rise above this tainted beginning, to live up to his stolen position, which he won't do by decisions rewarding the political gambit which put him on the Court will not do. McConnell meanwhile should resign the Senate in disgrace, except he's a Republican and so cares for nothing above his party, not the Senate nor the Constitution.
1
When Trump is impeached, I expect nothing less than Gorsuch being pulled from the bench like a United Airlines passenger. As Trump obtained his seat through colluding with Russia, his SCOTUS nominee is tainted and not a legitimate selection.
If he proves an impartial justice I wish him the best, but if not that sentiment is reserved for our citizenry.
1
Another victory for America, freedom and democracy now that the Democrats are denied their illegitimate legislating from the bench because they are in the minority and can't win elections
7
Democrats won the last election by four million votes. Republican gerrymandering played a huge role in the 2016 election theft, but not as much as Trump's collusion with Russian oligarchs to cheat the election.
Democrats are in the minority only by Republican gerrymandering and colluding with Russia to win a presidential election. We shall overcome.
Sad Day for the Highest Court. Reprehensible behavior from the Senate and the Republicans. Reducing the Supreme Court to a footnote in it's History.
5
An appeal to Neil- please do the right thing if you love and care for our great nation. Compassionate conservatism can benefit us all. Please do not become the lapdog of the special interest group whose only goal is to destroy the basic foundation of our nation. You have two choice- one is to not follow law and just serve the crooks and the other is to live with dignity. Choice is yours. You are a brilliant judge and use your intellect to serve the people. You will be able to sleep at night!
3
Smarmy smile. Not true to his word.
No word,
SUPREME court justice
Not of the Peace.
My poem today
No word,
SUPREME court justice
Not of the Peace.
My poem today
As President Obama was fond of saying, elections have consequences. Fortunately the republicans won this election, and the consequence of that victory is that Neil Gorsuch gets to be a Supreme Court Justice. Democrats need to quit gnashing their teeth and tearing out their hair and accept that simple reality.
5
The seat was stolen. Republicans are running the Senate as if they believe they'll have the majority forever. That will not be the case, and Republicans will then have ample opportunity to regret their actions.
8
The Democrats refuse to accept the election results!!!!! Unheard of!
2
Please outline how a political party can garner over four million votes more than the opposing party but still be denied their election victory.
1
Thanks Hillary. Thanks Democratic National Committee. Thanks Huma. And thanks to Carlos Danger or whatever your name is. Thanks for 30 years of a trump Supreme Court. Oh and thanks Obama for nominating justices nearing 60, whereas Republicans put in men in their 40s. Democrats are truly fools.
7
"men?"
I think you mean pawns.
I think you mean pawns.
1
Congratulations to Judge Gorsuch. He will be a fine addition to the court.
7
This makes me more angry than almost anything that has happened in politics lately, and that's saying a lot. Gorsuch is not in his position legitimately. That he would accept the nomination and then the conformation based on flouting standard operating procedures gives me zero confidence that he will preside objectively.
8
From now on, the right to abortion will be the no. 1 issue in each and every State legislative
race, in every State.
race, in every State.
The shameless legal thief!
7
One down, let's hope Trump gets another one!
3
Our country continues to sink into the very swamp that Trump said he wanted to drain.
He is so delusional and in love with himself, that he is blind to what he's doing and causing to happen.
Ignorance and stupidity put him in office, and ignorance and stupidity will keep him in office.
His incompetence and sloth is legion. He appoints like minded sycophants and yes men that are too stupid to know any difference and are blinded by greed and selfishness.
If this travesty continues, this country deserves this aberration and ignorant man. The people have no one to blame but themselves if he is allowed to continue in office.
This country is so much better than Donald Trump and what he stands for.
He is so delusional and in love with himself, that he is blind to what he's doing and causing to happen.
Ignorance and stupidity put him in office, and ignorance and stupidity will keep him in office.
His incompetence and sloth is legion. He appoints like minded sycophants and yes men that are too stupid to know any difference and are blinded by greed and selfishness.
If this travesty continues, this country deserves this aberration and ignorant man. The people have no one to blame but themselves if he is allowed to continue in office.
This country is so much better than Donald Trump and what he stands for.
6
"We The People" Did Not Vote for him. Do not want him, Did not elect him.
1
Another white guy, raised Catholic and with an Ivy League education and elitist jobs.
4
Vilifying a person simply because he is white?
4
Gorsuch is tainted "for life" as the one who accepted a stolen Supreme Court seat for political reasons and, worse, as a Trump appointed justice with the shameful association it represents - this alone should force him to recuse himself from all court decisions.
Denying Obama's nominee the consideration he deserved, this too helped Trump win the Electoral College as it encouraged more diehard conservative voters to turnout; complimenting Russian assistance, FBI assistance, GOP voter suppression, etc.
If Democrats should get a majority in 2018, they should come up with their own justice nominee rule should Trump nominate another candidate: Only a President who wins the Popular Vote (like Obama did) should get their Supreme Justice nominee considered. After all, how can a POTUS who loses the popular vote possibly claim a mandate on such a consequential choice?
Denying Obama's nominee the consideration he deserved, this too helped Trump win the Electoral College as it encouraged more diehard conservative voters to turnout; complimenting Russian assistance, FBI assistance, GOP voter suppression, etc.
If Democrats should get a majority in 2018, they should come up with their own justice nominee rule should Trump nominate another candidate: Only a President who wins the Popular Vote (like Obama did) should get their Supreme Justice nominee considered. After all, how can a POTUS who loses the popular vote possibly claim a mandate on such a consequential choice?
7
The person who is responsible for upholding the constitution is placed in his position by a monumental abuse of the constitutional process for nominating supreme court justices. You cannot expect anyone who excepts such a nomination to have any real respect for the constitution and to administer the law in good faith. It's a watershed day in America and people are hardly paying attention. Sad.
7
Faithful servant of Koch Bros. and Trump.
He will interpret the Constitution according to Scalia---more bumpy ride to the Right...
He will interpret the Constitution according to Scalia---more bumpy ride to the Right...
6
"He showcased a rare domestic victory". He also won the election. How's that for a domestic victory? It seems no one at the NYT is capable of accepting reality.
7
DJT was elected president, not dictator. If he does something deserving criticism he should be criticized. Moreover people may vote because of one issue that moves them, without endorsing a whole package of other things. I doubt the working men who voted for more jobs would like being fired because they took action to save their own life - something apparently AOK with Justice Gorsuch.
3
How desperate! Has he no shame? Over 200 years of tradition and legislature was broken to push him through and he is okay with it. He will go down in history as part of the conspiracy that broke America.
3
The Biden Doctrine is not 200 years old. It was imposed by Biden in 1992, without a vote
This not getting the majority vote has become a bit of a theme with this presidency. Trump, DeVos now Gorsuch, who next?
3
Our nation is an oligarchy. As such, it comes as no surprise that Gorsuch was swept onto the SCOTUS with "lightening" speed once Trump took office. What was the rush? Anybody that pays attention knows why. Government of the Corporations, By the Corporations and For the Corporations....and the rest of us can just drop dead.
16
The wife looks so proud that so-called justice Gorsuch beat out a Democrat for the seat. Disgusting. Expect lots of 5-4 decisions in upcoming terms. The Supreme Court is clearly made up of partisans.
12
Apparently Gorsuch has no respect for the court or the constitution. A careerist. A sad day for the USA.
14
The theft is completed. Democrats will not forget.
15
State to state law is what ultimately will thrive and become the defacto way of ajudication. We all know where Mr. Gorsuch's sympathies lie; he adored Scalia. Enough said. The sooner the states can take the judiaary back from the Supreme Court, the better. Texas will have half brained gun toters roaming the state; California will have clean air, good schools and very smart people. I'll just fly over the midwest and the south and find the "circles of light" that have been predicted for decades. Mr. Gorsuch does not have the vision he needs to give us a better future. BluEXIT
9
The Democrats having been making a lot of tactical errors. First there was Harry Reid's bright idea of normalizing the nuclear option. Then there's the pointless and inappropriate filibuster of an eminently qualified judge, setting up the Republicans to not only appoint Gorsuch but also to weaken the minority party by using the nuclear option themselves. This sequence of events may have played well with the Democratic base, but to independents it made the Democrats look weak, reactionary, and foolish.
6
So "the nuclear" option would not have been employed the next time around?
The problem isn't "weak" Democrats or even "strong" Republicans. The problem is a failure of government to find real, honest solutions that might require legitimate compromise. Both sides' idea of compromise is doing it "their way".
We don't need a "parliamentary rule". What we need is a selection of appointees that both sides would be willing to genuinely accept because they are right for America. Everything else is noise.
The problem isn't "weak" Democrats or even "strong" Republicans. The problem is a failure of government to find real, honest solutions that might require legitimate compromise. Both sides' idea of compromise is doing it "their way".
We don't need a "parliamentary rule". What we need is a selection of appointees that both sides would be willing to genuinely accept because they are right for America. Everything else is noise.
2
What has the filibuster achieved, exactly? Besides making it harder to hlock extremists down the line.
1
as a Canadian looking at the process if I am right from now on whoever is president appoints the judge and he or she becomes judge without any discussion or debate.
3
Only if the Senate is of the same party.
1
A sad day for America and the world. Have they no decency?
7
Nope. Not a shred.
2
Have the Republicans no decency? They undid regulations last week for clean air and water that go back to a time when rivers caught on fire. No. They are the party of no decency.
4
Congratulations Associate Justice Gorsuch. May you serve on the Supreme Court for many a year. Godspeed.
11
Great day for America. Gorsuch is a class act and a worthy replacement for Alito.
9
Are you joking, TL?
I do agree that Alito should be replaced though.
I do agree that Alito should be replaced though.
3
Guaranteed that every case that wasn't decided in a conservative vein will not be appealed to the Supreme Court that includes Gorsuch*. Texas voter id, just found to be unconstitutional, will be appealed as will every decision that is not adequately conservative leaning. So much for the constitution!
7
I am staunch a Democrat. But I was quite disappointed in their efforts to block Neil Grsuch's confirmation. It can only poison the well. Gorsuch is no more conservative than Obama nominees for being liberal/progressive. After strongly protesting for not allowing a vote on Erick Garland, they should have let Gursuch to be confirmed with or without their votes.
Next time if the nominee is just marginally qualified, then fight to the end, win or lose. Elections have consequences.
Next time if the nominee is just marginally qualified, then fight to the end, win or lose. Elections have consequences.
8
As a lifelong republican gorsuch accepting the nomination in the face of clear obstructionism by his own party taints the integrity of the entire court.
Every single decision he writes will be suspect which will undermine the integrity of the court.
Gorsuch is a disgrace to the very Constitution he swore to uphold.
A disgrace.
Every single decision he writes will be suspect which will undermine the integrity of the court.
Gorsuch is a disgrace to the very Constitution he swore to uphold.
A disgrace.
3
But, you weren't disappointed on how republicans deny hearing from Judge Garland? Right?
1
Adannia, I was more than disappointed for Garland not getting a vote. I was angry at the Republicans.
1
The rule of law is about fairness, about no person being above the law, about due process, about administering justice according to coherent and time-tested principles. The political gall and then the "we won, get over it" attitude that put this superficially competent but illegitimate judge on the Supreme Court is a stark example of the steady erosion of the rule of law in the U.S. And folks, the rule of law is a hard thing to rebuild once you've destroyed it.
14
Absolutely a great contribution.
1
Congratulations, Judge Gorsuch. You are now the latest justice for all the Republicans and a fearful few Senate Democrats.
I have to wonder what you will remember of your confirmation hearing when you write your memoirs. Will it be that you skillfully evaded a steady stream of questions from the Democratic side and that you did it, it seems to me, without 'breaking a sweat,' too.
From my distance, I think what should be remembered from those hours you sat before the Judiciary Committee and fielded soft balls with humor and harder ones with an assurance bordering on smugness is how meaningless the whole charade was.
Between the flattery of your Republican sponsors and the ineptitude of the Democrats bent on exposing your ideology or your bias, the hearing could likely be the last one wherein any Senator will try to make the proceeding into something instructive or consequential.
Good luck, nevertheless.
I have to wonder what you will remember of your confirmation hearing when you write your memoirs. Will it be that you skillfully evaded a steady stream of questions from the Democratic side and that you did it, it seems to me, without 'breaking a sweat,' too.
From my distance, I think what should be remembered from those hours you sat before the Judiciary Committee and fielded soft balls with humor and harder ones with an assurance bordering on smugness is how meaningless the whole charade was.
Between the flattery of your Republican sponsors and the ineptitude of the Democrats bent on exposing your ideology or your bias, the hearing could likely be the last one wherein any Senator will try to make the proceeding into something instructive or consequential.
Good luck, nevertheless.
3
That was such a sham!.... the so-called president patting himself on the back for getting the theft accomplished within the first 1oo days while McConnell was thanking his lucky stars for his coup.... What a foul bunch they are.
Are we now bound by law to live by laws decided by an illegitimate court?
Are we now bound by law to live by laws decided by an illegitimate court?
14
Now we have Thomas and Gorsuch. Two people who ought never to have been placed on the Supreme Court.
11
"I will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the Constitution and laws of this great nation,” he said.
THAT is how a JUDGE acts. When he cites authority for his propositions of law, presumably it won't be Ta Nahisi Coates, the legal scholar to whom the self-professed "wise Latina" turned for authority.
The problem we face as a country is that the left believes that only a politicized judiciary, which inevitably arrives at leftist results, is acceptable. The right, on the other hand, just wants judges, who will read the law as it is, not as they wish it to be.
With some luck, DT will name 2-3 more "conservative" justices, who consider themselves bound by "the Constitution and laws of this great nation", replacing the likes of RBG, who considers herself bound by nothing except her personal whim as to good policy.
If Gorsuch arrives at "conservative" results, it will be because that's what the law requires. Unlike RBG, who inevitably arrives at leftist results, because that's the policy she politically prefers.
God willing, we can drive a stake through the "living, breathing" doctrine and return the courts to being anonymous arbiters of the law rather than leftist solons imposing leftist policies on an unwilling populace, simply because they can.
THAT is how a JUDGE acts. When he cites authority for his propositions of law, presumably it won't be Ta Nahisi Coates, the legal scholar to whom the self-professed "wise Latina" turned for authority.
The problem we face as a country is that the left believes that only a politicized judiciary, which inevitably arrives at leftist results, is acceptable. The right, on the other hand, just wants judges, who will read the law as it is, not as they wish it to be.
With some luck, DT will name 2-3 more "conservative" justices, who consider themselves bound by "the Constitution and laws of this great nation", replacing the likes of RBG, who considers herself bound by nothing except her personal whim as to good policy.
If Gorsuch arrives at "conservative" results, it will be because that's what the law requires. Unlike RBG, who inevitably arrives at leftist results, because that's the policy she politically prefers.
God willing, we can drive a stake through the "living, breathing" doctrine and return the courts to being anonymous arbiters of the law rather than leftist solons imposing leftist policies on an unwilling populace, simply because they can.
6
So tired of those on the hard right referring to moderates as "leftists" and anything moderate that Democrats want as "political." Who was it who made the purely political move to keep the SCOTUS seat empty for nearly a year of a duly elected president's administration?
If you want to go back to exactly what the writers of the Constitution were thinking, then there is no such thing as privacy, slavery was a great thing, and an argument could be made that anything to do with computers, cars, organ transplants, and brain death cannot be regulated because the framers didn't say so. I guess that means we can all wiretap each other because the framers didn't write about that either. Can't wait to hear what the framers thought about airline regulations and patents on DNA.
If you want to go back to exactly what the writers of the Constitution were thinking, then there is no such thing as privacy, slavery was a great thing, and an argument could be made that anything to do with computers, cars, organ transplants, and brain death cannot be regulated because the framers didn't say so. I guess that means we can all wiretap each other because the framers didn't write about that either. Can't wait to hear what the framers thought about airline regulations and patents on DNA.
3
The display put on by Trump today at the Gorsuch confirmation ceremony was an embarrassment to all decent jurists everywhere. Justice can henceforth be depicted with a paper bag over her head.
8
Great day for Americans
7
A minority cross section of oligarchs made of of trump friends, the gop and putin insured and were complicit in the selection of gorsuch.
When every department of the US intel community states that Russia influenced our election you have a illegitimate WH and now illegitimate SCOTUS appointment.
This is not a selection of the people's will. Garland vs. gorsuch aside, this pick is mathematically not what the majority of US voters asked for with their votes.
When every department of the US intel community states that Russia influenced our election you have a illegitimate WH and now illegitimate SCOTUS appointment.
This is not a selection of the people's will. Garland vs. gorsuch aside, this pick is mathematically not what the majority of US voters asked for with their votes.
5
Sad day in America, where the turtle twerp (McConnell) gets to hose the opposition party by affirming a substandard lawyer to the Supreme Court. His legal reasoning is pathetic.
6
It's fitting - a President elected with a minority of the votes watching his Supreme Court pick sworn in who couldn't get enough votes to break a Filibuster
10
It's official: this seat was successfully stolen by the Republicans, effectively disenfranchising everyone who voted for Obama in 2012. In the process, they have also ensured that more extreme justices will be nominated and confirmed by both parties. This is a very sad day for our country.
9
This is a stolen seat. Never forget.
10
For those who believe to the winner belong the spoils, look carefully at the History of democracy turned autocracy. The GOP Senate has decided majority rules and will suffer it's consequences soon enough. They have created a path we can never turn back. If your nominee cannot even achieve the 60 vote threshold, his decisions in SCOTUS are forever tainted. Trump is not a POTUS, he is a selfish person whose every word is about himself. The GOP has decided that following him into to the abyss will make sure their goals of maintaining power will be forever. Nothing is forever and they will regret this move until they all pass away since the generations to follow will only ridicule and mention their names in passing as those who destroyed Democracy and the U.S. of A.
4
That Gorsuch ended up on the SC during Trump's Admin will forever shadow him.
7
I assume he'll become well know as the Nuclear Justice -- Nuclear Justice Gorsuch, or should it be Justice Neil "Nuclear" Gorsuch, whatever.
4
No, because they'll be another one or two during Trump's term!
1
Somehow, I always respected the Supreme Court. Perhaps, it is the robes and the aged members, but I thought that they stood above the rest of us in temperament and judgement. After this appointment, I no longer feel that way. I watched as my rights as a citizen of this country were taken from me when President Obama's choice was not allowed to come to a vote and the current justice accepted a position that was won in the most unseemly way. The court lost all respect. The justices are no more then politicians dressed up in fancy clothes, like the justices other undemocratic countries.
10
We now have a living, breathing pox on the judiciary.
6
Thank you, Harry Reid and Schumer, for pulling the trigger on the "nuclear option". A moderate Supreme Court pick is what this country needs and got. Hopefully, more appointments to come in the future.
8
Own it! You lit this match. Stop blaming the Democrats. He is not a moderate, his views are even more conservative than Scalia.
5
We thought this was just politics but it is war.
4
I want to be open minded about Gorsuch, but I have a bad feeling that he will further blur that sacred line between church and state. I think we have witnessed the horrors that occur when rule of religion rather than rule of law overtakes a country. Hang in there Justice Ginsberg and Justice Kennedy. Our democracy hangs in the balance.
7
Mitch McConnell has played us all. And no one has even thought to question his involvement in the release and timing of Comey's "revelations" during the campaign. It was right when the Democrats were feeling over-confident. He certainly had a lot (if not the most) to lose if the Democrats captured both the White House and the Senate. The Democrats played too nice regarding Garland's nomination and lost. McConnell is playing the cool, hard, long game and is winning. Will he ever be investigated?
12
If he had any balls, he would have required the senate to interview Garland first. I guess what you see is what you get, another republican.
13
This will be one of the two major legacies of Donald Trump. A SCOTUS judge can serve for decades and makes consequential decisions that have huge impact on the society. The other legacy is the fact that the president shows up to work with absolutely no plan or idea on how to address many key issues the country is facing; and he got away by claiming he won't review the plan just to keep the element of surprise.
5
Someday the dems will just add two seats (going to 11) and that will offset the 200 and 2016 R election hijinxs!
3
FDR tried to pack the Court. It never got off the ground....
1
FDR was a looooong time ago...
2
I think it's pretty lame when you have the House, the Senate and the Presidency but you resort to using underhand tactics because you still cannot get enough votes to win. Did anyone even try doing some work for the benefit of democracy before sneaking Gorsuch in through the back door!
9
These fine upstanding republican care nothing for their country, they think only for themselves and their personal enrichment. You are either with them or against them.
9
The Democrats in the Senate miscalculated terribly. Forcing the Republicans to use the "Nuclear Option" when there was no way stop Gorsuch's nomination: damaged the Senate as an institution, assured greater disharmony between the Parties, and gave in the short term President Trump a blank check that he can fill in until the 2018 elections. Hopefully none of the remaining Justices will retire or die before the midterm elections.
3
McConnell was prepared to use the nuclear option any time he wanted to get his way. It would have been sooner or later, but it was clearly inevitable when such a despicable power-drunk zealot leads a Congress full of like-minded toadies.
3
No one forced McConnell to use the nuclear option. Gorsuch wasn't popular enough to get 60 votes. It's happened before, and normally results in a new compromise nominee who is acceptable to at least 60 of the senators. Merrick Garland was Obama's compromise nominee; McConnell denied him even a hearing and a vote.
We do have a 2-party government. Unfortunately the Republicans want a one-party government. That's not going to work.
We do have a 2-party government. Unfortunately the Republicans want a one-party government. That's not going to work.
2
don't forget the asterick after his name, with every printing, due to his complete lack of integrity for taking the seat of merrick garland, for saying absolutely nothing during the confirmation hearings, for allowing the senate's own rule to be tossed in order to get the votes. what a shameful man.
8
If Mr. Gorsuch was truly apolitical, he would have played along till Mr. Trump offered him the nomination officially. Then in his "Acceptance" speech he would have thanked the President for nominating him, but decline it in the interest of depoliticizing the judiciary at the highest level. Firstly, the nomination should have gone to Judge Garland again, and if the Senate did not want to confirm him they should go on the record. Then and only then can another judge morally accept the nomination for the same position. Everything else is the JUDGE joining in the politics of the Senate and the Executive.
Gorsuch came across as a slick poser, and I hope the real man is a better human being than the prepped up poser we saw on TV.
Gorsuch came across as a slick poser, and I hope the real man is a better human being than the prepped up poser we saw on TV.
6
There is the "letter" of the law and the "spirit" of the law when considering the Constitution. So-called "strict constructionists" like Judges Gorsuch and Scalia may have ignored the Spirit of the law and the intentions of the original framers of the Constitution in their literal interpretations of issues not anticipated in the 18th Century. The politics that tainted this appointment will remain with this court for longer than we would like. McConnell and his Republican Senate have destroyed The Senate and the Supreme Court for decades to come.
3
Gorsuch will never be considered a justice equivalent to all the honorable judges that have served or are serving on the court. He did not pass the super majority test like all the others on the Supreme court. He will for ever be marked as a sub-standard Supreme court justice.
5
Do you realize that Justice Gorsuch was endorsed by people on the political left as well as the right?
I am appalled at the way both Reid and McConnell comported themselves over the past two years. Both parties have cast a stain on the American judicial system. Your comments indicate that this is fine by you. Please rethink.
I am appalled at the way both Reid and McConnell comported themselves over the past two years. Both parties have cast a stain on the American judicial system. Your comments indicate that this is fine by you. Please rethink.
4
Did you miss the fact that Merrick Garland was also respected on the right and left? Orrin Hatch even recommended him.
4
Obama tried to appoint Garland in an election year, a violation of Senate tradition and the infamous Biden rule.
No honor, no dignity. In Trump terms: LOSER.
6
All of us need to go stand in front of a mirror and say out loud, "I allowed this to happen." When the Republicans decided to halt the will of the American people we should have shut this country down until they honored our democracy, we all knew the consequences. Let's be honest, we have lost our country because we're lazy. We like the idea of women's rights, a livable climate, and just working conditions but can't be bothered to show up and claim them.
I don't know how we can look ourselves in the eye.
I don't know how we can look ourselves in the eye.
5
Once trump is impeached, can this appointment be voided?
12
"...handing president trump a victory..." this isn't a game. it's not about "winning" or "losing," it's about doing what's best for America and its citizens
7
I call upon all journalists always to write the illegitimate justice's name as "Gorsuch*". Never forget!
6
This Supreme Court Justice is sitting in a stolen seat that Mitch cheated to get for him. It's simply ridiculous to think that Gorsuch will suddenly change and defend our "Federal Constitution", the concept of "Blind Justice" and uphold the "Rule of Law" after flagrantly walking all over all three so casually.
Lying, cheating and stealing is SOP for the GOP.
Lying, cheating and stealing is SOP for the GOP.
15
A disgrace. This sear was literally stolen from President Obama by a cabal of unprincipled, opportunistic Republicans. And shame on the Democrats for letting it happen.
9
A court whose legitimacy was greatly weakened with Bush v Gore, further sullied with Citizens United and Hobby Lobby, has now lost all credibility with the swearing in of Gorsuch. The rule of law has lost all meaning. Say goodbye to American democracy and hello to corporatist oligarchy.
13
Call it neofeudalism. Trump's empire is a hereditary family business.
5
Republicans are traitors to their own country.
10
Tyranny. You hear the right talk about all the time. When they impose it, it's a "victory." If Gorsuch had any sense of justice, he would not have accepted the nomination until Merrick Garland had been given the same opportunity to serve. The U.S. Supreme Court is now just another vehicle for Republican oppression.
14
So many tears from the left on this day! It's quite comical, if it weren't so sad that some on this feed truly believe this was a "stolen" seat.
First of all, the "advice and consent" provision of the Constitution is a restriction on the President's power, not an imposition of a duty on the Senate. It says nothing about the Senate's having a duty to hold hearings, or vote, on any Presidential nominee, whether for the Supreme Court or for any other federal institution. The power to consent is the power to refuse to consent, and for many years no hearings were held, whether the Senate consented or did not consent.
Second, Gorusch's record as a judge demonstrates his to apply the law, regardless if the outcome is one he did not desire. This is a trait we want from our judges. Impartiality. Yet for too many, they see a justice as a means to meet their legislative agenda, whether or not the Constitution permits it.
First of all, the "advice and consent" provision of the Constitution is a restriction on the President's power, not an imposition of a duty on the Senate. It says nothing about the Senate's having a duty to hold hearings, or vote, on any Presidential nominee, whether for the Supreme Court or for any other federal institution. The power to consent is the power to refuse to consent, and for many years no hearings were held, whether the Senate consented or did not consent.
Second, Gorusch's record as a judge demonstrates his to apply the law, regardless if the outcome is one he did not desire. This is a trait we want from our judges. Impartiality. Yet for too many, they see a justice as a means to meet their legislative agenda, whether or not the Constitution permits it.
9
Jay, no tears here. While the "advice and consent" provision is a restriction of the President's power, the Senate Majority leader has a duty to let his members vote up or down, on behalf of the citizens, and not on behalf of his/her party or personal agendas. If it was all about personalities, we will decline as a civilization, as many others before us have. It always has to be about the people, the citizenry. The minute it becomes a squabble between a bunch of rich, old power-mad fools, we are doomed. You may love some of these fools, others might love other fools, but what remains is we have let egocentric fools run our lives and shape our futures.
When America was a growing and prosperous society we had the luxury to indulge the occasional fools, but with our current corrosion of the middle class families, and rising competition from abroad, it is an indulgence we cannot afford anymore.
When America was a growing and prosperous society we had the luxury to indulge the occasional fools, but with our current corrosion of the middle class families, and rising competition from abroad, it is an indulgence we cannot afford anymore.
6
If you think conservatives don't use the court to get what they want, you are mistaken. Shelby County, Citizens United, Hobby Lobby.
5
My only hope, and perhaps that of the country, is the Chief Justice Roberts respects the integrity of the supreme court more then the Republican Party and moves to the middle to protect what ever is left of it.
2
There was a reason for 60 votes, these are momentous decisions. But as the only way the GOP can get the White House this century is via the antiquated Electoral College, no wonder they will do away with a super majority for the Supreme Court.
4
Except for the fact that 60 votes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee exists nowhere but the minds of tyrannical Democrats who want to subvert the Constitution
1
Illegitimate. it is a stolen seat.
I am an independent who did not vote for President Obama either time, but think the Republican behavior is illegal. This is just a raw power play by the "heads I win tails you lose" Republican Party.
Nothing this court says or does will be viewed as anything but political. if Neil Gorsuch was an honorable man he would have refused the nomination.
I am an independent who did not vote for President Obama either time, but think the Republican behavior is illegal. This is just a raw power play by the "heads I win tails you lose" Republican Party.
Nothing this court says or does will be viewed as anything but political. if Neil Gorsuch was an honorable man he would have refused the nomination.
14
Nobody cares if you "think" it was illegal. It either is or it isn't and according to the law it is not.
3
MNX You "think" the law doesn't change?
"According to the law" depends on who is on the Supreme Court.
What you are reading here is fair warning.
All the nobody's you mention who "Don't Care".
"Don't Care" at their own peril.
"According to the law" depends on who is on the Supreme Court.
What you are reading here is fair warning.
All the nobody's you mention who "Don't Care".
"Don't Care" at their own peril.
2
Of course laws change, but at any given time something either is or isn't illegal. At this time, in this place this process was not.
Will Gorsuch be looking for opportunities to constrain individual liberties, to undo law which promotes equal protection for non-conformists and those who do not hold to the same attitudes as some right wing religionists do, and to enable those with greater wealth and power to be given license to trod upon anyone who cannot stop them? No. Gorsuch with be trying to respect the law that is established, and to act as fairly as he can. His personal preferences will enter into his decisions but so subtly that he will fail to perceive them. Only by reviewing the long term consequences of his decisions will those preferences be discernible. His biases will enter into the laws as what he perceives to be normal rather than to be great changes.
1
I hope our newest Justice proves a worthy and dispassionate addition to the Court and not merely a receiver of stolen goods.
5
I see a lot of people who swallowed the Trump kool-aid celebrating. When this judge votes against your interests- as he already has done many times before- are you going to continue to blame liberals or realize that you asked for this?
12
They are so resentful of liberals that they will punish themselves if they believe it will also punish happier people.
8
If he is the deciding vote on a case that overturns Roe v. Wade, they will be ecstatic. If he is the deciding vote on a case that further erodes the Voting Rights Act, they will also be pleased. And if he is the deciding vote on a case that knee-caps public-sector unions, they will applaud loudly.
3
Travesty of justice to have this illegitimate candidate installed. Mitch McConnell is a cheat of the highest order. It is appropriate that this justice installation happened under Donald Trump's watch as it matches his lack of ethics and his administration of corruption, collusion and chaos.
16
What I will never understand is why Justice Gorsuch accepted this appointment from someone who, if he isn't indicted, will go down as the very worst president in history.
12
Justice Roberts, if you are willing you can minimize the consequences of the illegitimate Judge and his vote by doing what is best for our country and the common citizen. Most of us are quite fearful of the seditious path our current extremist government is on......including treason, corruption, nepotism, lack of vetting and a mentally compromised president.
Keep us as safe as you can so we can vote them out in 2018 and 2020, if there is still a country left.
Keep us as safe as you can so we can vote them out in 2018 and 2020, if there is still a country left.
4
Justice Gorsuch's supporters seem to forget that conservative 'originalists' don't have some special back channel to the founders -- they're as subject to caprice and error as other Justices. Some would say rigidity of thought makes them more so.
2
We desperately need term limits on appointments to the SCOTUS. Our Founding Fathers did a fabulous job, but erred in this regard.
Personally, and as a liberal, I don't have a problem with Judge Gorsuch. The Dems should have saved their filibuster for someone far more contentious.
But sitting presidents deserve deference in their appointments. It was wrong to deny this to Obama. But two wrongs are still two wrongs.
Personally, and as a liberal, I don't have a problem with Judge Gorsuch. The Dems should have saved their filibuster for someone far more contentious.
But sitting presidents deserve deference in their appointments. It was wrong to deny this to Obama. But two wrongs are still two wrongs.
2
Who knew in the late 1700s when the U.S. Constitution was ratified that--like the general population--justices of the U.S. Supreme Court would live so long, and serve on the bench well into their 80s. The same can be said of our elected representatives in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. I recall reading that in 1900 the average life span of a man was around 48 years of age. When the Social Security retirement-benefits age was originally set a 65 in the early 1930s you had to be statistically dead to collect such retirement benefits. Now, some people are collecting Social Security retirement benefits for a period nearly as long as their working life. Gorsuch could be on the U.S. Supreme Court past the year 2050 with the medical advancements being made in extending life. If state district court and appeals court judges have to retire around 70, which do we have people on the U.S. Supreme Court making policy nationally at 80? And I say all this as a practicing attorney of 37 years (don't worry, I should be out to pasture in the next year).
3
History will not look on Gorsuch fondly. He is sitting in a stolen seat and a member of the judiciary should have had higher ethical standards then to accept the nomination in the first place.
9
The November coup of 2016 is complete. The accessory after the fact to McConnell's thievery was sworn in today.
I can only suggest that investigative journalism, already under attack, be used to ferret out the statistics by which Gerrymandering thwarted the election of popular representatives, installing republicans in their place.
Mitch McConnell's treasonous refusal to follow the constitution was part of the coup. He made up fake rules to "Rube Goldberg" justifications in order to derail a standard process that has been a hallmark of our Government. This proves his culpability in the coup and reveals his prior knowledge of the treason that installed Trump. With good journalistic techniques the coup can be revealed.
Right now, with Putin's help, our country is in the hands of the worst betrayers of freedom it has ever known.
And so.. Our last hope, the dreaded fear of all despots,.."The Investigative Journalist" must save us before they too are crushed or their life's work drowned by Citizens United. Its obscene amounts of money used to blare endless drone's of propaganda, using the likes of hate radio, Fox news, the Limbaugh's and Alex Jones's to make a twisted growing tangle of strangulation lies which smother the flowers and pure streams of truth. These Psycho's feed the most dangerous, delusional con artist to ever occupy what has now become "The House of Lies" A con artist, not elected but appointed by those most complicit in the coup against America and its people.
I can only suggest that investigative journalism, already under attack, be used to ferret out the statistics by which Gerrymandering thwarted the election of popular representatives, installing republicans in their place.
Mitch McConnell's treasonous refusal to follow the constitution was part of the coup. He made up fake rules to "Rube Goldberg" justifications in order to derail a standard process that has been a hallmark of our Government. This proves his culpability in the coup and reveals his prior knowledge of the treason that installed Trump. With good journalistic techniques the coup can be revealed.
Right now, with Putin's help, our country is in the hands of the worst betrayers of freedom it has ever known.
And so.. Our last hope, the dreaded fear of all despots,.."The Investigative Journalist" must save us before they too are crushed or their life's work drowned by Citizens United. Its obscene amounts of money used to blare endless drone's of propaganda, using the likes of hate radio, Fox news, the Limbaugh's and Alex Jones's to make a twisted growing tangle of strangulation lies which smother the flowers and pure streams of truth. These Psycho's feed the most dangerous, delusional con artist to ever occupy what has now become "The House of Lies" A con artist, not elected but appointed by those most complicit in the coup against America and its people.
6
I think we need to hold anti-McConnell rallies!
6
I am just sick of seeing so many old (I'm talking attitude not age) white men representing the USA dying to go back to an 'Again 'place, that never-never land that never existed.
This country used to be thought of as full of exuberance, the great melting pot, eyes firmly fixed on the future. But now even 'Old Europe' is looking decidedly young and aspirational in comparison.
This country used to be thought of as full of exuberance, the great melting pot, eyes firmly fixed on the future. But now even 'Old Europe' is looking decidedly young and aspirational in comparison.
3
Yes, but I worry about the diversions Trump would trump up just to push them off the front page. Look what he did shoving the Muslim ban out there. Hurting all those travelers in order to get the women's march off the front page.
The women's march and all those photo's proving how unpopular he is, had to go. It was "Worldwide".
Next thing....The Muslim ban was rushed in. The temper baby's excuse for rushing it in ? We couldn't let them know we were going to initiate a ban. They would all try to come here.
Trump's lying has just gotten worse and worse since then.
The women's march and all those photo's proving how unpopular he is, had to go. It was "Worldwide".
Next thing....The Muslim ban was rushed in. The temper baby's excuse for rushing it in ? We couldn't let them know we were going to initiate a ban. They would all try to come here.
Trump's lying has just gotten worse and worse since then.
"handing President Trump a victory in his push to shape the court for decades to come."
Seriously? Mitch McConnell handed this to 45 just like his father handed him his first couple of million or what ever it was... It was stolen from the public, not from President Obama. Anyone that see's this as a "win" only see the end result and reporting it as anything other than a slap in the face to the people of this country is being disingenuous at best. Framing it any other way validates McConnell's false authority to do what he did. It was a theft and a power grab and NOTHING LESS. Please do not continue to normalize an validate this behaviour. Call it for what it is and do a service to the truth and integrity that we need so badly to stop this slide into dictatorship. Vote.
Seriously? Mitch McConnell handed this to 45 just like his father handed him his first couple of million or what ever it was... It was stolen from the public, not from President Obama. Anyone that see's this as a "win" only see the end result and reporting it as anything other than a slap in the face to the people of this country is being disingenuous at best. Framing it any other way validates McConnell's false authority to do what he did. It was a theft and a power grab and NOTHING LESS. Please do not continue to normalize an validate this behaviour. Call it for what it is and do a service to the truth and integrity that we need so badly to stop this slide into dictatorship. Vote.
14
The way we vote is deliberately made futile for most to discourage voting altogether.
4
Discouraged or not, it is the most powerful tool available to us and they have not totally taken it away. If enough right minded people had voted in the last election, the electoral college would have been forced to vote the other way. My cynicism is deep but my hope and faith in the people of this country is greater.
4
Yes, to paraphrase Mark Twain, who said something to the effect that "if voting made any difference, they [the powers that be] wouldn't let us do it."
2
Disgusting. This should have never have happened. I can only hope McConnell loses his seat sooner than later. What a liar, a cheat, a thief.
8
Sadly, this is all the deplorable Trump supporters cared about - getting someone on the Supreme Court to gut Roe v. Wade. An illegal president appointing a right wing justice for a stolen seat.
7
It really is a bad Idea to swear these people in on Bibles. They give their oaths to the God they believe made them, not to the people.
2
Sacred duty of defending our Corporations
and so say Gorsuch and the 45th and all the minions
and so say Gorsuch and the 45th and all the minions
4
It is clear that this court will not protect my values. We have to rely on what Trump and McConnell have not destroyed yet, some state courts.
10
The new schizophederalists have novel ideas about "state's rights" too.
3
Where is the justice in confirming this Justice? The Republicans have staged a coup d'etat over the whole political process. If Justice Gorsuch were an honorable man he would have refused the position, at least until Judge Garland would have had a chance at being heard by the Senate. We have the best government money can buy.And what are we, the People, going to do about it?
8
Trump's respect for the judiciary is exactly proportional to its agreement with his interpretation of the law.
1
I love the school yard whining...Gorsuch stole Garland's seat. Question Dems? How does one steal something that one never had in the first place? Maybe.. just maybe Garland would not have been approved. did you ever think about that. Besides always remember the "Bidin Rule" . It is funny how the intelligentsia of the Democratic Party keeps forgetting that.
8
You choose to denigrate Democrats as 'whining,' and your reasoning illustrates what is currently wrong with today's partisanship. Yes, maybe Garland may not have been approved, that's possible. BUT, you conveniently skip over President Obama's constitutional duty to put forth a candidate for the Supreme Court, who was NOT given a hearing. It's one thing to high-five your side for getting an appointment; it's another to act the patriot when our democracy has clearly been undermined. Let's just say that if Gorsuch was such a 'strict Constitutionalist,' then he would have balked at the Republicans' twisting of the process to deny Garland's seat, and walked at the alteration to Senate rules. Which means that you've been had, as have we all.
13
No Republican! we don't think about whether or not he would have been approved. No need to.
1
Worst is not how politics affects the Court, but how it warps our politics. When people will vote even for Trump just to get an edge at the Court, something is deeply wrong.
4
This is a disgrace. A terrible loss for our democracy that will have dangerous consequences for years, perhaps generations, to come. The hypocrisy of the Republicans and their theft of this seat is a stain on our nation.
12
Remember, this is the person that the Republicans wanted so bad that they destroyed the filibuster.
6
They have 124 more banked empty slots to begin to fill by rubber stamp as soon as they get back from recess.
2
Ummm because the Dems killed the filibuster for lower court judges?
2
They should have killed it after it was abused so much by the Senate GOP, who delivered half of all the filibusters ever used once they got control over the Senate.
Bring on the "so-called Judges" and their travel bans. Expedited docket. 5-4. sorry Ruth.
7
Since 2010, we have endured procrastination, obstruction, belligerence, and obstinance from a Republican party that is essentially destroying our cooperative and beneficial form of government with a history of caring for it's citizens, irregardless of party, and that has bettered our nation in feats of prosperity that made us great long before the Chump claimed he would make it so.
Mr. Gorsuch, I won't call him "Justice", declined to step down from the nomination even in the face of deeply polarizing nation destroying, Congressional conflict. He had his own interests and those of his party in mind and not the nation as a whole.
We are faced with an extremely hostile, gun toting, radical rabble rousing party and I say to people of a mind such as my own, resist wholeheartedly. Destroy the enemies within our government to the full extent possible within the law and when the Democrats are back in power, as they most assuredly will be as a result of this Republican rebellion, squash their power.
I end my remarks by directing this to Mr. Gorsuch; When the time comes that you hold a mans life in your power who is faced with state sanctioned murder, an act of social terror, remember that cops that kill are never executed, therefore, the Death Penalty is not "Equal Justice Under Law". You'll see my point every day, right on the front of your temple.
Mr. Gorsuch, I won't call him "Justice", declined to step down from the nomination even in the face of deeply polarizing nation destroying, Congressional conflict. He had his own interests and those of his party in mind and not the nation as a whole.
We are faced with an extremely hostile, gun toting, radical rabble rousing party and I say to people of a mind such as my own, resist wholeheartedly. Destroy the enemies within our government to the full extent possible within the law and when the Democrats are back in power, as they most assuredly will be as a result of this Republican rebellion, squash their power.
I end my remarks by directing this to Mr. Gorsuch; When the time comes that you hold a mans life in your power who is faced with state sanctioned murder, an act of social terror, remember that cops that kill are never executed, therefore, the Death Penalty is not "Equal Justice Under Law". You'll see my point every day, right on the front of your temple.
5
I, Neil McGill Gorsuch, do solemnly swear to take the stolen Supreme Court seat thanks only to a deplorable rule change by a despicable party, and in so doing hereby agree to affix an asterisk to my name in perpetuity. -- Neil McGill Gorsuch*
3
Neil's first opinion as a justice: deciding that United Airlines was within its rights to physically remove a paying customer from a flight, in order to seat their own employees, who did not have tickets, but needed to board at the last minute.
But at least he'll be sure to add some color commentary, as he did in his hearings: "Granted, I was not in the man's shoes, I don't know how I would have felt. But I empathize with the man, I really, really do."
But at least he'll be sure to add some color commentary, as he did in his hearings: "Granted, I was not in the man's shoes, I don't know how I would have felt. But I empathize with the man, I really, really do."
1
Horrific moment in our history. Profit and billionaire puppeteers before democracy.
May karma reckon with the GOP.
May gorsuch find himself stranded on an isolated icy road with no cell reception and a dead battery.
And may the light will dawn with a perp walk.
May karma reckon with the GOP.
May gorsuch find himself stranded on an isolated icy road with no cell reception and a dead battery.
And may the light will dawn with a perp walk.
4
"handing President Trump a victory"
Thought the Government was supposed to be by the people for the people.
Surely any victories should be for all citizens regardless of party or beliefs or ethnicity or gender or class or ..., not just for one man and a small group of like-minded people !
Thought the Government was supposed to be by the people for the people.
Surely any victories should be for all citizens regardless of party or beliefs or ethnicity or gender or class or ..., not just for one man and a small group of like-minded people !
4
I am continually sharing real life lessons with my children on honesty and integrity. The appointment of gorsuch is a good case study.
The only thing missing is honesty and integrity.
It is sad that the youth of this country need to learn the art of the steal from a Supreme Court justice.
The only thing missing is honesty and integrity.
It is sad that the youth of this country need to learn the art of the steal from a Supreme Court justice.
10
On the same day that a corrupt a McConnell manages to place the illicit fruit of a stolen election into the second branch of government ….on that same day the CEO and division head of America's largest consumer bank , Wells Fargo are ordered to return 27 million to the bank, not the government, (of the 127 million they were paid) for their misdeeds in fleecing their customers. And this combination of events makes it all so clear why no bankers went to prison in this nation that is far more "capitalist" than democratic.
2
Both parties have blood on their hands. Reid invoked the nuclear option for lower court judges knowing full well that what goes around comes around.
McConnell's refusal to even give Judge Garland a hearing was disgraceful.
Both political parties are determined to grotesquely politicize what has been the finest judicial system in the world. For this, they have earned the condemnation of all patriotic, law-abiding Americans.
McConnell's refusal to even give Judge Garland a hearing was disgraceful.
Both political parties are determined to grotesquely politicize what has been the finest judicial system in the world. For this, they have earned the condemnation of all patriotic, law-abiding Americans.
2
Will he leave his personal prejudices aside? Does he know if he has any?
My hope is he will be just regardless of his personal views. No right or left, no conservative or liberal. Only what is right. Will he know what is just and right in this century?
My hope is he will be just regardless of his personal views. No right or left, no conservative or liberal. Only what is right. Will he know what is just and right in this century?
1
This is yet another example of the brutal reality of Republicans in control. The electoral college forced Donald Trump into the presidency. Now Trump and Republicans are forcing their destructive political vision on us all. Even ordinary citizens are taking note of how Republicans rule, as their anti-government ideas gradually result in the eradication of the public good.
As Trump revealed about himself, all he cares about is winning. Life is a competition to him, and his opponents must be subdued, vanquished if necessary, and by any means necessary. That atitude dovetails perfectly with Republicans, who in their ruthless competitiveness simply ignore or evade any laws that get in their way. Or change them to something less obtrusive.
I wonder how Neil Gorsuch feels to know that he has reached the highest echelons of legal practice, not due to his exceptional competence or exemplary achievements, but to the crude machinations of Republicans, who will stop at nothing to impose their concepts on the nation. I wonder how he feels to so obviously be a Republican tool, and to know that his nomination to impartiality is a fraud.
As Trump revealed about himself, all he cares about is winning. Life is a competition to him, and his opponents must be subdued, vanquished if necessary, and by any means necessary. That atitude dovetails perfectly with Republicans, who in their ruthless competitiveness simply ignore or evade any laws that get in their way. Or change them to something less obtrusive.
I wonder how Neil Gorsuch feels to know that he has reached the highest echelons of legal practice, not due to his exceptional competence or exemplary achievements, but to the crude machinations of Republicans, who will stop at nothing to impose their concepts on the nation. I wonder how he feels to so obviously be a Republican tool, and to know that his nomination to impartiality is a fraud.
2
The fact that gorsuch accepted Garlands nomination tells you all you need to know about his integrity.
What will his appointment look and smell like when trump is found to have colluded with Russia?
This should make the 2018 & 2020 elections easy. You are either continuing FOR the people of this country or you will vote for a republican.
What will his appointment look and smell like when trump is found to have colluded with Russia?
This should make the 2018 & 2020 elections easy. You are either continuing FOR the people of this country or you will vote for a republican.
3
This is how Republicans govern. They cheat, lie, and rig. With the help of Russia and that idiot Comey, Trump squeaked in and the U.S. is now firmly in the hands of corporations, the 1%, and religious fanatics. This is going to crush many if not most Republicans as well as Democrats. In my own state, the Trump counties, which is all but the two most populous, are going to be crushed by Trump's budget cuts. They got what they voted for.
4
President Barack Obama was denied his Constitutional mandate to choose a Supreme Court Justice and have his selection, Merrick Garland, either confirmed or rejected. The confirmation of Neil Gorsuch is completely illegitimate.
5
People still assume that Garland would have been confirmed, if only he had been given a hearing.
1
Perhaps Garland would have gotten the same treatment as Judge Robert Bork, but at least he would have had his day before the Senate. That the Republicans denied this on the basis of some absurd idea that the sitting President can't submit a judge for nomination in his last year of office is outrageous enough and only further politicizes the whole process. I hope they apply the same standard in Trump's last year in office too.
4
This is a good day for the nation, and the Court. I'm glad that petty partisanship didn't derail a nominee who in past decades would have easily garnered near unanimous approval. The Democrats overplayed their hand, and brought about the simple majority "nuclear option" path that former Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid had already instituted for all other judicial nominations. That rash political move by the Democrats negates that whole issue for the next nomination. The short-sighted politics of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, forcing the "nuclear option" on a non-controversial nominee like Gorsuch, now makes it far more likely that the Trump Administration will nominate a justice more conservative for Gorsuch for simple majority approval for the next open Court post.
10
I don't believe for one minute that the Republicans would have kept the filibuster for the future. And note that it took over 500 filibusters over 5 years before Reid pulled the trigger. McConnell did it after ONE! And stop pretending that Merrick Garland didn't exist.
7
An honest man or woman would not accept stolen goods--especially a stolen Supreme Court "Justice" seat. Every time Gorsuch writes or collaborates on a decision, it will be tainted
12
One wonders if Gorsuch will feel anything when receipt of stolen property is an issue in a case.
4
Presidents often are charged with protecting our children, the future generations of Americans.
Trump is much more interested in protecting his own children and their offspring, now legitimized by his presidency and slated to become one of the wealthiest families in the world. True that!
The best way to do this is to try and ensure through laws and presidential fiat the gutting of any democratic foundations that might make it more difficult to accumulate and pass on familial wealth; a process now underway.
So Gorsuch and other little steps and alliances are not some part of a well thought out plan for the future of the country, but for the future of this man who somehow found himself president of our great democracy.
In England they say, God Save the Queen!mIn the States it's now; "God Save us all!
Trump is much more interested in protecting his own children and their offspring, now legitimized by his presidency and slated to become one of the wealthiest families in the world. True that!
The best way to do this is to try and ensure through laws and presidential fiat the gutting of any democratic foundations that might make it more difficult to accumulate and pass on familial wealth; a process now underway.
So Gorsuch and other little steps and alliances are not some part of a well thought out plan for the future of the country, but for the future of this man who somehow found himself president of our great democracy.
In England they say, God Save the Queen!mIn the States it's now; "God Save us all!
6
The US began its post WW II slide down the tubes the day Congress decreed it "under God" in an act of legislation and Eisenhower signed off on it.
1
Stolen Seat. The Ghost of Garland will always hang over Gorsuch. And the long shadow of the juridical coup carried out by McConnell and the GOP will not be forgotten.
One of the many fronts in the Republican War on American Democracy (along with gerrymandering, voter suppression, voter intimidation, the various SCOTUS "money talks, one dollar/one vote" rulings, and even their bid for a constitutional convention).
Disgraceful day, a sign of the sickness and corruption of the GOP, not a sign of political health and well-being for our country.
One of the many fronts in the Republican War on American Democracy (along with gerrymandering, voter suppression, voter intimidation, the various SCOTUS "money talks, one dollar/one vote" rulings, and even their bid for a constitutional convention).
Disgraceful day, a sign of the sickness and corruption of the GOP, not a sign of political health and well-being for our country.
12
America's original sin comes home to roost. Salute your new overseers.
3
Gorsuch will be a great asset in the battle to reclaim our democracy and in repealing radical liberal socialist democratic policies.
12
Oh sure! God forbid we held the poor, the elderly and the sick. Make sure we sell off that statue in the harbor. So out of date. Time to go back to the days of robber barons. Only billionaires count.
1
He certainly will be a great asset to corporations and the rich. How that equates to reclaiming our democracy is beyond me.
3
You forcing your religion onto people is not democratic, nor is it free exercise of religion when your targets refuse consent.
4
This is another sad day in our nation's history. When the Democrats take back both houses and the presidency we will need to reduce the supreme court back to its constitutional authority and ignore the supreme court's expected judgement that the congress and president that gave the court its authority cannot take it away.
2
We will need across the board term limits.
Not a whole lot of integrity in office these days.
Not a whole lot of integrity in office these days.
2
The Supreme Court's power to judge the constitutionality of legislation is not written in the Constitution. It was assumed by the Court in the famous Marbury v. Madison ruling of 1803.
In other words, it is just like our power to manage all of the internal processes of our own bodies without government interference.
In other words, it is just like our power to manage all of the internal processes of our own bodies without government interference.
Republicans are such cheaters. What a hollow victory.
14
Yes, Ann. Just like the 3,000,000 illegals who voted for Hillary in California. Cheaters.
2
Hollow doesn't matter to the.
It's the money that matters.
It's the money that matters.
But a victory no less. And an incredibly important one
All must remember that this is a STOLEN Supreme Court seat courtesy of McConnell and his minions. This will come back to haunt the Republicans.
10
This is a glorious day indeed.
The country is back on track to respecting the constitution and the founding fathers vision of limited government.
The country is back on track to respecting the constitution and the founding fathers vision of limited government.
8
And when did this country disrespect the constitution.
And do tell us about the authors of the constitution and their "vision" of "limited" government. I would love to hear that one.
And do tell us about the authors of the constitution and their "vision" of "limited" government. I would love to hear that one.
1
I doubt if a Judge like Gorsuch, who continually ruled in favor of corporations, is "respecting the constitution". "Back on track" to the 1880s.
5
I don't understand why news stories keep calling this a victory for Donald Trump. He had little to do with it -- other than picking a name off of a list that was handed to him. The victory is all Mitch McConnell's, beginning with the undemocratic, unprecedented stonewalling of President Obama's nominee, and ending with the rules change that stopped a filibuster.
7
Sadly, the comments today show that the hysteria over Trump, a president I have never thought much of myself, but is still president, is as strong as it was when he was elected. You don't see the kind of outrage you see here, over a S. Ct. justice who seems to agree with the majority almost every time, when people comment on murderers or terrorist attacks. I get they are unhappy with Garland not getting a hearing. I thought he should have too. But, whether people like it or not, the reason Obama did not make much over it was b/c the majority of the senate was within their rights. They do not have to have a hearing, or consent. If the commenters really want to be mad at anyone, they should be mad at Schumer, Reid and Biden who all stated when it benefited their party, that presidents shouldn't nominate S. Ct. justices in their last year. Partisans hate it when they are hoisted on their own petard and usually handle it by ignoring the hypocrisy. Unfortunately, we have two ideologies that are at "war" with one another and this is how most of them behave on both sides. If you are a partisan, on either side, you really can't complain when the other side retaliates or uses your own positions to support their agenda.
9
Well said David.
Those on here crying should keep their trap shut and complain to those who represent them for changing the rules in 2013 thinking it would never be used against them.
Those on here crying should keep their trap shut and complain to those who represent them for changing the rules in 2013 thinking it would never be used against them.
3
What are you talking about "Obama didn't make much of it"? He spoke about the Republicans stealing the seat for a year.
1
That too, Jason.
On a stolen steam from Judge Garland. I am sure Republicans and Gorsuch will pay for their karmas
4
No matter what the occasion or where it takes place, Trump will manage to be full-face on EVERY photo opportunity! What a deceitful man!!!
4
This makes the nuclear option all worth it, one down, two to go. The Court was on the ballot. Elections have consequences. Kudos to our President. Big win.
9
Its a glorious day today.
Elections have consequences and the chickens have come to roost.
Elections have consequences and the chickens have come to roost.
3
Cheating has consequences.
1
I suppose the one thing I use to comfort myself in the face of all the ugly corruption that is about to flow forth from this man's rulings is that he will always have an asterisk by his name. He'll always be the justice who was appointed to a stolen seat and by a likely illegitimate president. Practically speaking, his decisions will inevitably be terrible for our country and the world, but at least there will be no illusion that he has any business being a Supreme Court justice. His place in history will always be tainted and rightfully so.
11
A sad day for America and the end of our constitutional government. At this point, it's lip service on the way to dictatorship.
7
Gorsuch, the illegitimate justice put in place by the illegitimate president.
15
Of course. Everyone who has different opinions from you is automatically illegitimate. Goes without saying but I will say it anyway.
4
Not his seat = illegitimate.
1
Stolen election. Stolen seat.
Organize Americans and remove them before any more damage is done to this earth, countless lives, this nation, Democracy. Especially since the diplomatic tool, the filibuster, is gone and now they can and will do whatever they want as per their actions not words. Guess they never heard of Marie Antoinette?!
NOT a president. NOT a judge.
Organize Americans and remove them before any more damage is done to this earth, countless lives, this nation, Democracy. Especially since the diplomatic tool, the filibuster, is gone and now they can and will do whatever they want as per their actions not words. Guess they never heard of Marie Antoinette?!
NOT a president. NOT a judge.
2
Oh please! The election was only "stolen" if you think the Electoral College should have been done away with! And if you think that, you should be agitating for its removal instead of whining that somehow Hillary Clinton was due to inherit the Oval Office by some theological decree. She won the popular vote, she lost the electoral college vote. The recounts demanded brought up not one single solitary incident of ballot-box stuffing.
Trump won this election by the rules of the system in place. Change the system and apportion some of the blame on an over-confident Hillary Clinton and blind-sided Democrats who thought the marginalized in places like WV would go on voting for them in perpetuity.
The Democrats colluded in bailing out the banks along with the Republicans, speaking of "democracy". The US Federal Reserve also bailed out banks across the world, including in the EU that spends so much time sneering at the country, to the tune of $14 trillion, while Obama offered to trade off Social Security for seniors for more programs for the poor.
The Federal Reserve hasn't been audited in, what, 60 years? We take whatever they say on trust?
Believe me - Gorsuch is the least of our worries. Wait till no one except internet geeks, doctors, lawyers, and NY TIMES reporters have jobs due to automation and the riots in the streets begin. And the Democrats as well as the Republicans will have contributed to blindly bad stewardship that led to it all.
Trump won this election by the rules of the system in place. Change the system and apportion some of the blame on an over-confident Hillary Clinton and blind-sided Democrats who thought the marginalized in places like WV would go on voting for them in perpetuity.
The Democrats colluded in bailing out the banks along with the Republicans, speaking of "democracy". The US Federal Reserve also bailed out banks across the world, including in the EU that spends so much time sneering at the country, to the tune of $14 trillion, while Obama offered to trade off Social Security for seniors for more programs for the poor.
The Federal Reserve hasn't been audited in, what, 60 years? We take whatever they say on trust?
Believe me - Gorsuch is the least of our worries. Wait till no one except internet geeks, doctors, lawyers, and NY TIMES reporters have jobs due to automation and the riots in the streets begin. And the Democrats as well as the Republicans will have contributed to blindly bad stewardship that led to it all.
4
If he was really a "faithful servant of the Constitution" he would have said something about the seat he took from Merrick Garland. I have no respect for Gorsuch, partially as a result of his lack of respect for a fellow jurist, and dread the result of his seat on the court. And if Trump is impeached or otherwise ousted from office for high crimes, as I desperately hope, then Gorsuch should be required to step down as well -- he is truly the fruit of a poisonous GOP tree.
8
He did not "take" a seat from Merrick Garland: the election took the seat from Merrick Garland, who was not entitled to the seat as some sort of birthright. Gorsuch may be occupying the seat that you had rather be occupied by Merrick Garland, but that is the way politics work. And if the Democrats had won both Houses of Congress and had done the same thing, you would be cheering.
Gorsuch is the "fruit" of decades of ill-considered politics, particularly economic ones, in which both parties colluded, figuring no day of reckoning would ever dawn.
This is "history" being written by the losers.
Gorsuch is the "fruit" of decades of ill-considered politics, particularly economic ones, in which both parties colluded, figuring no day of reckoning would ever dawn.
This is "history" being written by the losers.
We can impeach Gorsuch as an Accessory after the Fact. He took possession of the stolen goods. Then McConnell should be in the docket for treason. The facts and evidence are on record.
Trump?.....A traitor to America.
Trump?.....A traitor to America.
This marks the end of democracy in the United States. Cheaters win. Mitch McConnell and his gang will forever be remembered by history as taking the first step that wrecked the intentions of the nation's founders. We have handed our children a government of chaos for generations to come. It's shameful.
7
To Ruth Bader Ginsburg - I wish you good health and a long life.
Our country has to make it to 1/1/2019, when the Democrats retake the Senate, before there is another open seat. Once in the majority, the democrats in the Senate can simply not hold hearing on any of Trump's nominees until the people vote in 2020. The precedent has been established.
Thief Justice Gorsuch should never be shown the respect owed to a member of the US Supreme Court. He is sitting in a stolen seat - PERIOD.
Our country has to make it to 1/1/2019, when the Democrats retake the Senate, before there is another open seat. Once in the majority, the democrats in the Senate can simply not hold hearing on any of Trump's nominees until the people vote in 2020. The precedent has been established.
Thief Justice Gorsuch should never be shown the respect owed to a member of the US Supreme Court. He is sitting in a stolen seat - PERIOD.
7
Do you often cry yourself to sleep with false lies?
NO seats were stolen.
Get over it.
NO seats were stolen.
Get over it.
2
Senator Mitch McConnell will go down in infamy for saying: "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president." He then refused to give a hearing to President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, trying to nullify President Obama's last year in office. It made me sick to hear him spew the lie that we needed to wait to hear 'the people' speak in the next election. The People had spoken; we elected Obama to two terms. Neil Gorsuch's seat is, and will remain, a stolen seat.
10
I wonder if, being an "originalist" Gorsuch will uphold the United States v. Cruikshank (1876) Supreme Court ruling that "The right to bear arms is not granted by the Constitution; neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence" and limited the applicability of the Second Amendment to the federal government, or the United States v. Miller (1939) Supreme Court ruling that the federal government and the states could limit any weapon types not having a "reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well-regulated militia"
3
Bannon, Pence, and Gorsuch have ideologies that scare me.
Trump has no ideology - which scares me even more.
Trump has no ideology - which scares me even more.
3
It seems it's the Democrats that are 'paying the price' for the elimination of the filibuster(the Reid Rule).
Republicans crowed night and day that "you will regret this" to which Democrats and NYT readers laughed at, ridiculed, and justified based on Republican obstruction.
It seems today.. the shoe is on the other foot, yet it is not the Democrats who are laughing, ridiculing and justifying based on obstruction.
Furthermore... besides Merrick Garland, the Republicans ALWAYS confirm Democrat Supreme Judges... so what exactly do the Republicans risk?
Finally... it is lying to ones self to say that "Merrick Garland's seat was stolen"; as he never did, nor would have, occupied the aforementioned Supreme seat.
Had the Republicans carried-out the hearings, Garland would not have been confirmed.
You folks know this... so why do you continue to lie? Do you fancy yourselves Propagandists? Is it your desire to mislead people for your own political ends?
Sheesh... and you wonder why America doesn't trust you folks and why they voted for Donald Trump.
Signed
Canadian without a dog in this fight
Cheers
Republicans crowed night and day that "you will regret this" to which Democrats and NYT readers laughed at, ridiculed, and justified based on Republican obstruction.
It seems today.. the shoe is on the other foot, yet it is not the Democrats who are laughing, ridiculing and justifying based on obstruction.
Furthermore... besides Merrick Garland, the Republicans ALWAYS confirm Democrat Supreme Judges... so what exactly do the Republicans risk?
Finally... it is lying to ones self to say that "Merrick Garland's seat was stolen"; as he never did, nor would have, occupied the aforementioned Supreme seat.
Had the Republicans carried-out the hearings, Garland would not have been confirmed.
You folks know this... so why do you continue to lie? Do you fancy yourselves Propagandists? Is it your desire to mislead people for your own political ends?
Sheesh... and you wonder why America doesn't trust you folks and why they voted for Donald Trump.
Signed
Canadian without a dog in this fight
Cheers
5
Sadly you are few among here with a voice of reason who puts aside feelings.
But then liberals act on feelings and then wonder why life never goes their way?
But then liberals act on feelings and then wonder why life never goes their way?
2
I guess you get Fox News in Canada. You are pretty ill informed.
nothing to do with news...
so you disagree that the Democrats are paying the price today?
so you disagree that the Democrats are paying the price today?
Happy to see someone not from a coast serve on the Court. Happy to see a Protestant on the Court. Happy to see a conservative on the Court.
5
All of the whiners here that the seat to which Judge Garland was nominated was somehow "stolen" because he was denied a hearing or a vote by the Senate or that Justice Gorsuch is somehow "illegitimate" should take a couple cleansing breaths, get past their emotions and try reading the Constitution.
Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 specifies that the President nominate justices to the Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the advice and consent of the Senate. This was done for Judge Garland, he was nominated by President Obama. However, it places absolutely no requirement on the Senate to take ANY action with those SCOTUS nominees, let alone imposing any sort of time frame. The Senate can confirm, reject or ignore totally at their option and on their own schedule.
While the handling of the Garland nomination may have been partisan and hardball it was completely within the bounds of the Senate's Constitutional authority and hardly unprecedented; nobody stole anything. Over the years 25 SCOTUS nominees have been withdrawn or rejected without so much as a hearing or a vote.
The really unfortunate part is that if President Obama had had any class once it was clear that there was no chance of Judge Garland's confirmation he should have withdrawn the nomination instead of just leaving him twisting in the wind. But he preferred to have the issue than to do what was right for the judge.
Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 specifies that the President nominate justices to the Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the advice and consent of the Senate. This was done for Judge Garland, he was nominated by President Obama. However, it places absolutely no requirement on the Senate to take ANY action with those SCOTUS nominees, let alone imposing any sort of time frame. The Senate can confirm, reject or ignore totally at their option and on their own schedule.
While the handling of the Garland nomination may have been partisan and hardball it was completely within the bounds of the Senate's Constitutional authority and hardly unprecedented; nobody stole anything. Over the years 25 SCOTUS nominees have been withdrawn or rejected without so much as a hearing or a vote.
The really unfortunate part is that if President Obama had had any class once it was clear that there was no chance of Judge Garland's confirmation he should have withdrawn the nomination instead of just leaving him twisting in the wind. But he preferred to have the issue than to do what was right for the judge.
8
Stolen seat. He will forever have an asterisk after his name. Had the Democrats done what the Republicans did with President Obama's very qualified nominee, the Republicans would still be screaming about it. I'm sure Mr. Gorsuch is a very nice man and a qualified jurist, but he is sitting in a stolen seat.
1
So Trump gets done in under 100 days what Obama could not get done in almost a year.
Not only that, when Ginsburg et al call it quits, there will be a quick appointment/confirmation by Republicans in the Senate, with no ability for Schumer et all to through tamper tantrums. I mean, they will throw them, but no one will pay attention.
Not only that, when Ginsburg et al call it quits, there will be a quick appointment/confirmation by Republicans in the Senate, with no ability for Schumer et all to through tamper tantrums. I mean, they will throw them, but no one will pay attention.
3
The comments of the "stolen seat" here reveals how enormously hypocritical progressives are.
The most worrisome fact is that these people hijacked a word "liberalism" and transformed it into their left-wing agenda.
Seat is stolen, trucks are attacking people for some reason (some mechanical problems) and freedom of religion is welcome greatly unless you are Christian. Here you'll receive a lot of hate.
The most worrisome fact is that these people hijacked a word "liberalism" and transformed it into their left-wing agenda.
Seat is stolen, trucks are attacking people for some reason (some mechanical problems) and freedom of religion is welcome greatly unless you are Christian. Here you'll receive a lot of hate.
1
Dark day in American history. Truly unfortunate.
1
Republicans literally high-jacked our government until they got who they wanted as a nominee. Absolutely sickening.
3
With or without Gorsuch, people do not have trust or respect for Supreme Court since Gore v Bush. Then they proved to be dishonest and are biased against ordinary people after verdict given in favor of Citizens United. The Court believes that the government is by the rich and for the rich. McConnell and the Republican senators stole the seat from Merrick Garland shamelessly. Then they broke the tradition of senate. Senate is no more reliable and prestigious institution. We the ordinary people are really unfortunate.
1
Oops! Resubmitting to delete a word you might not want to print.
And away we go! Back to the '50s. If the popular presidential vote -- in 2000 and again in 2016 -- is any indication, and if frequent polls on cultural issues are any indication -- the bulk of Americans are having the self-centered interests of a rebellious conservative minority shoved down our throats. Gorsuch promises to be yet another tool of that anti-social revolution, threatening to reverse all the progress we have made since the smug, Calvinistic days of the dark decade of the '50s. The Republicans and conservatives, in general, might call it crafty politics, but make no mistake, the election of Trump and the dominance of the McConnells and Ryans fly in the face of what most of us want. If you love democracy, you'd better get out there and take it back.
And away we go! Back to the '50s. If the popular presidential vote -- in 2000 and again in 2016 -- is any indication, and if frequent polls on cultural issues are any indication -- the bulk of Americans are having the self-centered interests of a rebellious conservative minority shoved down our throats. Gorsuch promises to be yet another tool of that anti-social revolution, threatening to reverse all the progress we have made since the smug, Calvinistic days of the dark decade of the '50s. The Republicans and conservatives, in general, might call it crafty politics, but make no mistake, the election of Trump and the dominance of the McConnells and Ryans fly in the face of what most of us want. If you love democracy, you'd better get out there and take it back.
2
Amusing to compare The Times' coverage: in the first paragraph today, we are told that Trump "pushes to shape the court for decades to come" and that Gorsuch is a "devoted conservative". In the opening paragraph on Kagan, we were told The Times that her appointment "continues a demographic transformation of the bench," as though impersonal forces were at work. And with Sotomayor, we were told that she merely "became the first Hispanic and the third woman" to serve - with no mention of Obama's effort to shape the court or of Sotomayor's ideological trajectory. This the the "hard news" section of the paper.
4
My feeling is that he will adhere to his PERSONAL BELIEFS on what the words in the Constitution meant when they were written, and not think it is appropriate to relate that to the 21st century.
Me? I am not a big fan of Originalists. Reminds me of those who believe one particular version of the the Bible, having gone through multiple translations in different times, is the absolute truth.
So if we don't do what they believe, we are punished. And I think it comes from many [not all] conservatives and almost all Originalists who basically don't want ANY government that does stuff they don't like or need. Which of course makes it sound like justifiable punishment ~ and almost always relates to" get a [better] job and pay for it yourself"
Me? I am not a big fan of Originalists. Reminds me of those who believe one particular version of the the Bible, having gone through multiple translations in different times, is the absolute truth.
So if we don't do what they believe, we are punished. And I think it comes from many [not all] conservatives and almost all Originalists who basically don't want ANY government that does stuff they don't like or need. Which of course makes it sound like justifiable punishment ~ and almost always relates to" get a [better] job and pay for it yourself"
The Republican Party disgusts me. As a Democrat, I am now more disgusted with my own Democratic party. Democrats have tried to win by playing by the rules and being nice which is something Republicans will never ever do. Republicans will continue to gerrymander, obstruct voting for minorities, and look the other way when other Republicans commit acts such as treason.
Republicans and the rich have used the "rules" against the American people. If a rule doesn't favor the rich and elite, then they make it so. This is why they did not hesitate to invoke the nuclear option in the Senate. This is why they are dragging their feet and stonewalling the Russian investigations.
I must admit that Republicans are vicious and motivated. I can't say that for the Democrats that had everything going for them during this last election. Time to stop playing by the rules and time to stop expecting Republicans will change.
Republicans and the rich have used the "rules" against the American people. If a rule doesn't favor the rich and elite, then they make it so. This is why they did not hesitate to invoke the nuclear option in the Senate. This is why they are dragging their feet and stonewalling the Russian investigations.
I must admit that Republicans are vicious and motivated. I can't say that for the Democrats that had everything going for them during this last election. Time to stop playing by the rules and time to stop expecting Republicans will change.
1
Well, at least we didn't have to hear about pubic hair on coke cans with this Republican nominee.
3
And now we have a certified plagiarist (aka literary thief) as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
Special . . .
Special . . .
3
Another example of fake news. But you had no problem with a VP or a "lion of the senate" who really did plagiarize.
1
Gorsuch proved the fact that he has no integrity, otherwise he wouldn't have stepped over Garland to take the seat that should have been Garland's.
The fact that Garland was never granting a hearing reveals how totally corrupt McConnell and the rest of the Republicans are and what lengths they will go to in order to destroy any semblance of justice or democracy.
The fact that Garland was never granting a hearing reveals how totally corrupt McConnell and the rest of the Republicans are and what lengths they will go to in order to destroy any semblance of justice or democracy.
37
You seem to forget what crazy Joe Biden said years ago on supreme court nominees and then tried to walk them back.
Hurrah for America today!
Hurrah for America today!
Top headline today reports corporate CEO and other execs at Wells Fargo get away with grand larceny and massive fraud with a relative slap on the wrist...
Just under it, we have a dark money funded life-long corporate sympathizer filling a stolen Supreme Court seat...
Ain't America Great Again?
Just under it, we have a dark money funded life-long corporate sympathizer filling a stolen Supreme Court seat...
Ain't America Great Again?
27
The originalists had some interesting beliefs that will get a lot of traction these days from corporatists and rightists: Legalize slavery again, take away the vote from women, plunder the Indians (what remains of them), expand the empire and commerce with help from our military, end all the environmental laws, and only white male landowners can vote.
19
The coup is complete.
The 1% has a firm grip on all three branches of government.
We have government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, and for the oligarchs.
The 1% has a firm grip on all three branches of government.
We have government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, and for the oligarchs.
53
AND the clock, in particular for women, will be turned back 100yrs.
2
Not to mention the religious right.
1
Gerrymandering stole the representatives we Should have had.
Electoral College stole the President we voted for and Should have had.
McConnell stole the Supreme court seat that we voted overwhelmingly for Obama to fill, and we Should have had ! McConnell stole it from Merrick Garland and gave it to an accessory after the fact, The equally guilty of theft, "Gorsuch".
The stink of a Coup fills the air and permeates what was once our Government of the people.
Electoral College stole the President we voted for and Should have had.
McConnell stole the Supreme court seat that we voted overwhelmingly for Obama to fill, and we Should have had ! McConnell stole it from Merrick Garland and gave it to an accessory after the fact, The equally guilty of theft, "Gorsuch".
The stink of a Coup fills the air and permeates what was once our Government of the people.
3
Kudos to Senators Schumer and Reid. Never could have happened without them.
9
Thanks for this rule, Harry Reid. You changed how the next thirty years will look.
1
It matters NONE AT ALL that this guy has impeccable qualifications for the job...so did Justice Garland.
THIS new justice will forever carry the asterisk of illegitimacy. The offspring of the SAME asterisk 45* carries as a result of his collusion with a foreign power to "rig" an American presidential race in his favor!
* = NOT legit
THIS new justice will forever carry the asterisk of illegitimacy. The offspring of the SAME asterisk 45* carries as a result of his collusion with a foreign power to "rig" an American presidential race in his favor!
* = NOT legit
46
*# not legit for every circuit court judge approved via Harry Reid's use of the nuclear option. The Dems started it period. Also Obama knew he had 0 chance of pushing Garlands nomination during last year of presidency. He nominated him anyway for political points which only served the purpose of further dividing our country, so you have Harry Reid to thank for starting this.
4
Justice Neil Scalia-Gorsuch a/k/a Justice Not Merrick Garland a/k/a Justice Mitch's Main Man a/k/a Justice Trump's Clarence Thomas
2
It is a shame there is no hew and cry among the judiciary themselves about the politicization of the courts. I don't know how long we can keep telling other countries about the importance of an independent judiciary when one party in the U.S. is willing not only to ignore the appointments of the other party but also change the rules for approving even their own selection, to make sure their choice gets in.
114
We're rapidly becoming a world wide example of the biggest hypocrites on the planet. Sad.
1
Republicans will rue the day they exchanged legislative consensus for short term political expediency when the Democrats regain control of the Senate and some opportunistic Senator leads a successful effort to expand the number of Supreme Court justices in order to favor their own ideological kind, all proclaimed by a simple majority vote-
4
Democrats regain control of the Senate?? OMG, I'm busting up! When, DCJ? You surely can't mean 2018 or 2020, do you? I'm thinking sometime in the 2030's or 40's IF the party hasn't joined the Whigs by then.
3
What comes around goes around.
But you dont care what happened in 2013 do you? Didnt think so.
The chickens have come home to roost and next time maybe democrats will learn not to change senate rules. But I doubt it.
But you dont care what happened in 2013 do you? Didnt think so.
The chickens have come home to roost and next time maybe democrats will learn not to change senate rules. But I doubt it.
To all sanctimonious Democrat voters couldn't hold their noses and vote for Hillary Clinton -- are you happy now?! I know, I know -- she won the popular vote by 3 million, but at the end of the day, that's not what counts under the current system. The problems is that, even if the current occupant of the Oval Office is gone in 4 years, his legacy on the Supreme Court will likely last 3 and more decades. And Gorsuch may not even be his last appointment...
26
You don't know who Clinton would have put on the court if elected. She hangs out with Henry Kissinger, who she considers a mentor and is a favorite of the war criminal neocons. Just in itself enough reason to not vote for her.
1
To all sanctimonious primary voters who were too trapped in their bubble to see that Hillary Clinton was the absolute worst candidate to nominate in this election, are you happy now?
2
As a (D) who voted for (t) I'm OK with that. This G is not my G but in the end it's probably will not matter. The SC is almost beyond true relevance since G v B in 2001.
1
A substantial amount of America will always view Gorsuch and the Opinions of Court bearing his name, as illegitimate. He sits in a stolen seat.
That he wants this office under these circumstances tell us everything we need to know about him, and everything we need to know about the men who put him there.
That he wants this office under these circumstances tell us everything we need to know about him, and everything we need to know about the men who put him there.
51
Dislike or regard with disdain but he is there and the damage he will do, and he will do it much like Scalia has done, will live with us for many, many generations.
Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing..
Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing..
6
Nope. Wrong again.
The deplorables view this as victory and the reason why Trump won the presidency. It was for this moment.
The deplorables view this as victory and the reason why Trump won the presidency. It was for this moment.
Great picture NYT of the so-called-president standing behind the so-called-justice.
'Bigly Sad.'
'Bigly Sad.'
42
Commented by so-called American.
6
Perfect pick for today's TP/GOP. A new Justice that abhors worker's rights and safety; will further erode a woman's reproductive rights; leans towards the religious right. Just think about it: 50 years ago, the esteemed Thurgood Marshall was confirmed to sit on the Court. He would not get nominated today nor would he be confirmed. With a few important exceptions, we are going backwards, not forwards as a nation.
14
Let the man at least hear some cases and then determine if you do not like his decisions. The President may be Donald Trump but we are still the people of the United States, no matter who is in the Congress or the White House.
5
Neil Gorsuch is a fraud and he's part of larger fraud perpetrated on the American people by the Republican Party. He is illegitimate in my mind. He helped steal that seat from Pres. Obama and Merrick Garland. Garland was more qualified than Gorsuch and if Republicans had any morals they would have at least given him a hearing. Gorsuch didn't even have the guts to stand up for the Constitution in the case of Garland's nomination. Why didn't he answer questions about it? Because he's a sniveling coward (like Ted Cruz called Donald Trump a few months ago) who would do anything to get that seat, regardless of the law and principles. That tells you what kind of judge he will be.
24
Still in fantasyland that your precious Hillary will become POTUS, MoMo? Notice how quiet she & former President Obama have been of late? I'd be too embarrassed too with all the shenanigans coming to surface. Well, except for her interview with this paper on why she lost, you know, everybody else's fault except hers. A shame you'll be bitter for the next 16 years, after President Trump's two terms, followed by President Pence's two terms, not to mention 3-4 more new Supreme Court Justices.
2
Who knows! Perhaps Gorsuch's strict conservatism that is on par with Justice Thomas will sway Justice Roberts and, dare I say, Justice Kennedy more left than we thought?
The more important thing however is that no justice retire under Trump's term as president... Stay positive everyone, the future of the courts still looks bright
The more important thing however is that no justice retire under Trump's term as president... Stay positive everyone, the future of the courts still looks bright
3
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 84 years old. The odds are not good.
The future looks bright because within 8 years two more will retire and of course Trump will still hold office.
This is the reason Trump was voted into office. And conservatives know this too well and will vote for him again to get two more seats on the supreme court.
Mark my words Imid.
This is the reason Trump was voted into office. And conservatives know this too well and will vote for him again to get two more seats on the supreme court.
Mark my words Imid.
1
" Mr. Trump called the occasion “momentous” and “historic,” noting that his power to appoint was among a president’s most important.
“And I got it done in the first 100 days,” Mr. Trump said. “You think that’s easy?” "
Yeah, it's easy when you have to change the rules to win!
“And I got it done in the first 100 days,” Mr. Trump said. “You think that’s easy?” "
Yeah, it's easy when you have to change the rules to win!
35
No matter the occasion, Trump always figures out a way to make it about him. His narcissim knows no bounds.
3
Still whining?
You Democrats just got a taste of your own medicine.
You Democrats just got a taste of your own medicine.
4
Major Ignorant it was the democrats who changed them in 2013 to suit their needs and republicans replied in kind.
Karma is a wonderful woman.
Karma is a wonderful woman.
They hypocrisy of the liberal outcry over the treatment of Garland vs. Gorsuch is interesting.
Both were the victims of comparable partisan obstructionism.
But the key difference of course is that the partisans with the Senate majority (i.e., the GOP) actually have the Constitutional power to dictate who gets on the Court--as per majority rule, democracy, the Constitution and those other small details.
If it's right and reasonable to filibuster Gorsuch on partisan grounds from the minority bench, then surely it's OK to tacitly reject Garland on comparable partisan grounds (but from the majority side).
Whatever the justification, maybe we can agree on this: elections matter.
Both were the victims of comparable partisan obstructionism.
But the key difference of course is that the partisans with the Senate majority (i.e., the GOP) actually have the Constitutional power to dictate who gets on the Court--as per majority rule, democracy, the Constitution and those other small details.
If it's right and reasonable to filibuster Gorsuch on partisan grounds from the minority bench, then surely it's OK to tacitly reject Garland on comparable partisan grounds (but from the majority side).
Whatever the justification, maybe we can agree on this: elections matter.
9
How can it be comparable if the minority got the shaft both times?
1
Welcome to the Supreme Court....... Injustice Gorsuch.
46
We stole it fair and square.
3
Best title/name I've seen for him yet!
Let's see, it'll look something like this:
"Decision written by J. Roberts and joined by J. Alito, J. Thomas, J. Kennedy and I. Gorsuch..."
Let's see, it'll look something like this:
"Decision written by J. Roberts and joined by J. Alito, J. Thomas, J. Kennedy and I. Gorsuch..."
4
Gorsuch and the Republicans lynch America, and themselves — again. But are to stupid to understand the long term consequences.
15
Greed and self interest and a superiority over others does that to people.
5
Actually it was for this moment that Trump was voted into office.
The prize was the vacant seat. Better luck in 2025!
The prize was the vacant seat. Better luck in 2025!
1
@jason
Really, I thought it was just a lot of stupid ignorant people voting for a stupid ignorant liar.
Gorsuch has no integrity or honor or pride in accepting a nomination from the likes Donald Trump.
Just shows he's isn't as smart as people give him credit for. Just another opportunist, like all republicans.
Really, I thought it was just a lot of stupid ignorant people voting for a stupid ignorant liar.
Gorsuch has no integrity or honor or pride in accepting a nomination from the likes Donald Trump.
Just shows he's isn't as smart as people give him credit for. Just another opportunist, like all republicans.
2
It's a shame that a President who is currently the subject of a very active FBI investigation was allowed to appoint any judge as a nominee to serve on the court.
If Trump is removed from office, why would anyone view the Gorsuch appointment as legitimate?
If Trump is removed from office, why would anyone view the Gorsuch appointment as legitimate?
22
We Democrats must concentrate on the elections in 2018 and 2020. Work hard, find good candidates, put forth real solutions to this country's problems. With a fool in the White House and a Congress that is over-grabbing, we have many chances to win.
17
Actually Jeff hate to rain on your parade but Democrats will lose more seats in 2018 since they are up for re-election.
This will forever be call the McConnell Court. His actions were totally without merit. This will be a Court that will not favor the people.
14
I believe this will forever be called the Garland devise.
1
This is what is wrong with liberal judicial philosophy. A court should not make rulings based off of the effects on each party. It should read the law and apply it to the facts at hand, no matter the outcome. The liberal concept of ignoring the law when it leads to results that liberals don't like is how you destroy the rule of law. That means that anyone is allowed to violate a law based on their own subjective views on the merit of the law
3
I would be interested in your proof of these statements as I am trying to understand American politics.
No mention in this article of the mliions of dollars sunk into a campaign for Gorsuch by the Federalist Society, and the usual conservative money bags, led by the Koch Brothers. There were TV ads here in Ohio touting Gorsuch, as if her were a candidate for a local court seat.
Citizens United, the damnable decision that opened the floodgates of unrestrained contributions under the guise of "free speech" (and which Gorsuch supports) has once again the political process, like tarnish on silver plate. And now, with the nuclear option played, no President will be able to nominate a SCOTUS jurist unless his/her party controls the Senate.
That's not what the Constitution envisaged or intended, and it all but guarantees decades of continues zero sum partisanship. More than anything, Gorsuch's appointment signals that Supreme Court seats from now on willl go to the highest bidders.
Citizens United, the damnable decision that opened the floodgates of unrestrained contributions under the guise of "free speech" (and which Gorsuch supports) has once again the political process, like tarnish on silver plate. And now, with the nuclear option played, no President will be able to nominate a SCOTUS jurist unless his/her party controls the Senate.
That's not what the Constitution envisaged or intended, and it all but guarantees decades of continues zero sum partisanship. More than anything, Gorsuch's appointment signals that Supreme Court seats from now on willl go to the highest bidders.
24
This man is going to insert his personal religious beliefs into our body of laws. He uses the notion of protecting “religious freedom” to make rulings that promote his particular religious views. His views are antithetical to the rights of the majority of Americans who do not share his religious beliefs, and violate the specific prohibition against favoring one religion over others enshrined in the Constitution. He holds a patriarchal view of women’s rights with respect to reproductive freedom, a view not shared by a majority of men and women in the US. His prior rulings indicate a callous indifference to working people that consistently favor corporate interests.
Mr. Gorsuch’s confirmation represents a profound erosion of the third branch of our secular, democratic government. It joins the Legislative and Executive branches in an historic GOP takeover of US law, policy, and the power to implement.
The arrogant dismissal by Mitch McConnell of President Obama’s constitutional right to name a Supreme Court candidate is symptomatic of a dangerous lurch toward one-party rule and eventually authoritarian leadership and plutocratic governance. The only antidote to this shift is a thorough disputation of GOP policies and tactics by Democrats and mobilization of the Left.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” John Adams, Second President of the Unite States
Mr. Gorsuch’s confirmation represents a profound erosion of the third branch of our secular, democratic government. It joins the Legislative and Executive branches in an historic GOP takeover of US law, policy, and the power to implement.
The arrogant dismissal by Mitch McConnell of President Obama’s constitutional right to name a Supreme Court candidate is symptomatic of a dangerous lurch toward one-party rule and eventually authoritarian leadership and plutocratic governance. The only antidote to this shift is a thorough disputation of GOP policies and tactics by Democrats and mobilization of the Left.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” John Adams, Second President of the Unite States
153
We have already observed by his actions so far that "a victory for President Trump" does not equate with victory for Truth and Justice.
8
SCOTUS judges should have the highest set of ethics and morals possible. The fact that Gorsuch was willing to step over Garland for this seat means he--and the court--will be tainted forever...
14
TOTALLY RIGGED. A terrible day for the United States of America and the Supreme Court in which Neil M. Gorsuch took the seat that should have been Merrick B. Garland's seat. It is a stolen seat and ultimately there will be no peace in this land.
11
A sad day for our nation, our legal system, and our system of government...
Sadly, just one of many sad days for all three we've seen in the last 6 months...
Sadly, just one of many sad days for all three we've seen in the last 6 months...
8
It is a glorious and fantastic Monday.
With Trump America is finally looking on the up and up from the ever depressing finger waging Obama.
Finally Im proud to be an American!
With Trump America is finally looking on the up and up from the ever depressing finger waging Obama.
Finally Im proud to be an American!
The fact that Dems call it a "stolen" seat makes it ever more sweet. Hopefully, Gorsuch will turn out to be Feinstein's worst nightmare. Like the old saying, drive it like you stole it...
I like this whole "winning" thing. Keep it up Mr. Trump. It's like Christmas every day!
I like this whole "winning" thing. Keep it up Mr. Trump. It's like Christmas every day!
5
He is not a legitimate judge. He is the product of a corrupt act, the political subversion of the system he is tasked with overseeing.
I do not accept his judgeship.
I do not accept his judgeship.
20
Doesn't matter if you accept his judgeship. He is a legitimate Justice and you will realize this every time he votes on a court decision or writes an opinion.
Sorry, but the facts are what they are and can't be changed.
Sorry, but the facts are what they are and can't be changed.
3
Luckily it doesn't matter what you think. He is a Supreme Court justice. Ignore his rulings at your own peril
3
With the swearing in of Gorsuch, can we now dispense with the notion that Republicans are conservative? The actions that brought Gorsuch to pass -- the unprecedented refusal to give Garland a hearing and changing the filibuster rule -- are radical, not conservative. Just call it what is and it ain't conservative by any definition of the word.
18
Bill did you forget about the change in 2013?
I doubt you cared when it happened.
Doesnt matter if the nuclear option wasnt used for Supreme Court nominees. It was still used and republicans are only replying in kind.
I doubt you cared when it happened.
Doesnt matter if the nuclear option wasnt used for Supreme Court nominees. It was still used and republicans are only replying in kind.
It's interesting to observe Republicans decry liberals' belief that Gorsuch is an illegitimate justice, when, for eight years, Republicans, including their current choice for POTUS, charged that President Obama wasn't a native-born American, and thus was an illegitimate president. An apology for such a sickening lie has yet to be issued.
Meanwhile, imagine the cry and hue from Republicans if the Democrats held the Senate and refused Gorsuch a hearing.
Neither party is pristine, but hypocrisy clearly is a Republican specialty.
Meanwhile, imagine the cry and hue from Republicans if the Democrats held the Senate and refused Gorsuch a hearing.
Neither party is pristine, but hypocrisy clearly is a Republican specialty.
31
Elections have consequences. Trump gave out his list of his appointees to the US SC when he was running for office. Many voted for him solely because of this. To all those who voted for a 3rd party candidate or stayed home please get out and vote in the mid term elections.
3
Shame on US! Shame...
4
It's a great day in the USA! Now if only that harridan, Ginsburg, would go away.
5
Awwww and I'm supposed to believe that sexism is over!
How cute.
How cute.
3
Hope you go way before she does. (Want to stave off the right-wing/complete take-over as long as possible).
3
"The Rose Garden ceremony, on a sun-soaked spring day, recalled one just over a year ago in which President Barack Obama announced his selection of Judge Merrick B. Garland to succeed Justice Scalia." I don't know who I resent more: the Republican Senators who obstructed the choice of a President and thereby of the voters who had elected him or the voters who heedlessly rewarded the party of those Senators. I'll never see Gorsuch as a legitimate justice of the Supreme Court.
15
Grouch should be chagrined that he was appointed at the expense of his judicial colleague, Merrick Garland. But the most embarrassing part of his legacy will be that he was nominated by Donald Trump.
6
Autocorrect is often irritating, but sometimes funny...
2
"Justice? We've got plenty of justice in America. How much can you afford." Quote on the first day of class from an old attorney teaching an 'introduction to law' class.
Crime does pay. Mitch McConnell pulls of the theft of the century and splits the take with Trump. Jesse James was a piker compared to these two.
Neil Gorsuch: You are America's best hope if you can shake off your conservative bias and swing to the center. No one's asking you to be a liberal; neutral is good enough. You have no where to rise; you've reached the pinnacle of your life's ambition. The only thing left to do is to get it right and secure your legacy. Please join the many Supreme Court justices who have confounded their sponsors and ruled from what they know is right instead of what is expected of them.
Crime does pay. Mitch McConnell pulls of the theft of the century and splits the take with Trump. Jesse James was a piker compared to these two.
Neil Gorsuch: You are America's best hope if you can shake off your conservative bias and swing to the center. No one's asking you to be a liberal; neutral is good enough. You have no where to rise; you've reached the pinnacle of your life's ambition. The only thing left to do is to get it right and secure your legacy. Please join the many Supreme Court justices who have confounded their sponsors and ruled from what they know is right instead of what is expected of them.
9
Congratulations to the new Thief Justice of the Supreme Court.
38
I do hope the intelligence community is continuing to research the Russian ties to this administration, and that once they have enough proof, this appointment can be legally voided.
17
It infuriates me that the Republicans in Congress, with little pushback from the Democrats, were able to deny President Obama his constitutional right to appoint a supreme court justice well within his tenure. And it saddens me to see the Republicans in power at the White House today blatantly rejoicing that they have a partisan judge on their side. A supreme court judge is not supposed to show his loyalty to a political party, he is supposed to uphold the Constitution. The fawning way Gorsuch acted today and the words from Trump that seemed to encourage partisan behavior, make me realize how far we are from a nonpartisan court.
26
I agree with you MEF. Why didn't the Democrats file a lawsuit against Mitch McConnell and his subcommittee. They sued President Obama on multiple occasions. Also, why didn't Obama make a recess appointment, knowing that Republicans were trying to steal this election and the Supreme Court seat. I am mystified and no one seems to be able to get answers to these questions.
2
Sorry. Your outrage is misplaced. President Obama was denied nothing. He made his nomination. Article II of the Constitution then requires that the Senate advice and consent for the nominee to be confirmed but it does not require the Senate to do ANYTHING with a SCOTUS nominee, let alone imposing any sort of time frame. The Senate can confirm, reject or ignore the nomination totally at their sole option and on their own schedule.
This is hardly unprecedented, Over the years 25 SCOTUS nominees have been withdrawn or rejected without so much as a hearing or a vote. If President Obama had had any class once it was clear there was no chance of a confirmation he would have withdrawn the nomination instead of just leaving Judge Garland twisting in the wind. But he preferred to have the issue than to do what was right for Judge Garland.
This is hardly unprecedented, Over the years 25 SCOTUS nominees have been withdrawn or rejected without so much as a hearing or a vote. If President Obama had had any class once it was clear there was no chance of a confirmation he would have withdrawn the nomination instead of just leaving Judge Garland twisting in the wind. But he preferred to have the issue than to do what was right for Judge Garland.
2
Obama doesn't get to 'appoint' a Supreme Court justice. He only gets to 'nominate.' The Senate advises and consents. The Senate advised Obama not to nominate Garland because the senate told Obsma they wouldn't consent. Done. The Senate did its constitutional duty. Nothing was 'stolen.' If anything, McConnell rolled the dice that Hillary would have appointed a far left candidate and, with Everyone at the time expecting a Dem landslide at both the White House and in the Senate, he would have been roundly criticized by Republicans for not having taken the known 'moderate' vs the unknown Hillary radical. Obama thought McConnell would see it this way and cave. That he didn't will be regarded as one of the highest stakes acts of political bravery if our time.
1
Judge Gorsuch is now Justice Gorsuch. The filibuster didn't work. The righteous outrage didn't work.
Here's a primer on how Democrats can get whomever they want on the Supreme Court: (1) win the Presidency and (2) win a Senate majority.
Here's a primer on how Democrats can get whomever they want on the Supreme Court: (1) win the Presidency and (2) win a Senate majority.
68
What about not considering a sitting president's nomination for the SC?
3
And if that doesn't work, cheat, steal and rig - the GOP way. RIP America.
9
Oh, forget one thing in your biased 'primer'. Make sure there is no one like Mitch McConnell to use a most unethical tactic, to obstruct the process of a judge getting a hearing to sit on the nation's highest Court because he doesn't like the Party of the SITTING President. Add that to your 'primer'.
1
With every 5/4 ruling, the headline should be gorsuck.
4
And the headline should remind us that non-white presidents only get 3/5 of a term.
It will be in no time. I have been referring to the new Justice using that identification.
Stolen words and a stolen seat.
Stolen election.
Crazy men rule the world. Chaos everywhere.
Soul less,liar, con man under investigation for who knows what all, and GOP is just so proud. Puke
Stolen election.
Crazy men rule the world. Chaos everywhere.
Soul less,liar, con man under investigation for who knows what all, and GOP is just so proud. Puke
4
As an illegitimate justice, appointed by an illegitimate president, his rulings will likewise be illegitimate. Gorsuch sits on the court because of a politicized, Republican controlled Senate refused to carry out their constitutional duty of advice and consent to President Obama’s nomination of Judge Garland. He sits on the court because of Republicans conspired with the Russian secret services (avowed enemies of our country) to interfere in our elections. He sits on the court because Mitch McConnel refused to make a bi-partisan condemnation of Russian interference in our election when the CIA and other intelligence agencies all agreed that Russian agents were actively interfering in the election in order to elect Trump. He sits on the court because the head of the FBI violated his professional code of conduct and Justice Department rules to announce the re-opening of the investigation (i.e., witch hunt) into Secretary Clinton’s emails 10 days before the election. He sits on the court because of Russian propaganda, knowingly published through right wing media for months before the election. Any 5-4 decision with Gorsuch voting in the majority cannot be deemed legitimate.
3
Please cite your proof source on Trump campaign colluding with Russians to fix election. To date there has been 0 proof. On the other hand Susan Rice was spying on American citizens ; that's a felony
2
If American voters were persuaded in large enough numbers by Russian propaganda to vote for Trump, they should be disenfranchised.
There was not a single instance of ballot tampering attributable to Russia or anyone else.
Politics is not now nor has it ever been clean, fair, or reasonable.
That doesn't make the outcome illegitimate when it doesn't go your way.
There was not a single instance of ballot tampering attributable to Russia or anyone else.
Politics is not now nor has it ever been clean, fair, or reasonable.
That doesn't make the outcome illegitimate when it doesn't go your way.
1
Gosuch is an illegitimate Supreme Court Judge. If he had any integrity and valued the constitution he would have declared the Republican hijacking of the seat unconstitutional and would have refused to put his name forward. He has lost any creditability as a man of justice.
1
Most recent Presidents never got to appoint and confirm 3 Justices. Mr. Obama got two. We can move on now. I just hope we don't get a howler like Citizens United.
1
We wait for our day, when the Democrats control Congress and impeach Gorsuch (along with trump et al.) Clean house.
1
The left did not want Gorsuch approved because it was an affront to Merritt Garland. But the left did not want any judge appointed by Trump other than Merritt Garland. Trump was never going to nominate Merritt Garland.
Had the left gotten its way, there would have been four years of filibusters or eight years if Trump were reelected. And in return, the Republicans would have filibustered any future Democratic nominee. Result? In 25 years there would be no members of the supreme court.
So Chuck Schumer engaged in a fools errand. Shame on him.
Had the left gotten its way, there would have been four years of filibusters or eight years if Trump were reelected. And in return, the Republicans would have filibustered any future Democratic nominee. Result? In 25 years there would be no members of the supreme court.
So Chuck Schumer engaged in a fools errand. Shame on him.
8
Can't wait to impeach your President Trump. He is the nation's nightmare.
2
Our parasitic oligarchs are no doubt popping champagne right now.
Gorsuch's position on the Court represents severe damage to the integrity of the rule of law in our nation. Gorsuch is a corporate rubber stamp, eager to help Trump and the GOP dismantle freedom of equality and opportunity, and freedom from the sociopathic greed of the wealthy.
Revolting.
Gorsuch's position on the Court represents severe damage to the integrity of the rule of law in our nation. Gorsuch is a corporate rubber stamp, eager to help Trump and the GOP dismantle freedom of equality and opportunity, and freedom from the sociopathic greed of the wealthy.
Revolting.
6
What goes around comes around! The Democrats used the filibuster combined with the nuclear option to stack the lower courts with Obama appointees. Harry Reid indicated that he would do the same with the Supreme Court--but the Republicans beat him to the punch...
3
Here we go again! "Dems did the same thing?!" Tea-GOP always hate to use context which may work on other threads, but it doesn't work here. Anyone knows that is completely disingenuous without the necessary contact. Harry Reid used the filibuster ONLY when Mitch McConnell OBSTRUCTED over 50 of Obama's judicial nominees! There would be no way to get appoints filled unless the filibuster was removed.
5
The dems stacked the courts with progressives?
The president gets to appoint federal judges.
And obviously, a president is going to select individuals to thier liking.
The GOP politicians refused to allow advancement of 99% of Obama's appointees; not rejecting them using the process, but rather 'tabling it", forcing these vacancies to remain unfilled indefinitely.
And so it is in this context the dems invoked the nuclear option.
As they did with the SCOTUS appointment, the GOP hoped this tactic would enable them to be able to appoint judges to thier liking at a future date.
Clearly it is the these right wing hard liners who were attempting to pack the court, not the democrats.
When it looked like Hillary was going to win the presidency, some senators were even saying that they were going to refuse to advance any SCOTUS nominee proposed by a "president" Clinton!
The hard right wing of the republican party has brought this once great institution to a point where they could very well be the force removes us from the list of first tier nations.
The president gets to appoint federal judges.
And obviously, a president is going to select individuals to thier liking.
The GOP politicians refused to allow advancement of 99% of Obama's appointees; not rejecting them using the process, but rather 'tabling it", forcing these vacancies to remain unfilled indefinitely.
And so it is in this context the dems invoked the nuclear option.
As they did with the SCOTUS appointment, the GOP hoped this tactic would enable them to be able to appoint judges to thier liking at a future date.
Clearly it is the these right wing hard liners who were attempting to pack the court, not the democrats.
When it looked like Hillary was going to win the presidency, some senators were even saying that they were going to refuse to advance any SCOTUS nominee proposed by a "president" Clinton!
The hard right wing of the republican party has brought this once great institution to a point where they could very well be the force removes us from the list of first tier nations.
And McConnell obstructed Obama after Harry Reid obstructed Bush 43, and so on...
How would Gorsuch opine, were he required to do so, on the failure of the Senate to uphold its constitutional obligation to "advise and consent" to the nomination of Judge Garland? Were he honest, he would say the Senate majority acted unconstitutionally, and that he would not be in office had they acted as required by the law of the land. The only possible outcome of this conundrum is that Gorsuch's political and ideological inclinations outweigh his self respect.
4
His judicial robe will always be a different color , to reflect how he got on the court. Deep down, he will feel just like Clarance Thomas does...that he scammed the system to get on the court. But, he will not care about this in his rulings.
4
There are many, many Americans who fervently believe that the elevation of Gorsuch to the Court lacks any legitimacy due to the unconstitutional process, cynically engineered by Republicans, that cleared the way for his selection. In the future, when he dutifully votes with the conservative bloc on highly-charged cases, the institutional legitimacy of the Supreme Court will be further called into question by an angered public, with the expected perception that those individual rulings are not based on law, but the implementation of raw, political power. The "gift" of McConnell, Grassley, et al to Roberts, Alito, et al will have been consummated. This will be our judicial "scab", never healed, always capable of bleeding anew.
10
Conservatives vs reactionaries, is the issue. Conservatives are usually content with the status quo and are reluctant to change anything for fear that the results will bring new and unanticipated injustices. They assure consistency and thus predictability and the ability to plan and to organize well into the future. Reactionaries are those who don't like the status quo and long for a return to previous conditions which they would have restored, along with all the injustices which had existed at that time. Gorsuch is of the Scalia reactionary crazy variety. Scalia wanted to think that government and law could operate as it did when men wore stockings and three cornered hats and communications and transportation ran at three miles per hour and still function well in today's modern and highly complex way of life. That kind of thinking is crazy, it ignores life as it is.
2
A Supreme Theft.
120
Disgraceful show of hypocrasy.
14
You're absolutely right. It is a disgraceful show of hypocrisy for the Democrats to complain about Republicans eliminating the filibuster for this highly qualified nominee whom the Democrats are trying to block for partisan reasons, after Harry Reid eliminated the filibuster for lower court nominees, allowing Obama to appoint dozens of hard left wing judges to the lower courts, rather than centrist judges that would be acceptable to all. And it's also a disgraceful show of hypocrisy for the Democrats to support Reid's elimination of the filibuster because Republicans blocked SOME (not all) of Obama's nominees, when it is perfectly plain that Democrats will not vote for anyone whatsoever whom Republicans nominate short of the second coming of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Disgraceful, indeed.
6
Nope. Democrats were NOT disgraceful. When you have an outright Thug as head of the Senate, whose claim to fame is obstruction, Harry Reid had NO choice but to break the filibuster. Judicial appoints were being obstructed--over 50 of them, due to McConnell's refusal to allow them to be voted on without 60 votes. I hold McConnell responsible for the break-down on a functioning Congress. He is a treasonous nightmare!
2
The lesson for Democrats is quite simple: Republicans fight to win at any cost. Until Democrats start playing the game to win, at any cost, they will continue to lose.
21
That's ridiculous. "The Reid Rule" - and he's a Democrat, right?
Is that what you really take away from this stunning loss? If that's the case, no wonder you've lost (and will continue to lose...) Stupidity truly knows no bounds...
3
Democrats were THE party unified in combat when Ted Kennedy turned hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee into partisan circuses. The GOP, by contrast, is still divided into the Washington, D.C. insiders, the Conservatives, and the Chamber of Commerce happy-to-lost go-alongs.
This President simply ran on this issue while Hilary ran on - What, exactly?
This President simply ran on this issue while Hilary ran on - What, exactly?
6
So now the third branch of government is held hostage to politics. A complete reversal of what the Founding Fathers set forth, and desired most. Along with the Presidency, which has been held hostage to the long outdated Electoral College. When the majority of the country voted for another candidate, how can this happen? When all prior Presidents got to chose their justice choices, even during their lame duck periods, this Senate not only denies Obama that right but changes the rules to do it later. RIP Supreme Court, we knew you when.
12
You're wrong on the facts. The electoral college performed as intended. If mob rule was the order of the day, it would not have been instituted. And regards all prior presidents choosing, remember "The Joe Biden Rule"? He was a democrat, and still is.
5
You STILL don't understand how elections for two centuries have been operated in this country under the Constitution?
Didn't you used to be a logical, fully-functioning adult? What happened to turn you into a bundle of emotions with the mind of a seventh-grader?
You seem completely unread on the vast subject of American political history. There's a lot of ground to be made up here, Judy.
Didn't you used to be a logical, fully-functioning adult? What happened to turn you into a bundle of emotions with the mind of a seventh-grader?
You seem completely unread on the vast subject of American political history. There's a lot of ground to be made up here, Judy.
5
Forget asking J. who the other losers with more votes in the wrong places to matter were.
Read the history of the 1790's and you'll see that even THEN the electoral numbers mattered and were weighed in every Presidential campaign.
Hilary just made huge mistakes. Where did logic fail those supporters?
Read the history of the 1790's and you'll see that even THEN the electoral numbers mattered and were weighed in every Presidential campaign.
Hilary just made huge mistakes. Where did logic fail those supporters?
1
Justice Gorsuch will always have an asterisk by his name as the guy who took Merrick Garland's seat. And Donald Trump will... well... be Donald Trump.
But it will be Mitch McConnell who goes down as the nastiest politician in our nation's storied and colorful history.
But it will be Mitch McConnell who goes down as the nastiest politician in our nation's storied and colorful history.
12
You have forgotten Harry Reid already. That one-eyed bandit called Mitt Romney a tax cheat from the senate floor, with only his evil innuendo as proof. He was a ruthless, classless, self-enriching icon of political corruption.
3
I am heartened by the swearing in of Neil Gorsuch as a Justice to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is highest court in the land; he is one of the highest judges. He will interpret the law fairly, interpret it as written; he will not read between the lines for messages and meanings not originally intended by the great men who founded our beloved nation. I am looking forward to his supreme decisions. Hopefully there will be more like him to come, to fill the Supreme Court with judicial purists. Thank you.
8
He sounds a lot like Merrick Garland.
...he will not read between the lines for messages and meanings not originally intended by the great men who founded our beloved nation.
Oh really? So much for interpretation then.
Oh really? So much for interpretation then.
I Pledge Allegiance, to Citizens United...
12
It is difficult to equate Gorsuch with the Justice title because he's a product of a tainted process. He's no different than the rest of the GOP - he's on the lookout for his position and not the constitution. There's nothing Supreme about the court anymore. The harm the GOP has done to integrity of the court - and the country - is irreversible.
11
I look forward to the "originalists" on the court defending the intentions of the Founders, and supporting the right of all Americans to own muzzle-loading single-shot muskets as enshrined by the Second Amendment.
14
An okay on slave owning might be after the muskets. Women have already kissed their rights goodbye.
There is an amendment which eliminated slavery. Only an amendment will reverse the right of citizens to bear arms.
The Left doesn't seem to understand that there is an amendment process for these things... the courts should not be used for the purpose of changing the Constitution.
The Left doesn't seem to understand that there is an amendment process for these things... the courts should not be used for the purpose of changing the Constitution.
1
Sad.
6
You can kiss Roe v Wade goodbye.
5
I pray you are right!
3
Roe isn't going anywhere. Neither is Casey. We don't have wholesale abandonment of precedent that favors rights. Sorry.
3
Don't count on it. Republican misogynists will stoop to anything.
Any nominee should have refused his or her own hearing until Merrick Garland got one.
This is a stolen seat.
Resist, and vote.
This is a stolen seat.
Resist, and vote.
38
Lose, and vote again next time.
Until then, remember the Biden Rule about lame duck appointments, he was your VP for 8 years show him some respect.
Until then, remember the Biden Rule about lame duck appointments, he was your VP for 8 years show him some respect.
3
There is no such thing as the "Biden Rule." You appear to have a lot of spare time on your hands as you are commenting all over this article, so why don't you devote some of that energy to educating yourself.
1
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/mar/17/context-bide...
LOL, please take your own advice.
LOL, please take your own advice.
So if 45 is found to have colluded with the Russians to get elected, will this appointment become null and void? I would hope so.
16
That's ridiculous. There no evidence indicating that the election of Trump was due to Russian interference. There is every indication that Hillary did not campaign in Wisconsin, etc. and was given debate questions and that the democratic primary was rigged against Bernard Sanders. What if she had won?
4
Time to fight back, something the democrats have never been capable of. Expect Republicans to slowly wrestle control of the government while Democrats just shout and do nothing.
12
"Expect Republicans to slowly wrestle control of the government while Democrats just shout and do nothing."
It's called winning elections; perhaps you've heard of it.
It is beyond me how folks like you feel entitled to rule the folks while election after election goes the other way.
Fascism much?
It's called winning elections; perhaps you've heard of it.
It is beyond me how folks like you feel entitled to rule the folks while election after election goes the other way.
Fascism much?
6
Now we can watch 124 more Gorsuches get rubber-stamped into place to help make Christianity the state religion of the US Empire.
Actually Hussein we hope the Republicans wrestle control very quickly. And the Dems can shout and do nothing, like usual.
1
Another very sad day in the last 67 days since our statesman President left office in January. Not proud of any of our Republican-led branches of government at this point, and don't expect any of them to stand up for the people of this country nor the rights and responsibilities that come with their positions. I have not doubt that Trump, Gorsuch and McConnell are all congratulating themselves on another assault on the integrity and foundations of our government and the rights of individual who are citizens.
17
And so starts the slow insidious regression to the past.
The potential for harm to the middle class, women, civil rights and social justice is one step closer to fruition.
Big money wins big. Religion will continue to encroach where it doesn't belong.
The middle class and the poor will be expected to foot the bills and serve as cannon fodder, as usual.
Fairness and justice died with the inauguration of Donald Trump and the swearing in of Neil Gorsuch.
So much for progress.
The potential for harm to the middle class, women, civil rights and social justice is one step closer to fruition.
Big money wins big. Religion will continue to encroach where it doesn't belong.
The middle class and the poor will be expected to foot the bills and serve as cannon fodder, as usual.
Fairness and justice died with the inauguration of Donald Trump and the swearing in of Neil Gorsuch.
So much for progress.
15
We can expect nothing but deflection and denial from these people regarding the fundamental unfairness of the processes they exploited to come to misgovern us.
These injustices are now more frozen-in than ever.
These injustices are now more frozen-in than ever.
1
I wonder what Brittany Maynard's husband is thinking. Gorsuch, the author of "The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia." Gorsuch believes all life is inviolable. He must have never seen the suffering of the inevitable........
9
People who read their own personalities into nature are public menaces.
My father starved himself to death. That is how we legally die when our end is inevitable in the US.
My father starved himself to death. That is how we legally die when our end is inevitable in the US.
Steve,
Starving to death is a horrible one, and should be unnecessary.
MIMA
Reading their own personalities???
Starving to death is a horrible one, and should be unnecessary.
MIMA
Reading their own personalities???
1
DOOMED. I'm seventy, it doesn't matter to me, but I grieve for our children who have to suffer gorsuch's rulings and the maladministration of tRump.
23
The McConnell coup de etat is complete. It was a nice country while it lasted.
19
Those of us who are impotent in all of this gag every time we hear the phrase "equal protection of the law".
10
The Republicans have now established a precedent where any legal actions are now justified in seizing control of the Supreme Court. Democrats take note; when you regain Congressional power it is your obligation to never approve a Republican president's nominee again. Furthermore, you should start building your case for impeaching Justice Thomas for his numerous cases where he cast a vote despite glaring conflicts of interest. The Constitution provides for a mechanism by which Congress can impeach a SC justice. It has only been used once, but the GOP has shown us that tradition no longer matters, only raw power does.
17
Looking from €urope: congratulations, FINALLY! Judge Gorsuch is the right choice to defend the Values of USA and those of the whole Free World.
8
I suggest referring to him henceforth as Justice Asterisk.
16
Can't credit Trump with this "victory."
It's all Leonard Leo of the conservative Federalist Society, and McConnell of the corrupt branch of the House.
It's all Leonard Leo of the conservative Federalist Society, and McConnell of the corrupt branch of the House.
10
What great news! A couple more and America will be fire-walled against "progressive" dogma for decades to come.
8
Justice triumphed. Yes, Justice Gorsuch triumhed but not "justice"!
2
As an atheist I have no one to pray to for justice. But if there is anyone out in this universe wipe that smirk off of Mitch McConnell's face. Peace out.
9
Fake judge.
8
Shame on them. The taint of Stolen Justice will never leave.
11
Hope Gorsuch enjoys his stolen seat. The first thing to say about him is that he was willing to take the job in these circumstances. It's a shaky start for someone in the business of interpreting and upholding the Constitution.
13
Goresuch will never have any credibility or honor because he has no shame!
He's sitting in the seat that Judge Garland should have had if not for the antics of Republican predators and the ability of the Russians to hack and corrupt our electorate process!
There will always be an asterisk next to his name!
He's sitting in the seat that Judge Garland should have had if not for the antics of Republican predators and the ability of the Russians to hack and corrupt our electorate process!
There will always be an asterisk next to his name!
11
"... a victory for President Trump in his push to shape the institution for decades to come."
As if Trump had any interest in, ideas about or desires for the shape of American jurisprudence in the years to come.
No, this is a victory for the Republican dark money machine, most ably abetted by Mitch McConnell.
As if Trump had any interest in, ideas about or desires for the shape of American jurisprudence in the years to come.
No, this is a victory for the Republican dark money machine, most ably abetted by Mitch McConnell.
19
Sad day for America.
The same people who denied a seat to a sitting President solely out of racism-tinged spite, install a corporate shill who would let a truck driver freeze to death rather than see with an individual over his employer.
Another nail in the coffin for what was once the pinnacle for justice in the USA.
Sad, sad day. We are cooked.
The same people who denied a seat to a sitting President solely out of racism-tinged spite, install a corporate shill who would let a truck driver freeze to death rather than see with an individual over his employer.
Another nail in the coffin for what was once the pinnacle for justice in the USA.
Sad, sad day. We are cooked.
43
Well, he'll redeem himself on justice in the USA when he opposes the corporate shills for Planned Parenthood in the Democrat Party by overturning Roe.
Racism? You must be talking about how democrats and the left treated Justice Thomas during and after his confirmation hearings.
2
Don't forget the "racism-tinged spite" shown to Alito.
Both sides of the isle dragged us in this quagmire and no one has come out any better.
Judge Gorsuch was going to be confirmed anyways and now we dont have a filibuster (moderator) anymore.
Judge Gorsuch was going to be confirmed anyways and now we dont have a filibuster (moderator) anymore.
3
It was a stolen seat, nominated by a President who lost the popular vote by about 3 million votes and who likely colluded with the Russians in doing so, and who was aided by the FBI Director's Oct 28 revelation about Clinton's emails...
But hey its the Republican way, cheat your way to victory...
But hey its the Republican way, cheat your way to victory...
34
You need to get over this 3 million votes thing... it's a total irrelevancy.
If you erase California, Trump won the other 49 states by 3 million votes.
If you erase California AND New York, Trump won the remaining 48 states by 6 million votes.
It's very likely that, in future, Democratic presidential nominees will the popular vote but still lose the White House. This will continue until the Democratic Party becomes more than a party of the West Coast and Northeast.
If you erase California, Trump won the other 49 states by 3 million votes.
If you erase California AND New York, Trump won the remaining 48 states by 6 million votes.
It's very likely that, in future, Democratic presidential nominees will the popular vote but still lose the White House. This will continue until the Democratic Party becomes more than a party of the West Coast and Northeast.
4
So your logic is that a voter in California or NY is of "lesser value", because they're so concentrated in those areas. Uh huh. Hopefully "Calexit" will be successful, so you'll be that much closer to your christian theocracy.
2
It is ironic that a simple majority confirmed Gorsuch, when the man who nominated him lost the presidency by a factor of 2.8 million votes.
If we really wanted SCOTUS justices to be chosen by a simple majority, maybe we first need to have a rule in place requiring the president to be chosen by a majority too.
If we really wanted SCOTUS justices to be chosen by a simple majority, maybe we first need to have a rule in place requiring the president to be chosen by a majority too.
57
Mr. Gorsuch referring to the opposition party in the pejorative form "Democrat Party,” devalues anything this man or others think he has accomplished.
19
NEVER FORGET: The seat was STOLEN from the legitimate nominee.
Mitch McConnell is the enemy of Democracy.
Mitch McConnell is the enemy of Democracy.
126
"Mitch McConnell is the enemy of Democracy"
Correction:
Mitch McConnell is the enemy of the people.
Correction:
Mitch McConnell is the enemy of the people.
3
The seat was left vacant by the legitimate Senate because the president refused to nominate someone else. The president who tried to filibuster Alito. Whose Senate caucus is led by a man who called for no confirmations the last 18 months of a Republican presidency.
A False President, and now, a False Judge. Nobody REALLY believed that the constitution would last forever...
15
This certainly is a moment, a historic, stolen moment, a momentous conclusion to the legacy of Citizen's United and the effect of that decision on the electoral process.
31
Revolting. If he'd had any integrity at all he would have refused the nomination given how he got it. I will always regard this seat as stolen and the decisions issued from it as illegitimate.
34
A sad day for all of you on the left. Instead of trying to ram "change" down our throats via the judiciary, you are now left with the hard work of trying to convince the American electorate that your ideas, are in fact, actually better. It's a lot of hard work, but that is the way it is supposed to work. Legislate these changes, amend the Constitution if you have to, have a Constitutional Convention, but if you do it properly, rather than trying to shortcut the process, then you will have an enduring set of rules and principles, not something that can be overturned at the whim of ideological judges.
Nothing is impossible...it's just not easy work - and intentionally so. The problem with the left is that they cannot accept the basic fact that a majority of voters aren't aligned with them on core issues.
Nothing is impossible...it's just not easy work - and intentionally so. The problem with the left is that they cannot accept the basic fact that a majority of voters aren't aligned with them on core issues.
56
The sad fact is that the majority did not vote for Donald Trump who appointed Gorsuch and the majority did vote for Obama who nominated Merrick Garland who was kept off the court by the Republicans. The left is having a hard time with the fact that the US is no longer governed by the majority.
19
I agree. I don't see him as a legitimate justice.
7
47% of voters isn't a majority.
6
Keep repeating "Stolen Seat, Stolen Seat"?
I think not.
But, I will keep repeating:
the reason Judge Garland is not now Justice Garland is because Democrats insisted on nominating a candidate who couldn't even beat Donald Trump.
Sorry, Dems, to the winners go the spoils, and Justice Gorsuch is just one example.
I think not.
But, I will keep repeating:
the reason Judge Garland is not now Justice Garland is because Democrats insisted on nominating a candidate who couldn't even beat Donald Trump.
Sorry, Dems, to the winners go the spoils, and Justice Gorsuch is just one example.
83
The Democrats nominated a candidate who did beat Donald Trump even though he relied on lies and the help of the Russian government. Yes. Stolen. Hillary won the majority.
9
Republicans will plead for comity when Democrats regain power, and hopefully will receive none.
8
I guess the Russians are regretting helping Trump get elected now eh?
Do you even pay attention to current events?
Do you even pay attention to current events?
5
The Republicans refused to allow President Obama to fulfill his Constitutional duties by nominating Merrick Garland simply because he had one year of office remaining. Gorsuch is just another step toward the fascist state that is being engineered after the right wing coup that put Trump in office. Gerrymandering, voter suppression, disrespect for the Constitution, corruption of the electoral process by massive amounts of dark money. It is all part of the same game plan organized by the super-rich oligarchy that now controls this country. The lesson for those that care about the future is to participate in the ending of the Republican death grip on our democracy, Protest and vote!
349
Jefflz,
Perhaps you should study American History.
We have always, sadly, been controlled by the Rich
and governed by an Oligarchy.
Perhaps you should study American History.
We have always, sadly, been controlled by the Rich
and governed by an Oligarchy.
5
Obama was allowed to nominate Garland -- there is no way Republicans could have stopped that.
What they could stop, they did. The refused him an up or down vote like Harry Reid did for many of the Federal judge nominees under Bush.
What they could stop, they did. The refused him an up or down vote like Harry Reid did for many of the Federal judge nominees under Bush.
5
"Fascist state", "right wing coup", "dark money", "voter suppression", "super-rich oligarchy", most of the lefty buzz words, except for uber-rich. Tiresome rhetoric indeed. Your party lost. Sometimes my party loses too. I was no fan of President Obama; yet he was our President. I didn't spend much time complaining; and when I did so, I cited facts in a polite manner, not buzz words. The above post is a NYT favorite? Kind of telling, regrettably.
3
Sad! This justice, and the court he has joined, will forever be under a cloud created by the political machinations that put him there.
9
Gorsuch, just a butler of a right wing ideology. The only good thing is that the Supreme Court is now, regrettably, a total Supreme Travesty.
6
I think we should all welcome Justice Asterisk to the court.
9
The CORPORATE Justice. Thanks, Donald.
6
The full blossom of the McConnell coup d'etat.
First his minority obstruction forced the Dems to remove the filibuster for political appointees and lower court judges.
Then his blocking the Garland nomination in the majority.
His destruction of Supreme Court judicial filibustering.
Now the appointment of the unrelenting right winger Gorsuch.
Even without an aging Ginsburg,
McConnell has destroyed the fabric of the American political experiment.
If there is a more deeply evil political character in American political history, please make a case.
First his minority obstruction forced the Dems to remove the filibuster for political appointees and lower court judges.
Then his blocking the Garland nomination in the majority.
His destruction of Supreme Court judicial filibustering.
Now the appointment of the unrelenting right winger Gorsuch.
Even without an aging Ginsburg,
McConnell has destroyed the fabric of the American political experiment.
If there is a more deeply evil political character in American political history, please make a case.
13
Stolen seat.
29
Thank you, President Trump, for defeating Mrs. Clinton, and making this wonderful appointment possible.
12
You are joking right?
7
And may your bankruptcies, divorces, lawsuits and lies be blessed as well,
7
"Justice" in name only.
14
A "so called justice"
8
A monument to McConnell's and Republican's destruction of the constitution, for many years to come.
Gorsuch will not be remembered well by history.
Gorsuch will not be remembered well by history.
13
This is one of the greatest acts of injustice in American history. We now have an illegitimate justice on SCOTUS. His seat was stolen by Republicans in the Senate with about as much duplicity as they could muster. Between them and Trump, our Democracy is fading fast.
218
Gorsuch is the third illegitimate justice. Roberts and Alito are there because of G.W. Bush, an illegitimate president installed in a right-wing coup by -- you guessed it! -- the Supreme Court.
13
Enough of this "illegitimate" foolishness. If the other side was performing these disgusting acts of disloyalty, there would be protests in the street. No judge is a judge of the Supreme Court until he gets a president to appoint him and a Senate to confirm him. Garland was not confirmed. Period. Get over it. Gorsuch was. Period. Get over it. He is as legitimate as RBG, John Roberts, Tony Kennedy, and the other five.
4
Except, of course, that Mr. Bush nominated both Justice Roberts and Justice Alito during his second term, where the Supreme Court had no influence on the outcome and Mr. Bush won a majority of the electoral votes and (since so many on here seem to think its the holy grail, but nevertheless irrelevant and meaningless) so called "popular vote." But then again, I guess it's Donald Trump who is loose with the facts...
1
This was more like handing Senator Mitch McConnell a victory in his 8-year-and-counting disdain for democracy. He has clearly violated HIS oath to defend the Constitution.
36
Antonin Scalia famously told us that the Constitution was written by the hand of God. Like Scalia, his successor has bizarre views of how the Constitution should be interpreted: it is a dead document, to be construed as it was understood by its authors over 200 years ago, before Marbury v. Madison determined that the Supreme Court had the right to review acts of Congress -- a principle that the writers of the Constitution did not uniformly anticipate. At the time the Bill of Rights was passed, the right to bear arms meant that one could keep a musket in the house. We will soon see if Gorsuch, in ruling on a law restricting ownership of machine guns, wants to limit the Second Amendment right to muskets. If our nation's laws are to be thrown back into the 1790s, and the huge achievements in so many dimensions of human rights, women's rights, privacy, environmental protections, and freedoms that make our society what is has become, we will live like East Germans under the Stasi and civil war is certain to follow.
13
It really is amazing that the Republicans simply stole this seat and announced after Scalia's death that they just decided to wait for the next president to come along and appoint the next justice. Disgraceful doesn't even begin to describe the process. What do we tell children about how this happened?
Of course Gorsuch is as qualified as any biased judge, but the extent to which a group of people simply highjacked this nomination represents the sad state of Washington affairs. Are we ever going to be better?
Of course Gorsuch is as qualified as any biased judge, but the extent to which a group of people simply highjacked this nomination represents the sad state of Washington affairs. Are we ever going to be better?
16
Congratulations to an outstanding judge, now Supreme Court Justice. Gorsuch is a justice who will rule based on what the constitution actually says rather than what he wants it say or wished it would say.
This is not a victory for Trump or a loss for the Democrats. This is a victory for the rule of law in America.
And for the Democratic crybabies and bellyachers out there, try winning some elections.
This is not a victory for Trump or a loss for the Democrats. This is a victory for the rule of law in America.
And for the Democratic crybabies and bellyachers out there, try winning some elections.
8
"And for the Democratic crybabies and bellyachers out there, try winning some elections."
Rampant GOP gerrymandering in states subvert democracy much like this appointment does.
Rampant GOP gerrymandering in states subvert democracy much like this appointment does.
8
Well, goodness gracious golly gee gosh darn it Gorsuch does deliver on Trump's promise of Make America Great Again - by taking the vocabulary back to the 1950s... the good ol'days when basketball teams were monochromatic and when Mad Men attitudes ruled.
I wonder what they called a stolen seat in the 1950s? Sadly, Rosa Parks can't help with the answer to that...
I wonder what they called a stolen seat in the 1950s? Sadly, Rosa Parks can't help with the answer to that...
19
Excellent, goodness gracious.
1
Not my Supreme Court Justice; not my Supreme Court. Not any more. Just as the presidency and both houses of Congress have been stolen, so has SCOTUS. None of them command anything more than token compliance.
Are our political leaders tools of the Koch Brothers and Vladimir Putin or are they simply just plain tools? Whatever, our school children pledge allegiance to them every day. Sad. Bad.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
Are our political leaders tools of the Koch Brothers and Vladimir Putin or are they simply just plain tools? Whatever, our school children pledge allegiance to them every day. Sad. Bad.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
9
Justice Asterisk. Illegitimate POTUS appoints illegitimate member of SCOTUS.
11
Illegitimate, just like #45.
22
Wonderful another justice who adheres to the constituiton rather than legislating from the bench! The country owes graditude to Joe Biden for the idea that the incomming president should get the nomination and to Hillary Clinton for being too arrogant to campaign in Wisconsin and Michigan.
9
Sigh. I wish some GOP supporters would get the facts straight about the so-called "Biden rule," which is not analogous, despite McConnell & Co.'s citing of it. There was no Supreme Court vacancy to fill; there was no nominee to consider; the Senate never took a vote to adopt a rule to delay consideration of a nominee until after a presidential election. His floor speech, on June 25, 1992, was less than five months before the Nov. 3 presidential election. Biden urged a delay, if a vacancy were to occur, until after the election—which is two and a half months before the end of a sitting president's term; he didn't argue for a delay until the next president began his term, as McConnell did. Bottom line, Biden did not advocate for what occurred on McConnell's watch. Scalia died in Feb. 2016 and Garland was nominated in March; McConnell & Co. refused to allow the "advise and consent" process to proceed, period.
For all of those people in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc, who simply "couldn't bring themselves to vote for Hillary," well, this is a direct result of that thinking. One more justice appointed by 45, and you can kiss all the civil rights advancements for women and minorities over the last 60 years goodbye. Welcome back to the 1950's when women knew their place, and there were no people of color, anywhere. But, heck, at least you didn't compromise your principles and vote for Hillary, and that's the important thing, right?
27
Isn't this a carbon copy of the August 2010 article you wrote: "Devoted liberal Elena Kagan, 50, was sworn as the 112th justice of the Supreme Court, giving President Obama a victory in his push to shape the court for decades to come."? Gee, I searched and searched for that story and could not seem to find it. Seems when ultra-lieberals are put on the bench, it's just another "good for America" moment, even though the main reason she was chosen was to support the Obama agenda to "fundamentally transform" America, not follow the Constitution.
8
There are no ultra-liberals or ultra-lieberals on the bench.
2
A sad day for DEMOCRACY!
13
Gorsuch, in a stolen seat, will be a reliable partner of Clarence Thomas, Alito, et al. Republicans could have as easily installed a computer on SCOTUS. There will be no deviation from ultra right wing ideology from this guy.
A very, very sad day for the American people. A further delegitimization of the Supreme Court.
A very, very sad day for the American people. A further delegitimization of the Supreme Court.
12
We should be saying "Justice Garland" right now.
29
We should have been saying "Justice Garland" eight months ago.
1
When it comes to SCOTUS judges, anything goes. Both sides know the extreme importance of this and there is a history of very aggressive tactics on both sides for many, many years.
The truth is, the Democrats just got outmaneuvered on this one. Gorsuch is a fine judge and you may not like how he got his seat but he is more than qualified. Furthermore, the Dems have now shown themselves to be unreasonable in the eyes of many and have lost the filibuster, making this process that much easier for Trump if he gets to nominate another justice.
The truth is, the Democrats just got outmaneuvered on this one. Gorsuch is a fine judge and you may not like how he got his seat but he is more than qualified. Furthermore, the Dems have now shown themselves to be unreasonable in the eyes of many and have lost the filibuster, making this process that much easier for Trump if he gets to nominate another justice.
9
Deciding not to go below a certain standard is not the same thing as being outmanoeuvred.
Republicans deserve to have the democrats spend the next decade, openly designing and instigating constitutional crises, and let the GOP be the ones who prevent civil war from breaking out.
Does anyone seriously think they could take the pressure and keep the country together? Rise above their narrow ideological agenda and serve the entire population?
Republicans deserve to have the democrats spend the next decade, openly designing and instigating constitutional crises, and let the GOP be the ones who prevent civil war from breaking out.
Does anyone seriously think they could take the pressure and keep the country together? Rise above their narrow ideological agenda and serve the entire population?
7
Your party refused to give a hearing to Merrick Garland, and it's the Democrats who are being unreasonable?
How do people come to believe such tripe?
How do people come to believe such tripe?
3
Always patting himself on the back isn't he? If the Republicans hadn't stolen the seat from President Obama and Merrick Garland and if McConnell hadn't invoked the nuclear option, trump would never have been successful in getting Gorsuch* onto the Supreme Court.
What a piece of work.
What a piece of work.
17
With apologies to G & S
My name is Neil Gorsuch, once Supreme Court nominee
And without the nuclear option, just a was to be
I'm socially conservative, don't like to take a life
Although with the Death Penalty I've not a bit of strife,
On SCOTUS 5-4 decisions usually concur
It shows my controversial views, right wingish as it were,
The Hobby Lobby case I wrote was as the SCOTUS said
For this the Democrats it seems really went for my head,
And I can't think why.
My name is Neil Gorsuch, once Supreme Court nominee
And without the nuclear option, just a was to be
I'm socially conservative, don't like to take a life
Although with the Death Penalty I've not a bit of strife,
On SCOTUS 5-4 decisions usually concur
It shows my controversial views, right wingish as it were,
The Hobby Lobby case I wrote was as the SCOTUS said
For this the Democrats it seems really went for my head,
And I can't think why.
41
Gilbert would be proud :)
You can dress him up in formal black robes and seat him on the highest bench in the land, but to my mind Justice Gorsuch will always be the living embodiment of the legal phrase, "fruit of the poisonous tree."
26
"Mr. Trump called the occasion “momentous” and “historic,” noting that his power to appoint was among a president’s most important. “And I got it done in the first 100 days,” Mr. Trump said. “You think that’s easy?”
Trump simply cannot do anything in his new role without making it all about him. It would be pathetic except that he deserves no pity. He is the most embarrassing president in the history of this country.
Trump simply cannot do anything in his new role without making it all about him. It would be pathetic except that he deserves no pity. He is the most embarrassing president in the history of this country.
283
More importantly, what happened to his party when President Obama exercised his "most important power" and they refused to give him a hearing. Yes, this seat was hijacked!
1
Gorsuch and MItch McConnell will forever be tainted by "the stolen seat."
Repeat that over and over. America has been shamed
Repeat that over and over. America has been shamed
55
Gorsuch is not tainted as he had no role in Garland, but is merely a qualified judge appointed to the bench. As long as he does his job and upholds the constitution and the other laws, then he should be judged accordingly.
4
McConnell should pay for his self serving anti American ways.
It's all about money, and it is destroying the country.
It's all about money, and it is destroying the country.
1
The impostor. If he had any decency he would have at least mentioned Judge Garland. As for "senator" McConnell History will judge him as serving party over country over and over. Weasel.
80
We shouldn't be calling Gorsuch an imposter, he didn't decline to send Garland to hearings or have any other role. He was just a solid judge appointed. He can still faithfully fulfill his duty.
6
if he had any class he would decline a nomination for a stolen seat.
8
If Garland had any class maybe he would have received a hearing.
Every 5-4 decision with Gorsuch on the majority will be illegitimate, stolen, tainted. He can never represent the American people as a "justice" on the court with integrity. Why he was craven enough agree to accept the nomination speaks volumes about his need to pursue the extreme right's agenda at all costs. Shameful.
150
So was no one to accept the appointment? Just continue on with 8 indefinitely? It isn't Gorsuch's fault and he can still uphold his duty and the Constitution.
3
Yes, it is Gorsuch's fault. It would have been ANY judge's fault that accepted the nomination. That's the way it works with "tainted". Everyone approached had an ethical and patriotic duty to refuse.
3
There was a time in America, regardless of being a Democrat or Republican, religious or atheist, where a man (or woman) would say " I will not take the appointment, it is simply wrong that the other man did not get his proper chance."
However in today's world, with your spouse lovingly gazing at you, partisanship everywhere and a "who am I to judge attitude", there are no such thoughts.
This is somewhat similar to when a high powered CEO throws his wife of 30 years over for the new 25 year old, all the other socialites simply erase her name, add the new one, and life goes on.
In many ways we are less and less a decent people, with proper behavior and courtesy chipped away with each appalling action. Now that's sad.
However in today's world, with your spouse lovingly gazing at you, partisanship everywhere and a "who am I to judge attitude", there are no such thoughts.
This is somewhat similar to when a high powered CEO throws his wife of 30 years over for the new 25 year old, all the other socialites simply erase her name, add the new one, and life goes on.
In many ways we are less and less a decent people, with proper behavior and courtesy chipped away with each appalling action. Now that's sad.
86
So no one should have accepted the position?
5
Started by Harry Reid in 2013 and please don't downplay the seating in circuit courts like the 9th circuit of liberal progressive judges. Reid started it period as he whined about republicans holding up appointments. Well if Reid and Dems had nominated centrist judges we all might be better off; unfortunately that did not occur. And as far as Garland goes Obama knew well ahead of time that Garland would not get a hearing. He nominated him snywY to score points and further divide our country.
5
@ Brian
You have to be kidding. The Democrats owed the Republicans centrist judges, Republicans didn't get them, and so Republicans were justified in holding up appointments?
Laughable, particular since Republicans would NEVER stand for the same from Democrats.
Where Republicans excel are upholding their own standards for everyone but themselves. Nauseating.
You have to be kidding. The Democrats owed the Republicans centrist judges, Republicans didn't get them, and so Republicans were justified in holding up appointments?
Laughable, particular since Republicans would NEVER stand for the same from Democrats.
Where Republicans excel are upholding their own standards for everyone but themselves. Nauseating.
5
The heist of Judge Garland's seat is complete. The new "justice" should forever have an asterisk next to his name.
97
I did not study political science in college,and that is probably the source of my confusion.
Our elected officials cannot make big policy decisions, and instead rely on a court of lifetime appointees to deal with abortion, political money, health care, the role of religion in society, etc., etc. . And in fact a minority of the voting population picked the President and the Senators from very small states, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, etc, who represent the minority of the people approved this person for the Supreme Court.
Now, what makes us the world's greatest Democracy, is it that we are the most easily duped into believing that.
Our elected officials cannot make big policy decisions, and instead rely on a court of lifetime appointees to deal with abortion, political money, health care, the role of religion in society, etc., etc. . And in fact a minority of the voting population picked the President and the Senators from very small states, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, etc, who represent the minority of the people approved this person for the Supreme Court.
Now, what makes us the world's greatest Democracy, is it that we are the most easily duped into believing that.
5
First, we are not a pure Democracy and were not founded as such, which explains many of your confusions. Second, Judges/courts don't or shouldn't decide or shape laws concerning any of those things you enumerated, that is the job of Congress. This is precisely what Gorsuch stated in his hearings, if a ruling is not what you like, if you think the current laws aren't being interpreted as you wish, as Congress you can make new law. This is how the government was established.
1
“Justice Gorsuch, you are now entrusted with the sacred duty of defending our Constitution,” Mr. Trump said, a little more than a year after his lap dog, Mitch McConnell, abdicated his responsibility to uphold it.
34
This is a very important and very good step. Congratulations to President Trump and Justice Gorsuch!
4
The majority leader of the Senate wants a president from his own party to make the nomination for the Supreme Court, so he delays confirmation until his party controls the presidency. Fine arrangement. And the Republicans say that they are so devoted to strict, literal interpretation of the Constitution.
37
This seat was stolen from "we the people", this is a dark day in America...
63
Yes, Garland should have gotten a hearing. But he is a fair judge and had no role in any of that. 25% of voters said the Supreme Court was the major reason they voted they way the did, so apparently many of the "people" are fine with this.
3
Just as I never use "president" and "Trump" together, Gorsuch is "he who occupies the Stolen Supreme Court Seat.
65
Rediculous. Gorsuch's time on the bench is his. He was not involved in anything else that came before. He was asked to serve and he accepted.
4
He's qualified, just like Ginsburg, who was confirmed 96 to 3, Kagen (63 to 37), and the self-proclaimed 'Wise Latina' (68 to 31). Shame on the democrats for politizing the nomination process. In any case, it's one down and a couple more to go.
48
Remember the Republicans didn't even give Garland a hearing.
13
None of the other justices you mentioned occupied a stolen seat.
"Shame on the democrats for politizing(sic) the nomination process."
That's rich.
"Shame on the democrats for politizing(sic) the nomination process."
That's rich.
14
You and I know that qualifications have nothing to do with it. Merrick was qualified. The point is that Gorsuch insists on ignoring the intent of a law and uses precise wording as an escape hatch when it comes to protecting the health and safety of individuals (as illustrated by the freezing truck driver case). Yet he will completely ignore the clause pertaining to a well regulated militia in the second amendment. Yes, Justice Gorsuch is indeed well qualified to read the law in a manner that befits his lack of sense of justice.
10
Justice Gorsuch will be remembered for having accepted the stolen seat, for having caused the end of the filibuster, and for having contributed to making the most political court in the land even more political.
484
Of course. The Democrats are as pure as the driven snow and are never hypocritical, in their actions. ROTFL.
Ignore problems long enough, Democrats -- this is what happens. Stop blaming others, fix your problems now. Good luck, you'll need it.
Ignore problems long enough, Democrats -- this is what happens. Stop blaming others, fix your problems now. Good luck, you'll need it.
And history will be far less kind to Mr. McConnell.
McConnell and the Republican Senate are responsible for the stench of political misbehavior that will linger with Gorsuch. They broke the Senate and they besmirched this otherwise competent judge.
"Sacred duty of defending our Constitution." Priceless.
From a lying con man, to a man with so little integrity that he is willing to accept a seat on our highest court given to him by a third man who insulted a highly respected judge, our former president, our judicial process, and therefore all American citizens.
Gorsuch will never, ever be a legitimate justice.
From a lying con man, to a man with so little integrity that he is willing to accept a seat on our highest court given to him by a third man who insulted a highly respected judge, our former president, our judicial process, and therefore all American citizens.
Gorsuch will never, ever be a legitimate justice.
272
So no one should have accepted the seat? May have well changed the make up of the Court to 8? Ridiculous, it wasn't Gorsuch's fault, he was just appointed like Garland. That's like blaming Garland for not getting a hearing.
1
I guess McConnell learned from Democrats about insulting highly respected judges (Bork rejection, Thomas slander, Alito filibuster).
A "so-called POTUS" appoints a "so-call Justice Gorsuch*" to a stolen seat.
188
I really fail to see how this qualifies as a Trump "victory". He has a majority of yes-men in the Senate who would have rubber-stamped any nominee. I'm only surprised Trump didn't nominate Kushner. Would have been an even greater "victory" for him.
138
"I'm only surprised Trump didn't nominate Kushner".
Don't give the Donald any ideas.
Don't give the Donald any ideas.
5
Something tells me you'd have no problem if Obama claimed "victory" if his nominee was rubber stamped.
It's unfortunate that the appointment of such a qualified guy is being attacked for pure political reasons. I think it is reasonable to sit back for a few years and wait for his votes and opinions before issuing a verdict. Remember that Roe v. Wade was the work product of Republican appointees and that Roberts became the critical vote approving Obamacare. Sometimes expectations are wrong.
9
No amount of time will change the fact that he occupies a stolen seat. An honorable person who "respects the law" would not have.
5
and I have some beachfront property belonging to Chuck hire the handicapped Grassley's backyard for sale.
Being "qualified" is necessary but not sufficient to become a Supreme Court justice.
This isn't complicated. Who cares that he's smart, has Ivy League degrees and was a Court of Appeals judge? Duh. I'd expect those qualifications or similar from anyone nominated to the Court.
You know very well why people are upset. Don't play coy.
This isn't complicated. Who cares that he's smart, has Ivy League degrees and was a Court of Appeals judge? Duh. I'd expect those qualifications or similar from anyone nominated to the Court.
You know very well why people are upset. Don't play coy.
5
I don't think Justice Gorsuch will be as terrible as people think. I think he will actually be a bit of a check on Trump's power. sure, Garland would have been a bigger check. But with Trump in the White House, and the Nuclear Option detonated, Gorsuch isn't so bad. All I have to say, is it could have been A LOT worse.
2
After all the Political Battles over Judge Gorsuch
we should ask ourselves whether it is wise to have a former Clerk of
a sitting Justice on the Supreme Court.
Yes, it is nice to have very bright students and Laws Clerks on the Court
but I am left wondering about the average American.
The typical American cannot afford an Attorney, or at least one of those
fancy attorneys that gets you out on bail the very day your are arrested.
Who hires Jury Consultants and gets your charges reduced and perhaps a
stay in "Re-Hab" facility" instead of Prison, and if not, at least Plea-Bargains
the State down to a Minimal Sentence.
Maybe we need a bright person who had to go to Law School at Night so they
could work to feed their family and who was not a Clerk on the Supreme or
Federal Courts but spent a few years working as a Public Defender and then,
in due time, became a Country Judge, then a State Appellate Judge.
So someone who has held actual trials, heard witnesses clearly lie,
heard the guilty declare their complete innocence then once found guilty,
heard the guilty admit to all the charges and said where they hid the money/
buried the bodies in order to get a Lighter Sentence.
A Judge who has extensive experience with actual trials - not just the endless documents that go into the endless Appeals.
A Supreme Court Judge who knows what it is like to be ensnared in our
"less than Just" Justice system and who cares more for human justice
rather than Constitutional commas.
we should ask ourselves whether it is wise to have a former Clerk of
a sitting Justice on the Supreme Court.
Yes, it is nice to have very bright students and Laws Clerks on the Court
but I am left wondering about the average American.
The typical American cannot afford an Attorney, or at least one of those
fancy attorneys that gets you out on bail the very day your are arrested.
Who hires Jury Consultants and gets your charges reduced and perhaps a
stay in "Re-Hab" facility" instead of Prison, and if not, at least Plea-Bargains
the State down to a Minimal Sentence.
Maybe we need a bright person who had to go to Law School at Night so they
could work to feed their family and who was not a Clerk on the Supreme or
Federal Courts but spent a few years working as a Public Defender and then,
in due time, became a Country Judge, then a State Appellate Judge.
So someone who has held actual trials, heard witnesses clearly lie,
heard the guilty declare their complete innocence then once found guilty,
heard the guilty admit to all the charges and said where they hid the money/
buried the bodies in order to get a Lighter Sentence.
A Judge who has extensive experience with actual trials - not just the endless documents that go into the endless Appeals.
A Supreme Court Judge who knows what it is like to be ensnared in our
"less than Just" Justice system and who cares more for human justice
rather than Constitutional commas.
6
Didn't Roberts clerk for Rehnquist? Nothing new here.
1
Absolutely!
The biggest problem with Gorsuch (aside from the fact that this seat was stolen, his lack of empathy and common sense in cases that tested the fairness of laws i.e. the truck driver case, and evidence of his plagiarism) is the lack of diversity in educational background in the current court members. Yes they have some ethnic and economic diversity. But Are we really going to have only Harvard Law and Yale Law graduates on the court? That is so narrow-minded!
Of the now 9 SCOTUS justices:
6 went to Harvard Law, 3 to Yale Law
2 went to Stanford undergrad, 1 to Holy Cross,the other 6 to Eastern Ivy leagues(1-Cornell,1-Harvard, 3-Princeton, 1-Columbia)
4 are from NYC/NJ
1 from Buffalo
2 from California
I from GA
1 from Denver.
There has to be a problem with such a narrow definition of who is felt to be the best to be on our highest court.
The biggest problem with Gorsuch (aside from the fact that this seat was stolen, his lack of empathy and common sense in cases that tested the fairness of laws i.e. the truck driver case, and evidence of his plagiarism) is the lack of diversity in educational background in the current court members. Yes they have some ethnic and economic diversity. But Are we really going to have only Harvard Law and Yale Law graduates on the court? That is so narrow-minded!
Of the now 9 SCOTUS justices:
6 went to Harvard Law, 3 to Yale Law
2 went to Stanford undergrad, 1 to Holy Cross,the other 6 to Eastern Ivy leagues(1-Cornell,1-Harvard, 3-Princeton, 1-Columbia)
4 are from NYC/NJ
1 from Buffalo
2 from California
I from GA
1 from Denver.
There has to be a problem with such a narrow definition of who is felt to be the best to be on our highest court.
1
Cathy Z,
Thank You.
Unfortunately we live in a Society that think that those
who are brilliant are brilliant at age 17 and no one else who may be
as intelligent, or even more intelligent, can ever come forth to
be a Supreme Court Justice.
How many Supreme Court Justices ever went on a
"Ride - A - Long" with the Police, or ever tried to put cuffs
on a 6 foot 6 man high on Drugs or saw what a Murder Scene
looks like in person ?
How much time have the spent as Public Defenders or just
visiting a Prison to see how awful the conditions can be
or been coerced into a "Plea-Bargain" ?
Can we please have some Federal Judges and Justices who
have real experience with crime in America and the "lack of" -
Justice system.
Thank You.
Unfortunately we live in a Society that think that those
who are brilliant are brilliant at age 17 and no one else who may be
as intelligent, or even more intelligent, can ever come forth to
be a Supreme Court Justice.
How many Supreme Court Justices ever went on a
"Ride - A - Long" with the Police, or ever tried to put cuffs
on a 6 foot 6 man high on Drugs or saw what a Murder Scene
looks like in person ?
How much time have the spent as Public Defenders or just
visiting a Prison to see how awful the conditions can be
or been coerced into a "Plea-Bargain" ?
Can we please have some Federal Judges and Justices who
have real experience with crime in America and the "lack of" -
Justice system.
1
Justice Gorsuch----the justice with an eternal asterisk next to his name.
132
*Survived Democrat obstruction.
Alito has the same proud asterisk.
Alito has the same proud asterisk.
I will always see it as a stolen seat, which undermines the legitimacy of him as a judge and also undermines our democratic republic.
85
L,
Where in the Constitution does it speak of anyone "owning" a Supreme Court Seat.
The Senate, yes controlled by the Republicans, refused to give hearings and a vote to Judge Garland. That is the right of the Senate, just as it is the right of the
Democrats in the Senate to vote against a qualified candidate who had the
ABA approval.
Where in the Constitution does it speak of anyone "owning" a Supreme Court Seat.
The Senate, yes controlled by the Republicans, refused to give hearings and a vote to Judge Garland. That is the right of the Senate, just as it is the right of the
Democrats in the Senate to vote against a qualified candidate who had the
ABA approval.
3
@L "I will always see it as a stolen seat"
Doesn't matter how you see it or how many tamper tantrums Democrats through.
Republicans controlled the Senate and now also the Presidency.
If another party wants to control who sits in the Supreme Court, they will have to do it the old fashion way - by winning elections.
Doesn't matter how you see it or how many tamper tantrums Democrats through.
Republicans controlled the Senate and now also the Presidency.
If another party wants to control who sits in the Supreme Court, they will have to do it the old fashion way - by winning elections.
1
Thank you, Leonard Leo and your Federalist Society for bankrolling this wholly-owned subsidiary of American corporations and for subverting our Democracy for decades to come. Shame on you and Mitch McConnell for your scheming, move-the-goalposts, win-at-all-costs strategy. Had this happened in a high school student council election, no one would tolerate it. I leave aside Gorsuch's nauseating habit of plagiarism.
138
"Had this happened in a high school student council election, no one would tolerate it." Especially not Rick Perry.
5
If Neil had the highest of ethical standards, we would have withdrawn his nomination once it was clear that the Republicans would have to change the rules to fit the candidate instead of changing the candidate to fit the rules.
318
DC,
The Senate makes its own rules.
The Majority in the Senate can pretty much do what they want via the rules.
Could all those Democrats who voted against Justice Gorsuch really
give convincing legal grounds to turn down a Judge that had the ABA recomendation ?
The Senate makes its own rules.
The Majority in the Senate can pretty much do what they want via the rules.
Could all those Democrats who voted against Justice Gorsuch really
give convincing legal grounds to turn down a Judge that had the ABA recomendation ?
3
Or not have accepted stolen goods in the first place.
1
And if "ethics" were a concern in WashDC, the Clintons would have never gotten there. Res ipsa, pal.
1
Let us not despair, with the 60 vote rule gone, the next Democratic Congressional majority and, hopefully a bold Democrat in the White House, will re-examine FDR's failed solution to a conservative Supreme Court: pack it.
Since politics are no longer bound by comity and tradition there is no reason not to expand the size of the courts.
Discuss?
Since politics are no longer bound by comity and tradition there is no reason not to expand the size of the courts.
Discuss?
36
DP,
And what would prevent the Republicans from adding to the Supreme Court
the next time they have control of the Presidency and Senate ?
How many Justices will we end up with ?
And what would prevent the Republicans from adding to the Supreme Court
the next time they have control of the Presidency and Senate ?
How many Justices will we end up with ?
1
nonsense... the GOP always confirm Democrat nominees but for the last one; which was a fait de complet before Obama nominated him.(you willfully choose to ignore this)
The GOP has ALREADY paid the price for the Reid Rule(see Obamas appointments without the filibuster)... this is why the "you'd better not go nuclear for your own good" argument failed.
Furthermore... isn't it the Democrats that are paying/will be paying the price for the elimination of the filibuster(the Reid Rule)? It seems that Harry Reid has given cover to the Republicans for all judgeship's going forward.
The GOP has ALREADY paid the price for the Reid Rule(see Obamas appointments without the filibuster)... this is why the "you'd better not go nuclear for your own good" argument failed.
Furthermore... isn't it the Democrats that are paying/will be paying the price for the elimination of the filibuster(the Reid Rule)? It seems that Harry Reid has given cover to the Republicans for all judgeship's going forward.
2
Can I have a side of Freedom Fries with that "fait de complet"?
2
Congratulations Neil. Shame on the Democrats.
5
The "shame" belongs to the Republicans who wouldn't even give Garland a hearing.
7
The NYT characterizes this appointment as a"vital campaign promise." What kind of promise? Promise to whom? Vital to whom? And perhaps more to the point, this "promise"was fulfilled, made possible, not by Trump, but by the Republican party "leadership."
39
...and Russia!
3
The campaign promise was to the evangelical base. The goal is the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
His place on the bench will be tainted for the rest of his days. It is and will always remain a stolen seat.
360
LindaP,
Given the Republicans controlled the Senate last year there little chance
they would have voted to approve of Justice Garland.
As for being "Stolen" - when does a Supreme Court Seat belong to anyone
or any party ?
Given the Republicans controlled the Senate last year there little chance
they would have voted to approve of Justice Garland.
As for being "Stolen" - when does a Supreme Court Seat belong to anyone
or any party ?
6
Unfortunately, tainted will still do grave damage to the constitution.
2
When the hearing for the seat was denied. THAT stole the seat which was being held in reserve for Garland, until votes were cast to confirm or deny. The "Hearing", being denied, stole the seat !
McConnell prevented any hearing for Garland who could have had the seat. Since when does "Denying A Hearing" NOT absolutely prevent Garland from occupying the seat? Thus Stealing the seat.
McConnell prevented any hearing for Garland who could have had the seat. Since when does "Denying A Hearing" NOT absolutely prevent Garland from occupying the seat? Thus Stealing the seat.
1
The depravity of Gorsuch and his party leaves me speechless.
313
The ignorance of the Left is appalling.
Remember, logic dictates that if removing funding for Planned Parenthood is a "War on Women", then giving funding to Planned Parenthood is a "War on Men". Unless "Liberal Logic" is different from the normal kind.
Remember, logic dictates that if removing funding for Planned Parenthood is a "War on Women", then giving funding to Planned Parenthood is a "War on Men". Unless "Liberal Logic" is different from the normal kind.
4
Planned parenthood also tests and treats men for STDs, so get informed please .
6
Women often go to PP as a result of interactions with men; consensual or otherwise. Your "conservative logic" is frankly ridiculous.
1
Okay, Republicans.
You got your new guy safely on the bench.
NOW will you consider cutting bait on Trump before he costs us too much in blood and treasure, as well as mud and leisure?
The entire world openly mocks his incompetence, ignorance and general impotence.
His weekend White House alone is costing us tens of millions.
The pointless wall will cost us a hundred billion more.
You got your new Justice, the main goal of allowing this disaster of a so-called president. Will you please just let him go now and let us return from the polarization and idiocy he brings?
You got your new guy safely on the bench.
NOW will you consider cutting bait on Trump before he costs us too much in blood and treasure, as well as mud and leisure?
The entire world openly mocks his incompetence, ignorance and general impotence.
His weekend White House alone is costing us tens of millions.
The pointless wall will cost us a hundred billion more.
You got your new Justice, the main goal of allowing this disaster of a so-called president. Will you please just let him go now and let us return from the polarization and idiocy he brings?
172
Thank you. You've put this just right. Are McConnell and Ryan governing for all Americans, or just for the select few?
16
The entire world is actually looking on in surprise as Trump did what Obama failed to do in Syria.
Blood and treasure? You mean the way Bush did in the Middle East that we are still paying for? And Clinton did by allowing Glass-Steagall to be repealed on his watch and NAFTA to go through?
So far, Trump hasn't cost us much at all. No Americans have died. The wall isn't actually going to be built.
And after sticking it to Assad last week, calling him "impotent" is rather comical - it was the EU and Bush and Obama that Putin and Assad ran rings around for the last seven years or so. . .
Blood and treasure? You mean the way Bush did in the Middle East that we are still paying for? And Clinton did by allowing Glass-Steagall to be repealed on his watch and NAFTA to go through?
So far, Trump hasn't cost us much at all. No Americans have died. The wall isn't actually going to be built.
And after sticking it to Assad last week, calling him "impotent" is rather comical - it was the EU and Bush and Obama that Putin and Assad ran rings around for the last seven years or so. . .
5
Again, it only gives us Pence, which is arguably much worse as he really and sincerely does want what the extreme right of the country wants, and is a more skilled politician. Be careful what you wish for.
3
The fact that the NYT lists this piece un the heading 'Politics' says it all.
251