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Mitch McConnell Is the Master of Confirming Judges
WSJ ^ | July 9, 2018 | Fred Barnes

Posted on 07/10/2018 10:21:48 AM PDT by Brilliant

The ball is in Mitch McConnell’s court again. He guided Neil Gorsuch to a seat on the Supreme Court with ease in 2017. He’s a perfect 21 for 21 in confirming the federal appeals-court nominees of President Trump, with more to come this year. Given the thin margin he has to work with, this is impressive.

Mr. McConnell adopted as his top priority as Senate majority leader an ambitious effort to make the federal courts more conservative—from top to bottom. There’s only one way to do this—fill every judicial vacancy with a conservative.

For Mr. McConnell, this is a war. Justice Gorsuch was D-Day. Judge Brett Kavanaugh is the slog across France. Mr. McConnell is a general in a hurry to keep winning, since Republicans could lose the Senate majority in November.

With this nomination, Mr. McConnell’s task has gotten more difficult than last year. Republicans had a 52-48 majority last year when they approved Justice Gorsuch unanimously. Now the majority is effectively 50-49, with a Democratic pickup in Alabama and John McCain’s absence.

When Justice Gorsuch sailed through, Democrats and the left were reeling from Donald Trump’s election. Their opposition was inept. The vaunted “resistance” to anything associated with Mr. Trump was pathetic. Now Democrats are committed to blocking Judge Kavanaugh, and they’re serious. But they still have Chuck Schumer as their leader, and they still can’t do it without Republican help.

Mr. McConnell is no Chuck Schumer. He doesn’t try to make clever compromises that quickly fall apart, as Mr. Schumer did...

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: brettkavanaugh; kavanaugh; mcconnell; mitchmcconnell; scotus; supremecourt; trump
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He's also pretty good at blocking Dem appointees.
1 posted on 07/10/2018 10:21:48 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant

He has been quite artful at setting up the judicial votes for lower court at time of day when few Ds are there and asked for a voice vote on a procedural movement
Rather smooth operator actually.


2 posted on 07/10/2018 10:28:17 AM PDT by hoosiermama (When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.DJT)
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To: Brilliant

Just wait until RBG is retired.

The left will really lose it.


3 posted on 07/10/2018 10:29:13 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: hoosiermama

Too
Much dealys by demoncraps


4 posted on 07/10/2018 10:29:20 AM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: Brilliant

FR hysteria corner incoming in . . 3 . . 2 . . . 1 . . . .


5 posted on 07/10/2018 10:30:04 AM PDT by JohnBrowdie
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To: SaveFerris

We could have two or maybe even three more departures from the Court on his watch. Thomas and Ginsburg are the obvious. Byers is possible. Maybe even Sotomayor.

But then if they don’t vacate on Trump’s watch, they will surely vacate on the next President’s watch.


6 posted on 07/10/2018 10:32:49 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant

Yeah.

I give McConnell much credit for keeping Garland off the Supreme Court.

It’s the best thing he’s ever done.

Remember how the media kept insisting that the Republicans were going to pay dearly for it in November 2016?

Those fools. They are always good for a laugh.


7 posted on 07/10/2018 10:33:54 AM PDT by Conserv
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To: Brilliant

I’m getting impressed with Mitch McConnell... the man knows how to get the job done...


8 posted on 07/10/2018 10:35:28 AM PDT by GOPJ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-s1_nfs7f4 STOP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-IsingvI_I)
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To: Brilliant

Why Sotomayor?

She’s only 64.


9 posted on 07/10/2018 10:35:55 AM PDT by Conserv
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To: Brilliant

I’m getting impressed with Mitch McConnell... the man knows how to get the job done... AND he totally saved the court for conservatives for decades... Amazing.


10 posted on 07/10/2018 10:36:00 AM PDT by GOPJ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-s1_nfs7f4 STOP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-IsingvI_I)
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To: Brilliant

Touche’ Turtle is woke & about to POUNCE!


11 posted on 07/10/2018 10:36:18 AM PDT by lee martell
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To: Conserv

She’s got health issues. But 64 is not young.


12 posted on 07/10/2018 10:37:14 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: JohnBrowdie

You mean those who HATE McConnell and lust for another Majority leader. This job requires a great knowledge of Senate rules as well as the skills of a diplomat particularly since he has to corral Republicans.


13 posted on 07/10/2018 10:37:26 AM PDT by arrogantsob (See "Chaos and Mayhem" at Amazon.com)
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To: Brilliant

“She’s got health issues.”

Interesting. Didn’t know that.


14 posted on 07/10/2018 10:39:20 AM PDT by Conserv
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To: Brilliant

I’m getting the vibe that the Democrats are having a resigned, “going through the motions” response to Kavanaugh. Whether it is the obviously pre-printed signs for all the potential candidates, the sloppy failure to bother to proofread their press releases or the drearily predictable, boilerplate denunciations I think they already know that Trump will win this one.


15 posted on 07/10/2018 10:40:15 AM PDT by jalisco555 ("In a Time of Universal Deceit Telling the Truth Is a Revolutionary Act" - George Orwell)
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To: Conserv

For one, she’s got Type 1 diabetes.


16 posted on 07/10/2018 10:41:16 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: jalisco555

Yes. Hell, Collins and Murkowski voted for Kavanaugh for the appeals court.

I think he’s a done deal.


17 posted on 07/10/2018 10:41:48 AM PDT by Conserv
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To: Conserv
Interesting. Didn’t know that.

Very interesting!

18 posted on 07/10/2018 10:41:53 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (...the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light...)
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To: jalisco555
I think they already know that Trump will win this one.

Yep, it's like they are going thru the motions, like someone falling off a 100 story building flapping his wings

19 posted on 07/10/2018 10:43:06 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: jalisco555

I doubt that. They are laying low until the right moment. Then some floosy will come out of the woodwork and accuse him of harassment. They will argue that it needs to be delayed at a minimum.


20 posted on 07/10/2018 10:43:23 AM PDT by Brilliant
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