All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

There will be s fight, and the voters will have their say. Collin's career will be in the toilet if she allows McConnell to push through a nominee. Others have their own elections to consider.

Tami... there is a lame duck section.

Collins is going to be able to vote on this knowing either she won 6 more years and is safe or that she’s on her way out and she can make a vote that doesn’t effect her. And you can bet your ass she’ll have Republicans telling her that if she doesn’t vote she’ll be a pariah in her post Congressional career. Trump wants this, Mitch wants this, this is the fight they want

[C_Miller]

Call me an idiot, but I am still somewhat optimistic. This is a tricky political situation for a lot of Republicans including the President himself and Mitch probably knows that. He clearly doesn't care, but it's a tricky position to be in, especially on the precipice of an election where the incumbent does not look to be in a strong position.

At this point, the Country is relying on four Republican senators to put party over country. Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski... two more...

Pessimistically, this is McConnell's endgame. He gets is nominee in, he doesn't care about the Senate or the Presidency anymore. He will have "won."

[Gray Lensman]

Tami... there is a lame duck section.

Collins is going to be able to vote on this knowing either she won 6 more years and is safe or that she’s on her way out and she can make a vote that doesn’t effect her. And you can bet your ass she’ll have Republicans telling her that if she doesn’t vote she’ll be a pariah in her post Congressional career. Trump wants this, Mitch wants this, this is the fight they want

The question is going to be will she show her true rotten color if she loses the election, or will she feel liberated from Trumpism? I fear the first and hope for the second, even if I'm not going to get my hopes up.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

The question is going to be will she show her true rotten color if she loses the election, or will she feel liberated from Trumpism? I fear the first and hope for the second, even if I'm not going to get my hopes up.

She votes for Kavanaugh and felt “bad” about it. I have relative that used to work with Collins years back. Don’t expect much of her.

[AnakinFlair]

So, Murkowski, Collins, Grassley, and Romney have all gone on record as to not voting on a new SC nominee until after the inauguration. After the **** with Justice Kegger, I just won't believe it until I see it.

I would believe that from Murkowski, and possibly Romney. Romney isn't up for a few years, and Murkowski isn't dependent on Trump to stay in office. She won as a write in, for god's sake. Collins would probably refuse to vote for a new justice in a desperate bid to get good will and keep her seat; if and when she looses, however, she'd vote someone in in a heart beat. I don't know about Grassley.

[Kal-El Summers]

I would believe that from Murkowski, and possibly Romney. Romney isn't up for a few years, and Murkowski isn't dependent on Trump to stay in office. She won as a write in, for god's sake. Collins would probably refuse to vote for a new justice in a desperate bid to get good will and keep her seat; if and when she looses, however, she'd vote someone in in a heart beat. I don't know about Grassley.

Apparently, Mark Kelly could get sworn in on November 30th if he beats McSally in Arizona, which could definitely help but also make Mitch more desperate to flip Collins or Grassley if they try to remain true to their word.

EDIT: Stupidly forgot that Mitch would have to agree to swear him in. Goddamnit...

[kidfresh512]

I think too many people have faith in the GOP here at all. How many times do they have to show you they are hypocrites? They don't give a damn what you have them on tape saying in the past about this situation. You think they will be run off into shame and be poor after they vote a new Justice in?

They will go on even after getting booted from their seats in some cases write revisionist history books, get speaking gigs for millions. None of them will live in ignominy like they should. The pressure will be ENORMUS especially if they already lost their seat. To do the GOP a favor for decades to come.

[AnakinFlair]

There will be s fight, and the voters will have their say. Collin's career will be in the toilet if she allows McConnell to push through a nominee. Others have their own elections to consider.

And yet, McConnell is still up by double digits in Kentucky.

Why?!

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

And yet, McConnell is still up by double digits in Kentucky.

Why?!

Because it’s Kentucky. Also it probably doesn’t help that his opponent needed to outspend her primary opponent by 10x the cash flow to barely eek out a win, with most of the money coming from out of state. It sucks but that state is a lost cause. Realistically Democrats need to focus on Lindsay Graham’s seat. That is winnable. Mitch is a waste of resources at this point

[Gray Lensman]

Because it’s Kentucky. Also it probably doesn’t help that his opponent needed to outspend her primary opponent by 10x the cash flow to barely eek out a win, with most of the money coming from out of state. It sucks but that state is a lost cause. Realistically Democrats need to focus on Lindsay Graham’s seat. That is winnable. Mitch is a waste of resources at this point

The only purpose to spending in Kentucky was to force the Republicans to also spend there and not on more winnable races. Since the race isn't promising to do that, spend elsewhere.

[Amadeus Arkham]

I’m saddened that this dark day has come, but I’m more afraid about the dark days to come.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

The only purpose to spending in Kentucky was to force the Republicans to also spend there and not on more winnable races. Since the race isn't promising to do that, spend elsewhere.

Yes. Anybody who was planning should just go to Lindsay’s SC seat because it’s like a one point race

[Bruce Wayne]

Biden winning and expanding the Court is probably the only option left.

It's not going to happen. FDR couldn't even manage it never mind the current crop of Democrats.

[kidfresh512]

Justice Ginsburg's Death Sets Up Political Battle In The Senate

Indeed, a week after the upcoming presidential election, the court is for the third time scheduled to hear a challenge brought by Republicans to the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. In 2012 the High Court upheld the law by a 5-to-4 vote, with Chief Justice Roberts casting the deciding vote and writing the opinion for the majority. But this time the outcome may well be different.

That's because Ginsburg's death gives Republicans the chance to tighten their grip on the court with another Trump appointment that would give conservatives a 6-to-3 majority. And that would mean that even a defection on the right would leave conservatives with enough votes to prevail in the Obamacare case and many others.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

It's not going to happen. FDR couldn't even manage it never mind the current crop of Democrats.

Biden already said he wouldn’t. It’s a Pandora’s box. As bad as this is, and it’s VERY bad, you pack courts and you never can lose an election because rights in this country will change every few years. The problem we have now is a result of Obama having a seat stolen. He should have gotten to replace Scalia and then Trump makes a young upgrade to Kennedy, then finally now would be the counter balance to Scalia’s replacement and we’d be right where we were in 2015. Instead that one power play basically threw everything off balance and Trump gets 3 picks in one term. Packing the courts is just going to change the game.