General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt is about the Senate! It is about the Senate. And judges
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS are seemingly the only thing that can slow the Senates relentless pace of confirming federal judges. All Senate business will pause for the trial, which doesnt yet have a set start date. Mitch McConnell has spoken in favor of a short trial, both for the quick acquittal it would give Trump and so the Senate can get to ratifying the revised North American trade deal and confirming more judges, which both McConnell and Trump see as a crucial part of their legacies and cases for re-election.
The Senate has confirmed 187 judges during Trumps tenure, with 13 coming just during the one week the House spent debating impeachment. During 2019, the Senate averaged one lifetime judge confirmation roughly every four days. There are currently 79 vacancies in the federal judiciary, and Trump and McConnell aim to fill all of them as soon as they can.
https://www.uscourts.gov/judges-judgeships/judicial-vacancies/current-judicial-vacancies?mod=article_inline
https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-ditch-rust-belt-for-sun-belt-in-bid-for-future-growth-11578047400 (paid subscription)
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This topic has to be mentioned in every senate race.
safeinOhio
(32,688 posts)Im thinking those are more important than President.
question everything
(47,486 posts)with a Democratic Congress.
We sometimes forget that even though both Clinton and Obama served two terms, both had a Democratic Congress for only two years. I suspect that the reason there has been such vacancy is that the turtle would not confirm anyone suggested by Obama. I think that the shameful treatment of Merrick Garland was just the culmination of the unprocess.