Would you suport a Dem POTUS allowing the GOP to handpick a Supreme Court Justice, IF........

[charlie and algernon]

that meant the Democratic President got to handpick a liberal Supreme Court Chief Justice?


I just watched an episode of the West Wing where President Bartlet had a spot open up on the Supreme Court after a conservative justice died. His staff wants to fill it with a very liberal judge (played by Glenn Close), however they realize that the GOP in the Senate will never approve her. So they come up with a plan where they get the aging, liberal Chief Justice to resign and they nominate Glenn Close for Chief Justice. BUT, they have to give that other seat to the GOP and they handpick a young, very conservative William Fitchner. Bartlet ends up nominating both the conservative Fitchner and the liberal Close.


Of course the current Supreme Court already has a young conservative as Chief Justice, so the situation isn't exactly the same in real life. However, assuming the real-life make up was the same as the West Wing Supreme Court, is there any way you would get behind Obama nominating a young conservative to the Supreme Court if it meant he also got to nominate a strong liberal woman (or just a strong liberal, period) as Chief Justice?

[RC]

1. No.

The advantage goes to the conservatives because of the young conservative on the court. There has been way too much caving to the self-serving, sociopathic criminals on the Right and this would be another cave. Use the current situation with Darrell Issa committee and the rest of their anti-woman agenda to pound the other side into the ground and get the strong liberal woman plus another Left of Center seated.
Of course that will never happen with this President.

[bowens43]

2. no

[spanone]

3. surely you jest

[charlie and algernon]

8. I am, and don't call me Shirley

I love the West Wing because they got away with a lot of pie in the sky liberal programs that would NEVER fly in the real world. I was just curious as to whether real life Liberals would actually go along with a plan like that.

[dsc]

4. there are court make ups where I would support that

but under this one no way. For example, if the court were 5 to 4 liberal then yes since the balance stays 5 -4 and the make up is cemented for longer.

[charlie and algernon]

6. I don't recall if the West Wing mentions the actual numbers of liberals vs. conservatives on the SC

but that deal doesn't change it. The GOP got to replace the dead conservative judge with a new one and the Dems got to replace the resigning liberal chief justice with a younger liberal.

[rfranklin]

5. The GOP would insist on picking first and then block the liberal appointee...

They are not trustworthy.

[truebrit71]

7. Exactly...Dems pick would have to be approved before the gop one..

...Think: Lucy/Charlie Brown/Football

[HopeHoops]

9. No.