How about this...nominate Susan Collins for the SC?

[Ken Burch]

The Tea Party types think she's a closet Trotskyist anyway...they might vote to confirm her just because they figure LePage would appoint himself to the Senate seat or that somebody else they accept would take it.

[msanthrope]

1. Not a lawyer. And do we need another Catholic? nt

[Ken Burch]

2. technically, you don't have to be a lawyer to serve on the SC

And yes, she's Catholic, but isn't she also pro-choice?

(btw, I don't actually think this would happen, just struck me as a good way to mess with those knuckledraggers).

[msanthrope]

4. I am well aware that you do not need to be a lawyer. But there's nothing about

Susan Collins that suggests she merits a SCOTUS spot.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Nominating a non-lawyer would give them a valid excuse for ignoring her

It would destroy the Democratic high ground in one move. Worst. Idea. Ever.

[closeupready]

3. She's Republican. Why should Obama nominate a Republican?

No, just NO.

[Ken Burch]

8. more that she was moderate and pro-choice(at least I think she is)

Earl Warren was a Republican, too.

[Xolodno]

15. Heh...In Kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, etc.

She would be a Democrat. The parties can be "relative" to the part of the country they come from.

[madaboutharry]

5. She is already 63, a bit old for a new SC member.

Also, she has a reputation as not being the sharpest tool in the shed.

And she is a republican.

[tularetom]

6. How about if he just nominates a f*#@&^g liberal for chrissakes?

He was in the Senate, he knows how the place works. He needs to google LBJ and stop playing all these cutesy little games. Just stand up for what he professes to believe in for once. He might succeed, he might not, but at least he will have actually acted.

[Ken Burch]

7. I'd prefer that, too.

Not against nominating a liberal.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. They've said they wont move on any nominee, so I say we try to win the senate and then during the

window from Jan 1-20 he pushes through the absolute most ridiculously liberal 20 year old he can find. Preferably a super healthy one.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. In her 60's, Catholic, not an attorney or legal scholar, Republican, conservative, bigoted.

It would be as if Tony never left us.....

[joeybee12]

11. No

She's an idiot...I don't care that she might be moderate at times, Maine deserves better

[6chars]

12. cause of her initials?

[Whiskeytide]

13. I agree with post #6 ... Nominate a liberal...

... Sometimes I think our President tries to hard to appear non-partisan and moderate, trying to reach across the aisle, etc...

That might have a positive impact if the circumstances were lighter skinned ... But their base hates him with an irrational passion. And they also hate anyone who doesn't hate him with that same irrational passion. Accordingly, they won't vote for any politician who doesn't run ads saying they hate Obama and they fight Obama and they oppose Obama all day, every day.

So why does he sometimes seem to think that he can still work with their politicians? Even if they wanted to, they can't.

[onenote]

14. Nominate someone the barely paying attention public will see as qualified to be a SCOTUS justice

which pretty much means nominate a sitting judge that the repubs have previously confirmed for his/her position.


Naming someone out of the mainstream of recent appointments -- that is, naming someone who isn't a lawyer and/or a current or past member of the judiciary at some level -- would only allow the discussion to veer off onto whether the repubs opposition (and yes they would oppose Collins in sufficient numbers to keep her from being confirmed) was based on something other than their own partisan opposition to having Obama select anyone.

[leftynyc]

16. Wow - how weird

I just said on another thread she'd be a good pick as Trump's VP.

[meow2u3]

17. You want Paul LePew to pick her Senate replacement?

He'll pick the most fascist, obnoxious Maine goon who'll make Ted Cruz look moderate by comparison.