Antonin Scalia found dead

[exploited]

[Llodhryn]

If anyone has any doubt of how partisan things have become, they need only look at the fact that Republicans are posturing against the very idea of filling a Supreme Court vacancy during an election year, without the president having even nominated anyone to fill it yet.

Will stonewalling help or hurt the GOP in the upcoming elections? Both? Neither? I think it will help them with some portion of their base, possibly hurt them with independents, and have no effect with a wider swath of people who aren't paying attention.

One wonders what their strategy will be if the GOP winds up the loser in their bid for the presidency in the upcoming election. What will they really have gained by delaying a successor to Scalia in that case? An Obama nominee versus a Clinton or Sanders nominee? Maybe someone can explain to me what exactly is gained there.

It seems risky, but one has to assume they've weighed the risk and have confidence in this approach.

But this much is clear - it's not about doing the people's business. It's about partisan power, period.

As for conspiracy theories, I can't subscribe to them. Why kill Scalia, and why now? Wouldn't it have been smarter to take out Thomas and to have done it sooner, so that there would be ample time to fill the vacant seat? (Though to be clear I'm not suggesting this as an actual course of action - just pointing out that there might be better targets than Scalia.)

Interesting times. I could do with a bit more boredom, myself.

[Dylan]

[Dylan]

[The Comrade]

[exploited]

[Dylan]

@Com

*looks around* you talking about llodhryn?

[Medius]

[Medius]

[Saz]