Attempting to redefine the judicial system.

[TLK Valentine]

I'll thank you to not paint all liberals with such a broad brush. I'm in no way certain of Kavanaugh's guilt, and I'm perfectly willing to accept his innocence if it is proven via an investigation. Ford's testimony was credible, but the evidence is circumstantial at best, and what we've seen does not meet the "beyond reasonable doubt" standard if this were a court of law. Doesn't change the fact that I don't think he's qualified for the Supreme Court though. His conduct at the hearing and the amount of lying and stretching of the truth that we've seen from him confirm that, regardless of whether or not he assaulted Ms. Ford.

Amen. The fact that Kavanaugh has a love-hate relationship with truth, couldn't give a straight answer when it mattered the most, and cracked under pressure should have disqualified him long before any of us had ever heard of Dr. Ford.

Alas, the powers that be value loyalty... and I have no doubt that when confirmed, Kavanaugh will be a loyal and useful tool to advance the Right's agenda.

 

[whatbogsends]

I didn't say that he's on trial.

And I don't feel too sorry for Garland. America decided that it wanted President Trump to shape the Supreme Court, not Barack Obama and not Hillary Clinton.

That's not what happened.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

And I don't feel too sorry for Garland. America decided that it wanted President Trump to shape the Supreme Court, not Barack Obama and not Hillary Clinton.

...no, Mitch McConnell & his anti-Obama crusaders decided that.

Americans seemed to go the other way:

 

[grasping the after wind]

This is not a job interview. The Congress is not the Supreme court's employer. The role of congress is to consent or refuse to consent to the installation of a Supreme Court Justice. The way to do that is to vote. So what is the excuse for not voting?

 

[FireDragon76]

I didn't say that he's on trial.

And I don't feel too sorry for Garland. America decided that it wanted President Trump to shape the Supreme Court, not Barack Obama and not Hillary Clinton.

Republicans might find such scorched earth politics has long-term costs.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Actually that would be Mitch McConnell who appointed himself the decision maker for the nation. And spare us the "America" garbage. Trump didn't get a majority of the votes cast, and something like 33% of the voting aged population is hardly "America".

I hope you offer the same argument when your 33% claims to be America.

 

[grasping the after wind]

...no, Mitch McConnell & his anti-Obama crusaders decided that.

Americans seemed to go the other way:
View attachment 242301

A small sample of people that decide to participate in a poll is no more America than the 33% mentioned earlier.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

A small sample of people that decide to participate in a poll is no more America than the 33% mentioned earlier.

So if polls aren't an accurate indicator of that in your mind? What is? Bearing in mind that it's Mitch McConnell and a handful of his cronies that made the decision, and according to numerous polls the majority of Americans interviewed said they either A) wanted Garland to at least have his hearing, or B) disapproved of the GOP senators intentionally leaving a vacant seat for almost a year, I don't know where you're getting this whole "this is what Americans wanted" information.

Clearly you don't think the polls are a reliable source, so what source are you using for determining "what the majority of Americans want" with regards to the Merrick Garland situation?


If you don't have any source to support your original assertion, then it would appear your comment was a "shoot from the hip" sort of thing with no evidence to support it.

 

[grasping the after wind]

So if polls aren't an accurate indicator of that in your mind? What is? Bearing in mind that it's Mitch McConnell and a handful of his cronies that made the decision, and according to numerous polls the majority of Americans interviewed said they either A) wanted Garland to at least have his hearing, or B) disapproved of the GOP senators intentionally leaving a vacant seat for almost a year, I don't know where you're getting this whole "this is what Americans wanted" information.

Clearly you don't think the polls are a reliable source, so what source are you using for determining "what the majority of Americans want" with regards to the Merrick Garland situation?

There is no adequate indicator of America. America is not a homogeneous group. There are hundreds of millions of unique people that make up America. I don't offer any opinion on what "America wants" nor would I really care what the majority of Americans wanted on any particular issue if it was possible to find out with certainty. After all, there is no guarantee that the majority of Americans at any one particular place and time would not want to do things I find abhorrent. And perhaps on the next day that majority would rethink things and decide to do the opposite? So even if your majority in your poll were to be a reasonably good representation of what the majority did want on the particular date and at the particular time that they answered the question there is no guarantee they would answer exactly the same the next day or after they acquired a more in depth knowledge of what it was they thought they wanted when answering the poll. When we vote for representative we vote based upon what we want not on what America wants. I expect my representative to act in ways that advance my agenda and those of my peers who elected them and not the temporary agenda of a supposed majority of Americans as put forth by some poll.

 

[DaisyDay]

I have steadfastly claimed judge Brett Kavanaugh has lied under oath, and that lying under oath necessarily shows behavior not appropriate for a Supreme Court Justice. Here is Current Affairs's Nathan Robinson breakdown of why we know the judge is lying.

We know he lied about one thing: his underage drinking. He tried to fudge it by saying that it was legal for "seniors" to drink while he was there at the prep school, but it wasn't for him - the drinking age changed from 18 to 21 before he turned 18.

Brett Kavanaugh wrongly claimed he could drink legally in Maryland in high school

"Yes we drank beer, my friends and I, boys and girls. Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. I still like beer," he said. "The drinking age as I noted was 18, so the seniors were legal. Senior year in high school, people were legal to drink."

So, while some seniors were legal to drink, he wasn't; and it isn't clear that these parties took place only during his senior year.

He was also quite belligerent and defensive when questioned about his drinking.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

There is no adequate indicator of America. America is not a homogeneous group. There are hundreds of millions of unique people that make up America. I don't offer any opinion on what "America wants" nor would I really care what the majority of Americans wanted on any particular issue if it was possible to find out with certainty. After all, there is no guarantee that the majority of Americans at any one particular place and time would not want to do things I find abhorrent. And perhaps on the next day that majority would rethink things and decide to do the opposite? So even if your majority in your poll were to be a reasonably good representation of what the majority did want on the particular date and at the particular time that they answered the question there is no guarantee they would answer exactly the same the next day or after they acquired a more in depth knowledge of what it was they thought they wanted when answering the poll. When we vote for representative we vote based upon what we want not on what America wants. I expect my representative to act in ways that advance my agenda and those of my peers who elected them and not the temporary agenda of a supposed majority of Americans as put forth by some poll.

You'd have a point if Garland had been voted upon by the full Senate, but his nomination was held up in committee. The decision to not consider Garland was formally made by the 11 Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee - Senators Grassley, Hatch, Lee, Sessions, Graham, Cornyn, Cruz, Flake, Perdue, Vitter, and Tillis. They did not give the full Senate the opportunity to express the wishes of its constituents, and it could be argued that they did not all accurately express the wishes of their own constituents either. Of the 11, Vitter chose not to seek re-election in 2016, Flake and Hatch have announced that they will not be running for re-election, Sessions is the Attorney General, and Cruz's position in the 2018 election is looking very tenuous.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

There is no adequate indicator of America. America is not a homogeneous group. There are hundreds of millions of unique people that make up America. I don't offer any opinion on what "America wants" nor would I really care what the majority of Americans wanted on any particular issue if it was possible to find out with certainty.

Retracted...got two posters confused

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Then why did you say:
America decided that it wanted President Trump to shape the Supreme Court, not Barack Obama and not Hillary Clinton.

Sounds to me like you were 'offering an opinion on what "America Wants"'

In his defense, that was @TuxAme.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

In his defense, that was @TuxAme.

Retracted my statement...apologies

 

[durangodawood]

So dumb.

Fundamentally he's not being investigated for a crime so much as for having disqualifying character flaws.

Theyre trying to make a character determination. Obviously that's a different sort of inquiry than a criminal proceeding - even if it touches on criminal activity.

 

[super animator]

Question: If it's not a trial (it's not) and it's not a job interview... what is it?

A clown circus. I have harsher words that If used would result me in a ban.

 

[USincognito]

I hope you offer the same argument when your 33% claims to be America.

Let me know whenever you observe that happening.

 

[super animator]

We know he lied about one thing: his underage drinking. He tried to fudge it by saying that it was legal for "seniors" to drink while he was there at the prep school, but it wasn't for him - the drinking age changed from 18 to 21 before he turned 18.

Brett Kavanaugh wrongly claimed he could drink legally in Maryland in high school


So, while some seniors were legal to drink, he wasn't; and it isn't clear that these parties took place only during his senior year.

He was also quite belligerent and defensive when questioned about his drinking.

Lying and making a false statement are two different things.

 

[DaisyDay]

Do you believe that drinking adolescents aren't well aware of what the drinking age is in their state? So if he knew at the time, is he lying to himself now to justify his self-image?

 

[Tanj]

So what is the excuse for not voting?

I'm confused, are you talking about Garland or Kavanaugh? If the latter the excuse is there's an investigation been called for by the President. If the former then I don't know, beyond the worst of partisan hackery.