Now that Kavanaugh's confirmed...

[TLK Valentine]

Republicans never launched a search and destroy smear campaign against Bader, Sotomayor, or Kagan who never compromise for conservatives on court decisions. So Kavanaugh will be more justified in not compromising for the other side since he was the target of a vicious smear.

Does that mean he'll be equally justified when he does compromise for the GOP who supported him?

 

[Kentonio]

I sincerely hop that if the Senate flips next month, the new leadership will consider doing that, rather than look to exploit the power that the other side grabbed for itself.

Why? The Dems regularly refuse to engage in GOP tactics because they try and take the higher moral ground, and where exactly has it got them? There's only so many times people engaged in a street fight can try and insist on fair play, before they realize that landing on their behind is not getting them anywhere.

Trump has made the political situation into an existential crisis for America. Do you really think that playing nice and trying to restore decorum is going to achieve anything in the face of a conservative party that has jettisoned even the pretense of morality or ethical behaviour?

 

[TLK Valentine]

Why? The Dems regularly refuse to engage in GOP tactics because they try and take the higher moral ground, and where exactly has it got them? There's only so many times people engaged in a street fight can try and insist on fair play, before they realize that landing on their behind is not getting them anywhere.

Trump has made the political situation into an existential crisis for America. Do you really think that playing nice and trying to restore decorum is going to achieve anything in the face of a conservative party that has jettisoned even the pretense of morality or ethical behaviour?

Of course not. That's why I said "hope," (actually "hop"; darn typo!) instead of "expect."

 

[mark kennedy]

We are in agreement.

It"s hard to escape.

Even though I disagree with the pro-life position, I can understand their reasoning.

Of course there is room to discuss that.

Well, this is what they paid their thirty pieces of silver for back in the '70s... Matthew 16:26, eh?

I think it's the way poitics work. It's not the thirty pieces of silver for the Judas kiss but you have to be carefull.

Well, I don't consider Dr. Ford's allegation "spurious," but it's unsubstantiated and unprovable.

I don't bel i eve it, I dont think there is enough to it.

The fact that it took Flake's threat to torpedo the nomination just to get it investigated demonstrates how seriously it wasn't taken.[

Nothing

must stand in the way of the powerful becoming more powerful.

We are in agreement again

 

[LivingWordUnity]

Does that mean he'll be equally justified when he does compromise for the GOP who supported him?

He's a conservative. He doesn't have to compromise to be who he is.

 

[TLK Valentine]

He's a conservative. He doesn't have to compromise to be who he is.

He's a judge, first and foremost. Dedicated to the impartial application of the law.

Or is he?

 

[variant]

He's a judge, first and foremost. Dedicated to the impartial application of the law.

Or is he?

Impartiality is a myth. Otherwise, supreme court appointments wouldn't be such a contentious issue.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Impartiality is a myth. Otherwise, supreme court appointments wouldn't be such a contentious issue.

perhaps... but don't our congresscritters owe it to us to at least go through the motions?

 

[Aldebaran]

perhaps... but don't our congresscritters owe it to us to at least go through the motions?

They just did. And those motions became quite a circus thanks to all the accusations that started becoming more ridiculous as the dems became more and more desperate at the end.

 

[TLK Valentine]

They just did. And those motions became quite a circus thanks to all the accusations that started becoming more ridiculous as the dems became more and more desperate at the end.

Noting that it was Senator Flake's threat to withhold his crucial vote that inspired the "motions" of an investigation into attempted rape in the first place.

 

[Aldebaran]

Noting that it was Senator Flake's threat to withhold his crucial vote that inspired the "motions" of an investigation into attempted rape in the first place.

Then the dems got what they said they wanted. So why are they still so resentful about it?

 

[TLK Valentine]

Then the dems got what they said they wanted. So why are they still so resentful about it?

probably because they saw is as a half-hearted dog and pony show.

I must admit, I'm still curious as to why Donald's FBI didn't question the accuser or the accused... no competent investigator lets others do the important work for them...

 

[Aldebaran]

probably because they saw is as a half-hearted dog and pony show.

I must admit, I'm still curious as to why Donald's FBI didn't question the accuser or the accused... no competent investigator lets others do the important work for them...

Because they both had already been questioned at length by the Senate. If the Senators had questions, they asked them. It was the witnesses the dems were so concerned about having their voices heard. That was the whole point of doing the FBI investigation.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Because they both had already been questioned at length by the Senate. If the Senators had questions, they asked them. It was the witnesses the dems were so concerned about having their voices heard. That was the whole point of doing the FBI investigation.

As I said -- no competent investigator lets others do their work for them... and the key to any interrogation is repetition -- getting the witness (or suspect) to repeat their story as many times as possible, to see if they trip up on details.

Again, any competent investigator knows this. They wouldn't let the politicians do their job for them... under normal circumstances.

 

[Aldebaran]

As I said -- no competent investigator lets others do their work for them... and the key to any interrogation is repetition -- getting the witness (or suspect) to repeat their story as many times as possible, to see if they trip up on details.

Again, any competent investigator knows this. They wouldn't let the politicians do their job for them... under normal circumstances.

It's the senators who wanted answers. They already asked the questions themselves--repeatedly. Would the senators be competent if they let someone else do the job for them?

 

[variant]

perhaps... but don't our congresscritters owe it to us to at least go through the motions?

Congress only owes you what you are willing to hold them to account for.

Right now they owe us nothing because they have been getting a pass for almost a generation.

 

[variant]

They just did. And those motions became quite a circus thanks to all the accusations that started becoming more ridiculous as the dems became more and more desperate at the end.

The different standards of investigation called for by republicans should not go unnoticed. They wanted none for one of their own, were willing to settle for a rush job.

Not too long ago they felt the need to investigate their political enemies almost limitlessnessly and endlessly, sometimes for decades at a time.

They have just elected a partisan hack to sit on the the supreme court, a man who promised that "what comes around goes around" if he were confirmed. They did so after removing the filibusterer from the deliberations and denying a even a single sham hearing on a presidential nominee for almost a year.

They are partisan hacks at their finest and it has done nothing but erode any semblance of the unbiased court.

The supreme court now works for Donald Trump and the republican majority, and it's newest member is ready and able to protect the president from any investigations.

The US government, already elected by minority vote via the electoral college, the gerrymandered congress, and senators from the minority population states are now taking control of the courts by nearly party line vote.

In terms of being a "representative" democracy the government is practically illegitimate.

 

[TLK Valentine]

The different standards of investigation called for by republicans should not go unnoticed. They wanted none for one of their own, were willing to settle for a rush job.

Not too long ago they felt the need to investigate their political enemies almost limitlessnessly and endlessly, sometimes for decades at a time.

They have just elected a partisan hack to sit on the the supreme court, a man who promised that "what comes around goes around" if he were confirmed. They did so after removing the filibusterer from the deliberations and denying a even a single sham hearing on a presidential nominee for almost a year.

They are partisan hacks at their finest and it has done nothing but erode any semblance of the unbiased court.

The supreme court now works for Donald Trump and the republican majority, and it's newest member is ready and able to protect the president from any investigations.

The US government, already elected by minority vote via the electoral college, the gerrymandered congress, and senators from the minority population states are now taking control of the courts by nearly party line vote.

In terms of being a "representative" democracy the government is practically illegitimate.

Well, now that some on the right are calling for an investigation of Dr. Ford for allegedly lying before Congress and defaming the name of Kavanaugh, I suspect that, should that ever gain traction, we'll see what a real investigation looks like -- a year or two, a couple of million dollars, and interviews with everyone who ever spoke more than six words to Dr. Ford, right down to little Timmy McCracken, who sat two seats behind her back in third grade.

 

[variant]

Well, now that some on the right are calling for an investigation of Dr. Ford for allegedly lying before Congress and defaming the name of Kavanaugh, I suspect that, should that ever gain traction, we'll see what a real investigation looks like -- a year or two, a couple of million dollars, and interviews with everyone who ever spoke more than six words to Dr. Ford, right down to little Timmy McCracken, who sat two seats behind her back in third grade.

The ancient Greeks give us the word Hypocrite, from the word for actor.

One who puts on a mask and plays a part but then removes it when another mask is required for another part. Seamlessly and without hesitation.

Standards are held only enough for the audience to believe it. They are meaningless for such people who truly embrace the act.

 

[Speedwell]

He's a judge, first and foremost. Dedicated to the impartial application of the law.

Or is he?

On thing to keep in mind is that while Kavanaugh is a conservative, he is also a Roman Catholic. To the extent (if any) that he may be biased by his religious views he would be in agreement with "the base" on issues like abortion and, perhaps, gay marriage. On the other hand, on other issues important to the Christian Right, he may disappoint them. The death penalty, which the RC church opposes, may be an example.