Alternate Realities

Alternate Reality 1:  February 13, 2014.   At Cibolo Creek Ranch in Shafter, Texas John B. Poindexter, owner of the ranch, discovers Antonin Scalia unconscious in his room. He calls paramedics and they arrive quickly to transport him to Tripler Army Medical Center where it is determined that he has had a heart attack.  He undergoes a triple bypass and recovers completely, returning to the Supreme Court bench in April.   Meanwhile, in November, the election turnout  is unusually high for an off year election, allowing the Democrats to retain control of the Senate by defeating incumbent Republicans in close races in Alaska, Virginia, Louisiana and Georgia.

Alternate Reality 2: In October of 2016, Antonin Scalia collapses while hearing a case at the Supreme Court.   He is rushed to George Washington Hospital but is dead on arrival.  President Barach Obama indicates he will nominate Merrick Garland to replace him and the Democratic Senate declares it will proceed quickly with his confirmation.   Presidential candidate Donald Trump declares that the appointment should be delayed until after the election.   Does the President and the Democratic Senate cede to his wishes?

Alternate Reality 3:  It is June of 2020.  After a long battle with cancer, Supreme Court superstar, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, passes away.   President Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to replace her.  Does the Democratic Senate confirm her appointment?

Of course, the answer to both questions, in my humble opinion, is a resounding NO.   Fairness, logic and compromise are no longer part of the political process in our polarized country.   So as much as I liked RBG and don’t particularly want to see SCOTUS shift further to the right, this is how the game is played right now.   Democrats need to stop pretending outrage and face reality.   And now I’m reading about Democrats (if they win the election) planning to add more justices to the court, impose term limits and allow a president to nominate 2 judges for each four year term.  In other words, modify our government to suit their own agenda.  Wait a minute … isn’t that why we don’t like Donald Trump?   Very discouraging.  It makes me think that if the Democrats control the White House and both houses of Congress, a conservative Court might not be such a bad thing. Checks and balances, right?

What do you think?

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Tags: elections, feeling older, opinions, politics, supreme court

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