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Marc S's avatar

This is another fine article about historical and current aspects of the system, bringing home once again the critical role of the senate in terms of all things related to courts and the justice system.

It appears that the blue slip practice has as much legitimacy as the notion that the Supreme Court should remain fixed at nine, a number originally (but no longer) corresponding to the number of circuits comprising the federal judiciary.

When you have something like the voting rights act firmly in place, these types of procedural courtesies would not make as much of a difference. But it's a whole different story now that we are living under a completely dismantled voting rights act, thanks to the court, and we are also living under elevated efforts to suppress voting rights.

Why Durbin has faltered on this is certainly a big issue. The larger question may be where is Mr. Biden on all of us, given his whole range of experience with the Senate and the judiciary committee.

As reflected in another comment, this as well as other political issues recently covered here show the continued weakness of Democratic Party as long as it stays a cosmopolitan / educational elite party. Their focus on only certain limited areas is a losing strategy due to the senate and electoral college. As commonly discussed, demographic shifts are likely to mean that soon about 30 percent of country will control the majority of the senate. This spells more democratic disaster.

The new democratic campaign slogan should be - "it's the senate, stupid!"

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alis's avatar

I have two great Democratic senators, so I will also call on them to have a discussion with Senator Durbin. Let's hope that the Dems are talking strategy all the time. It is absolutely time to change our game plan. We are not dealing with honest brokers or the loyal opposition in any way shape or form. Tell the staffer that answers the phone just that.

Another good point to bring-up is what has happened with the Mifepristone situation. It's a great way to express the consequences of the way their colleagues on the right are behaving. Statistics tell us Judge Kacsmaryk's actions will result in pain, misery, and the deaths of women. We must protect them and ourselves from these ruthless Republicans.

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