A Sad Commentary

[Cow Poke]

No. As far as I can tell - a LOT of people, across the political spectrum, play the speculation game.

If Hillary had won, she would have Xed
If Trump had lost, he would have Yed
If a Dem said that, Reps would Z
If a Rep said that, Dems would W

The entire "speculation game" is a pointless exercise. The claimant cannot show it to be true, and the objector cannot show it to be false, because it didn't happen. So it just gives the claimant a chance to self-stimulate their existing point of view.

My assumption all along was that, if Trump won...

A) Hillary would not be POTUS
2) SCOTUS would not be Hillary's

Both turned out to be true.

[carpedm9587]

My assumption all along was that, if Trump won...

A) Hillary would not be POTUS
2) SCOTUS would not be Hillary's

Both turned out to be true.

That has little or nothing to do with the point. I recognize that this is your position. Your joy at gaining a conservative court is my sadness at having lost a reasonably balanced one. But it was just a matter of time. The court was going to swing right or left sooner or later.

[Cow Poke]

That has little or nothing to do with the point. I recognize that this is your position. Your joy at gaining a conservative court

I think I would call it relief more than joy. I don't sense any joy at all in the political mess.

is my sadness at having lost a reasonably balanced one. But it was just a matter of time. The court was going to swing right or left sooner or later.

And I'm relieved that it did not swing more left, which was a definite goal of Hillary's.

[carpedm9587]

I think I would call it relief more than joy. I don't sense any joy at all in the political mess.

And I'm relieved that it did not swing more left, which was a definite goal of Hillary's.

Yes - I'm sure it was. I don't trust either party to keep the court balanced, so I'm not surprised Trump has unbalanced it to the right. I'm sure the Dems will do everything they can to unbalance it to the left as soon as possible.

[Cow Poke]

Yes - I'm sure it was. I don't trust either party to keep the court balanced, so I'm not surprised Trump has unbalanced it to the right.

You can't 'unbalance' something that wasn't balanced to begin with.

I'm sure the Dems will do everything they can to unbalance it to the left as soon as possible.

It's the game they (both sides) play.

[carpedm9587]

You can't 'unbalance' something that wasn't balanced to begin with.

We had four conservatives, four liberals, and Kennedy - who was a common swing vote, depending n the topic. So - balance. Of course liberals thought the court skewed conservative because Kennedy was too conservative for them. And conservatives thought the court skewed too liberal because Kennedy was too liberal for them.

It's the game they (both sides) play.

Unfortunately. I long for a president who would see the benefit of a 3-3-3 balanced court, but I doubt that will ever be politically expedient, and it is unlikely we will see the right mix of retirements to make it happen. Republicans in the Senate stole one seat, and then (in a marvelous fit of duplicity), are failing to apply the same standard to the new justice. But it was only a matter of time. Eventually, the court was going to be unbalanced.

[Cow Poke]

We had four conservatives, four liberals, and Kennedy - who was a common swing vote, depending n the topic. So - balance. Of course liberals thought the court skewed conservative because Kennedy was too conservative for them. And conservatives thought the court skewed too liberal because Kennedy was too liberal for them.

OK

Unfortunately. I long for a president who would see the benefit of a 3-3-3 balanced court, but I doubt that will ever be politically expedient, and it is unlikely we will see the right mix of retirements to make it happen. Republicans in the Senate stole one seat, and then (in a marvelous fit of duplicity), are failing to apply the same standard to the new justice. But it was only a matter of time. Eventually, the court was going to be unbalanced.

Like my Daddy used to say, "you can pee in one hand and wish in the other, and see which fills up first".

[carpedm9587]

OK

Like my Daddy used to say, "you can pee in one hand and wish in the other, and see which fills up first".

Now that IS funny. I would have liked your dad. However, I was not wishing. I recognize that the exercise, in this context, is pointless. Our current political climate will never see the benefit of a balanced SCOTUS. Each side will simply want SCOTUS to most reflect their own views.