I'm talking mostly big, hot-button topics. Are there any that the Court has agreed to take up this term (now till June)?

As most of you know, when Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement in 2005, George W. Bush announced John Roberts as her replacement. Things were going smooth and then Rehnquist suddenly died. Then Bush pulled Roberts as O'Conner's replacement, and decided to have him replace Rehnquist instead. Then Bush nominated Alito to replace O'Conner.

What if Rehnquist had lived just another month or so, after Roberts was sworn in an an Associate Justice? Now, there's no guarantee that Bush would have replaced him with Alito, but this much is certain: Roberts would not be CJ. Perhaps it would have been Michael Luttig. Or maybe even Antonin Scalia. But it would have been someone certainly to the right of Roberts.

Not counting George Washington of course. Clinton, W Bush, and Obama only had two Justices confirmed in two terms. The last to have successfully put on three was Reagan, in two terms.

The poll is from NBC 4/Marist (A+ rating). It has the Republican challenger Malliotakis at 48 and the incumbent Democrat Rose at 46. The margin of error is 4.7, so this is essentially tied. Every vote counts, so hopefully we all vote. It's gonna be real close.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/house/ny/new_york_11th_district_malliotakis_vs_rose-7129.html

I fully expect to lose every big one by 6-3 or 5-4. I don’t know what cases the Court will take up next year, but I hope they are minimal and not hot-button issues.

Source: Politico

The Supreme Court has declined to reinstate a court-ordered extension of the deadline for the receipt of absentee ballots in Wisconsin, siding with Republicans in a pitched battle over election procedures amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The justices split, 5-3, along ideological lines, with all the court’s Republican appointees voting to reject the six-day extension a U.S. District Court judge issued last month in the key presidential swing state.

The high court brushed aside complaints from Democrats and civil rights groups that enforcing the usual deadline of Election Day could leave thousands of ballots uncounted due to postal service changes and the massive number of voters seeking to vote by mail instead of in person.

The order from the justices emerged just before the Senate voted to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett as President Donald Trump’s newest nominee to the high court. Barrett will be sworn in in a private ceremony on Tuesday, after another ceremony at the White House late Monday.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/26/supreme-court-wont-extend-wisconsin-ballot-deadline-432656

---

Not a good day today...

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)The Senate advanced Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination in a key procedural vote Sunday, paving the way for a final confirmation vote, which will likely take place Monday evening, just a week before the November 3 election where control of Congress and the White House are at stake.

The Sunday vote was held to break a Democratic filibuster of the nomination. Senate Republicans needed only a simple majority to break the filibuster, and the vote was 51 to 48.

Republicans, who hold a majority in the upper chamber, have pushed ahead with one of the quickest nomination proceedings in modern times following the death of the late Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month.

All Democrats are expected to vote against the nomination. Two Republican senators crossed party lines to vote with Democrats in opposition of Sunday's procedural vote -- Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/25/politics/senate-procedural-vote-amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court/index.html

---

Wait what? Lisa Murkowski just announced yesterday that she's going to confirm her. Did she change her mind yet again?

Source: CBS News

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced Saturday that she will vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, despite previously expressing opposition to filling a vacancy so close to the election.


Murkowski and Senator Susan Collins of Maine were the only two Republicans to raise concerns about filling a Supreme Court vacancy when Barrett was nominated by President Trump last month. Both senators voted against moving forward with the confirmation process this weekend.

"Frankly, I've lost that procedural fight, so what I can do now is be consistent, and oppose a process that should not move forward," Murkowski said, explaining why she has opposed these procedural votes. However, she said that she would vote "yes" in the final confirmation vote, based on Barrett's qualifications.

"While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill and humility," Murkowski said in a speech on the Senate floor.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lisa-murkowski-says-she-will-to-vote-to-confirm-amy-coney-barrett-to-the-supreme-court/

---

Wow, after saying that the new President should replace RGB, now she supports ACB!

I just got home, I'm gonna put the debate on in about an hour if I can find a YouTube stream. Anything good? Fights? Snooze fest? Action packed?

I had thought this one was in the bag, based on polls taken over the past few months. Then one came out last week that showed Smith only up by 4 points. I just dismissed it as an outlier, no big deal. But then yesterday another poll was released that had Smith up by just 1 point.

What gives? Is the race really close? If yes, why?

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/senate/mn/minnesota_senate_lewis_vs_smith-7075.html