General Discussion

21st Century Poet

(255 posts)

103. Why shouldn't merit be the most important prerequisite?

Wed Mar 16, 2016, 06:28 PM

Mar 2016

So you are saying that if X is more qualified, experienced and intelligent than Y, Y should still be chosen because he or she went to the right school (let's face it, probably an inferior one) and X didn't.

There are two problems with that: first, it is discriminatory, and second, dropping standards to meet some arbitrary diversity quota does not make sense.

Apart from different schools, should they also be chosen according to race, gender, state, sexual orientation, hairstyle, music they listen to and a number of other arbitrary diversity criteria? Why not throw in profession into the mix? Most people are not judges so why stuff the supreme court with them? Throw in a mechanic and a hotel receptionist in there. It's not merit that we are after, after all but diversity.

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BREAKING: President Obama going with Merrick Garland for SCOTUS [View all] brooklynite Mar 2016 OP

God, how boring. RandySF Mar 2016 #1

Why? So the senate can vote a unanimous NO? Blue_Tires Mar 2016 #10

You're right. He should have just let McConnell pick for him tkmorris Mar 2016 #16

You'd like that, wouldn't you? Blue_Tires Mar 2016 #19

No, YOU are the one who thinks Repubs opinion should decide this tkmorris Mar 2016 #50

So tell me, genius Blue_Tires Mar 2016 #67

Politics played with head and bricks is always good! randome Mar 2016 #78

I agree with your assessment. I so hope we are right about this... CTyankee Mar 2016 #79

I trust Obama's judgement. Hortensis Mar 2016 #90

I trust him to do what he wants, which in this case is to appoint a corporatist judge, which GoneFishin Mar 2016 #127

IMO, very foolish. Maybe widen your sources of information? Hortensis Mar 2016 #128

Wow. You totally convinced me with your condescending tone. Oh, wait, no you didn't. GoneFishin Mar 2016 #129

I recommend The Atlantic as one counterbalance Hortensis Mar 2016 #132

Unless it cites all of the times that Obama's elevendy dimensional chess moves required him to move GoneFishin Mar 2016 #133

No, it's not a right-wing rag, and even one of those Hortensis Mar 2016 #134

Spot on ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2016 #101

Yes. Great strategy. McConnell is hurting. He is Hortensis Mar 2016 #130

Obama has made a great chess move. 7962 Mar 2016 #114

LOL still_one Mar 2016 #34

yep. LOL. Rocket surgeons at work. GoneFishin Mar 2016 #131

Boring would have been the Senate judiciary committee not even having hearings let alone a vote... stevenleser Mar 2016 #30

Regardless, this is how it plays out zipplewrath Mar 2016 #55

Well why would we expect anything different from Obama with just INdemo Mar 2016 #117

And I didn't find a single word inside the OP's resume truedelphi Mar 2016 #125

The court is not a What-the-Butler-Saw machine 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #53

I'll be the first to admit I wanted to play politics with it. RandySF Mar 2016 #54

Budge or budget? 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #63

Let's be realistic elljay Mar 2016 #122

More unrealistic demands treestar Mar 2016 #110

He's gotta prove his prowess Plucketeer Mar 2016 #124

I'm a bit surprised at that. I thought he'd nominate the person that was confirmed 97-0. PoliticAverse Mar 2016 #2

He might as well nominate the goat from Jurassic Park. Tommy_Carcetti Mar 2016 #3

Some are not so sure now... brooklynite Mar 2016 #4

If the Senate is capable of a smart move, they will confirm rather than Lucinda Mar 2016 #11

But the Senate leadership isnt capable of a smart move. 7962 Mar 2016 #115

LOL! No chance the D's take back the Senate. Dawgs Mar 2016 #14

Actually there is a decent chance of that tkmorris Mar 2016 #18

I obviously disagree. n/t Dawgs Mar 2016 #23

We are aheasd in four of the five States we need pickups from... brooklynite Mar 2016 #26

Still disagree. Dawgs Mar 2016 #28

A more informed discussion could be had... brooklynite Mar 2016 #32

Nah this poster is one of those gabeana Mar 2016 #44

IL is looking good Person 2713 Mar 2016 #51

FL has a chance, too RockaFowler Mar 2016 #52

Actually....we have a decent chance of it. nt msanthrope Mar 2016 #61

Your slip is showing by the minute ProudToBeBlueInRhody Mar 2016 #71

It's not hard. Dawgs Mar 2016 #93

We can do it if we all focus on downticket races and not stay home because our preferred Prez.... Hekate Mar 2016 #83

ROTFLMAO!! Greybnk48 Mar 2016 #12

................ Tommy_Carcetti Mar 2016 #25

GOP does not want to be fed, it wants to hunt FreedomRain Mar 2016 #97

Obama knows whoever he nominates will be obstructed. LAGC Mar 2016 #5

A rational choice that puts a spotlight on irrationality BeyondGeography Mar 2016 #7

^^^This!^^^ Surya Gayatri Mar 2016 #45

EXACTLY right. n/t MBS Mar 2016 #70

Agree totally exboyfil Mar 2016 #8

They will be in trouble either way. Lucinda Mar 2016 #13

There are still people that need to be convinced? SHRED Mar 2016 #36

Ugh. Disgusting. I hope Republicans block him, and we can actually get a liberal instead. eom Meldread Mar 2016 #6

When people don't trust their govt don't you think their support of the 2nd amendment increases? Skwmom Mar 2016 #9

another estsblishment white male, wow. restorefreedom Mar 2016 #15

It's not a game, it's political strategy Democat Mar 2016 #35

to me, nominating someone to make a point and not because restorefreedom Mar 2016 #41

Get out of the party mindset. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #68

and nominating a corporatist is helping whom? nt restorefreedom Mar 2016 #91

11-dimensional chess again? Odin2005 Mar 2016 #96

Lol. Or Looking-glass chess? ananda Mar 2016 #99

Letting the GOP dictate this choice is ugly SHRED Mar 2016 #38

yup. sadly, i cannot say i am at all surprised. nt restorefreedom Mar 2016 #39

It's not the GOP. It's the Senate. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #60

The Senate Republican majority represents a minority of Americans Democat Mar 2016 #62

That means nothing. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #64

The Republican majority represents a minority of Americans Democat Mar 2016 #73

The vote totals don't matter. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #76

The system allows a minority of voters to have a majority of seats Democat Mar 2016 #107

I agree entirely RAFisher Mar 2016 #109

The President made a wise choice. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #113

This part was interesting: Raine1967 Mar 2016 #17

He sounds pretty good to me from his bio. nt bemildred Mar 2016 #22

A great choice... Octafish Mar 2016 #20

A 64.5 year old Moderate tkmorris Mar 2016 #21

Enough with the Harvard AngryAmish Mar 2016 #24

At least this nominee is from west of the Hudson Retrograde Mar 2016 #49

Harvard is one of the best educational institutions. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #66

Every justice went to Ivy League, most Harvard and Yale AngryAmish Mar 2016 #85

Should Harvard and Yale students be banned? 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #100

A generation AngryAmish Mar 2016 #102

Why shouldn't merit be the most important prerequisite? 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #103

Yup, unfit. AngryAmish Mar 2016 #104

You are avoiding answering the question. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #105

Harvard and Yale grads have assigned themselves the titles of "The Most Qualified" AngryAmish Mar 2016 #106

I am also an attorney elljay Mar 2016 #123

The FUCK!!! bigdarryl Mar 2016 #27

When did GInsberg say that? She loves the job. morningfog Mar 2016 #33

IIRC she actually said not that Obama wouldn't replace her truebluegreen Mar 2016 #118

If Obama's going to nominate moderates in their mid-60s, I'd call that bluff WhaTHellsgoingonhere Mar 2016 #29

That was probably part of his calculation democrattotheend Mar 2016 #56

good choice--if confirmed he would be 200% better than Scalia. book_worm Mar 2016 #31

Absolutely and clearly smarter than Roberts/Alito/Thomas combined bigbrother05 Mar 2016 #75

While I'd prefer a younger more liberal judge... Happenstance24 Mar 2016 #37

So what difference will it make zipplewrath Mar 2016 #57

Cut the president some slack. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #72

Sorry, he asked for the job zipplewrath Mar 2016 #86

What would be worse is if, in the event of a Democratic victory in November, truebluegreen Mar 2016 #119

If the President has nominated Mitch McConnell do you think the senate would have voted him down? nt PoliticAverse Mar 2016 #89

Good solid choice. DCBob Mar 2016 #40

Yeah because... SHRED Mar 2016 #43

The GOP controlled Senate has to be considered on matters like this. DCBob Mar 2016 #47

The president is not elected to satisfy his party. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #74

Where did you get the idea SickOfTheOnePct Mar 2016 #94

^^^^^^^^^ a kennedy Mar 2016 #46

Garland - a good choice who should get hazard pay for the next 8 months. CincyDem Mar 2016 #42

I like him. I feel sorry for the hell the GOP is likely to put him through. OhioBlue Mar 2016 #48

Obama just caved to the Republican terrorists, quite simply! L. Coyote Mar 2016 #58

You need to lie down. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #82

No it is not. L. Coyote Mar 2016 #88

It's the president I'm defending. 21st Century Poet Mar 2016 #98

Wow, are you saying Obama consulted the Senate? He has to submit his nominee for that part. L. Coyote Mar 2016 #112

Senate Republicans in a corner houston16revival Mar 2016 #59

And more will stay home on our side SHRED Mar 2016 #81

This nomination compared to Scalia should inspire lots of progressives Democat Mar 2016 #108

We all know how important supreme court picks are. An older moderate is just the ticket. Autumn Mar 2016 #65

A thoughtful and politically savvy choice. MBS Mar 2016 #69

Yeah because somehow we don't already know... SHRED Mar 2016 #77

Yes, very clever treestar Mar 2016 #111

I, for one, am sick of Third Way triangulation SHRED Mar 2016 #80

Obama is going to make those bastards squirm, isn't he? This is a good jurist... Hekate Mar 2016 #84

While I have often disagreed with the President on strategy and feel.. mvd Mar 2016 #87

A lawyer forty years, a judge twenty years, experience in government, with some teaching struggle4progress Mar 2016 #92

I'd rather have somebody younger and more liberal. Odin2005 Mar 2016 #95

How to handle the Repubs SusanLarson Mar 2016 #116

Well that's unfortunate. Myrina Mar 2016 #120

Of course he was going to pick a conservative... Hillary whereisjustice Mar 2016 #121

Another Drug Warrior....Great billhicks76 Mar 2016 #126

MY bet he is an ace in the hole for TPP challenges. eilen Mar 2016 #135