2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: This is NOT an election about moving right, left, or to the middle. [View all]Demsrule86
(71,465 posts)I don't think the guy is right wing...more right than me true, but given our divided government...smart pick by Obama. He voted for both gun regulation, contraceptives in Obamacare among other stuff. Also, I think he is more liberal than you might expect.
"On the one hand, the shift from Scalia to Garland, were the latter confirmed, would undoubtedly move the top court sharply to the left by overturning the five-to-four, conservative-to-progressive balance that has held for years. That change could have vast ramifications for the landscape of American law, from the future of abortion rights and gun laws, to civil rights and the injection of money into elections.
On the other hand, the White House is calculating that were the Republicans to sustain their obstructionism and refuse even to look at as non-partisan a figure as Merrick Garland, it would expose them to the accusation that they have run roughshod over the US constitution in the cause of party politics. That could hurt them in November at the polls, Democrats are surmising".
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/mar/16/obama-nominates-merrick-garland-supreme-court-dc-appeals-court-judge