The Sotomayor hearing is a joke

[Islander]

This Supreme Court candidate is universally recognized as being about as close to flawless as you can get. There is no question that she will be confirmed. The hearing is merely an opportunity for grandstanding, and a huge waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Someone should have the balls to say so, call the question*, and move on to real business.

If everyone agrees with me, we can just close this thread. I'm just responding to pressures to "start a thread, start a thread."

* In parliamentary procedure, a move to call the question is a motion to end debate and vote on the question at hand. The motion itself is not debatable.

[david86blue]

It's good to see the bloviators preaching to their choirs, and it permits us to see the field of candidates that the republican side will have available to run against Obama in 2012. (But I'm easily amused.)

[WednesdayAddams]

It is at least a little funny. Check out Sen. Graham going from "If I used the same standard as the President, I wouldn't vote for you (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23288.html)." to "Unless you have a melt down, you're in." Conservative bloggers (http://conservativexpress.blogspot.com/2009/07/sen-lindsey-graham-on-obamas-racist.html) are frothing.

[Fish]

Islander, I agree that the whole thing is a huge waste of time. However, it would be far better to give both sides the chance to air their somewhat tiresome viewpoints lest years from now the Obama Conspiracy Theorists suggest that Sotomayor was rammed through with unseemly haste.

The Republicans are trying to decide upon their two equally perilous options: support one of Obama's choices for the Supreme Court, or attack an historical Latina candidate and alienate the minorities they so desperately need to lure into the Republican tent. They (the Republicans) haven't much political capital to spend, and since they're out of power they have few favors to trade, so they can't simply exhaust themselves and turn every day in Congress into a fateful Last Stand. They have to pick their battles, and some of the Republicans have already decided that this isn't it.

So yes, they probably realize they don't have to votes to stop Sotomayor's confirmation. If any of the Republicans wish to go on an anti-Latino tirade, shooting himself in the foot, I certainly won't object. I'll even hold the microphone for 'em.

[The Second Stone]

It's ceremony. Kabuki theater. The public expects it and the hearings deliver it. Of course she is qualifed and the Reps simply don't have the votes to even threaten to filibuster it. I'm doubtful that the committee has the expertise to discuss jurisprudence with her. So it is speeches.

[Anacanapuna]

Okay, I must have misread the thread title. I expected the OP to start with, "So, this Hispanic female judge walks into a Senate confirmation hearing..."

[Islander]

:D:D:D

[Anacanapuna]

It's ceremony. Kabuki theater. The public expects it and the hearings deliver it. Of course she is qualifed and the Reps simply don't have the votes to even threaten to filibuster it. I'm doubtful that the committee has the expertise to discuss jurisprudence with her. So it is speeches.
I learned today, from a talking head on network TV, that before TV there were no Senate confirmation hearings for SCOTUS appointees. Goddamnit, I told Philo Farnsworth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo_Farnsworth)it was a bad idea, but would he listen? No-o-o-o-o! Now look where we are!

[Uthrecht]

I learned today, from a talking head on network TV, that before TV there were no Senate confirmation hearings for SCOTUS appointees. Goddamnit, I told Philo Farnsworth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo_Farnsworth)it was a bad idea, but would he listen? No-o-o-o-o! Now look where we are!

I also hear that before TV I got my own drinking fountains. What's up with that damn TV?

[Really Not That Fucking Stupid Either]

It's at least as productive as anything else they might be doing, and doesn't involve spending lots of taxpayers' money. That's generally how I look at any Congressional activity- how much damage can they do?

Personally, I think they ought to broaden the scope of their investigation into PEDs in baseball to include spitballs, corked bats and those funny-looking Nike contact lenses.