Staff Reports
The Senate has decided it’s time to tuck into a Thanksgiving feast, but not before reaching an eyebrow-raising agreement to push through six of President Biden’s judicial nominees upon their return. One can’t help but wonder if an 11th-hour shakedown while scurrying for cranberry sauce really sets the best precedent for our judicial system.
Just a day before this holiday drama unfolded, Donald Trump made headlines by urging Republicans to take a stand against what he refers to as an attempted partisan takeover of the courts by the Democrats. His advice was simple and filled with a sense of urgency: stall all judicial confirmations until Inauguration Day. However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer seems to operate in a different reality where procedural hurdles can be casually skirted in the name of progress, all while feigning a sense of urgency to “bring balance” to the judiciary.
Too bad Chuck Schumer is already planning on devoting significant Senate floor time to seating more judges next week. About 30 nominees were already in the confirmation pipeline, and President Biden announced two more Friday night.
Donald Trump is just gonna have to cope. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/Dj6J4oyTak
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) November 10, 2024
The exchange between Republicans and Democrats may feel like a bargain sale at a clearance rack—somewhat uncomfortable and likely to get messy. Republicans, facing the reality that they can’t singlehandedly block Biden’s nominees if the Democrats all show up to the party, opted to drop their procedural delays. In doing so, they may have traded principles for a short-term win that could haunt them down the road.
What makes this drama even more interesting is that the Senate managed to confirm one circuit judge and five district court judges just before the Thanksgiving recess—because nothing says “we care about judicial integrity” like a side of turkey and a rushed confirmation process. Schumer hailed this as progress, believing that the newly appointed judges will inject fresh perspectives and reinforce the Democrats’ agenda. American citizens must be wondering which perspective specifically: the one favoring consumer protection or the one focused on civil rights advocacy, both shrouded in decidedly left-leaning ideology.
As the Senate preps for its November feast, some Conservatives are left scratching their heads. Has the commitment to a balanced judiciary—or any semblance of bipartisanship—been permanently put on the back burner in favor of a swift Thanksgiving deal? Only time will tell if this agreement yields any meaningful results or if it simply serves as another notch on the Democrats’ belt of judicial appointments.
