Staff Reports
In a dramatic turn of events, Senate Democrats have shut down the Left’s push to give Justice Sonia Sotomayor the boot and fill her seat with a younger, more liberal successor. It’s like the wild, wild west out there in the Senate, folks!
The Judicial Committee, responsible for green-lighting a new justice, has shrugged off the intense pressure campaign to force Sotomayor into retirement. They’re saying, “Not so quick, lefties!”
Liberals face Manchin roadblock to replacing Sotomayor on Supreme Court https://t.co/9A4YRIVEih
— David Sivak (@DISivak) April 10, 2024
But wait, there’s a real thorn in the Senate Democrats’ side, and his name is Sen. Joe Manchin from the great state of West Virginia. This guy isn’t a fan favorite among progressives, and he’s making it crystal clear that he’s not backing down. He’s throwing a massive wrench into the works by declaring that he won’t vote for any new Supreme Court justice unless they can reel in some Republican support.
Manchin is basically playing his version of “Simon Says” in the Senate, and it’s causing quite the ruckus. With the Democrats clinging to a razor-thin one-vote majority, he’s pulling off his own little filibuster move. This isn’t his first rodeo either; he pulled the same stunt back in March when he put the brakes on all judges.
The Lefties are sweating bullets because Sotomayor, who’s hitting the big 7-0 in June, is facing a tsunami of demands to call it quits before President Biden’s first term ends. The progressives are all twitchy, worried that history will repeat itself like a bad rerun if she doesn’t step down. They’re still mourning the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away during Trump’s last days in office, and they don’t want to endure another blow to their liberal dreams.
But here’s the kicker: if Sotomayor bows out and another Democrat jumps aboard Manchin’s train, the Supreme Court could shift further to the right. It’s like a game of political dominoes, and the Left doesn’t like where the pieces might fall.
Sotomayor, who’s seemingly in good health despite a childhood diabetes diagnosis, isn’t exactly showing signs of slowing down. Sure, she’s been griping about her workload and had a scare with low blood sugar back in 2018, but as far as Supreme Court lifespans go, she’s practically a spring chicken. At least that’s what Manchin thinks; he jokingly called her a “pup” in comparison to his own 76 years.
The progressives are pulling out all the stops, writing persuasive op-eds and pushing for Sotomayor to throw in the towel to give Biden a fighting chance to appoint a new justice. But the pushback from Senate Democrats is like a bucket of cold water thrown on a sizzling campfire. They’re shutting down the progressive parade, and even the usually easygoing Dick Durbin snapped at reporters to find another story.
It’s not just about Sotomayor’s capabilities or age; it’s a tangle of Senate politics that’s tripping up the Lefties. The Man of the Hour, Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, is doing a victory dance, pointing out that Sotomayor is a spring chicken compared to some of the other justices.
Let’s not forget that this isn’t just a battle of wills; it’s also a numbers game. Manchin, standing firm in the Senate with his own brand of political stubbornness, is the ace in the hole for the Democrats. And Kyrsten Sinema, another Dem-turned-independent senator, is chipping in on the trouble-making too. It’s like a political soap opera with all these plot twists and turns!
The Left is feeling the squeeze as they grapple with a critical issue: they can’t even get their dream legislation past the Senate, let alone a judge who would undoubtedly stir up trouble. And Manchin isn’t budging an inch; he’s making it clear that winning over a few Republican senators isn’t rocket science.
So, the Democrats are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and with the way things are going, Manchin isn’t backing down. He’s got his sights set on upholding the Senate’s tradition, and he’s not about to let others muck it up. It’s like a real-life political drama, and the sequel is just getting started, folks!
