General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Robert Reich says about Judge Sri Srinivasan on Facebook.
Reich's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/?fref=nf
My mole in the White House tells me Obama will nominate 46-year-old Judge Sri Srinivasan, an Indian-American jurist who Obama nominated in 2013 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit -- and the Senate confirmed unanimously. Having confirmed him unanimously just three years ago, it would be difficult (but hardly impossible) for Republicans to oppose him now. (Twelve former Solicitors General, including Republican notables as Paul Clement and Kenneth Starr had endorsed his confirmation. Moreover, the D.C. Circuit has long been a Supreme Court farm team Scalia himself, along with John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg were judges there before ascending to the Supreme Court.)
But is Srinivasan progressive? He had been Obamas principal Deputy Solicitor General before the nomination, arguing Supreme Court cases in support of affirmative action and against Indianas restrictive voter ID law, for example. But this record doesnt prove much. (Having once worked as an assistant Solicitor General, I know the inhabitants of that office will argue whatever halfway respectable arguments the Justice Department and, indirectly, the President, wants made.)
Before the Obama administration, Srinivasan worked for five years in George W. Bushs Justice Department. Prior to that, as an attorney in the private firm of O'Melveny & Myers, he defended Exxon Mobil in a lawsuit brought by Indonesians who accused the companys security forces of torture, murder, and other violations against their people; successfully represented a newspaper that fired its employees for unionizing; and defended Enrons former CEO, Jeffrey Skilling, later convicted for financial fraud. But in these instances, too, it could be argued he was just representing clients. Another clue: After graduating Stanford Law School in 1995, Srinivasan clerked for two Republican-appointed jurists Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor both of whom were considered moderate.
Since he became a judge on the D.C. Circuit, he hasnt tipped his hand. But I discovered one morsel of information that might interest you: In 2000, he worked on Al Gores legal team in the infamous Supreme Court case of Bush v. Gore.
One more paragraph at Facebook.
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Sri Srinivasan has a relatively good chance at being confirmed, if nominated, because he was confirmed 97-0 by the Senate in 2013 to current federal judgeship.
Srinivasan appears to be moderate rather than liberal and has some prior professional work for the darkside.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Shrike47
(6,913 posts)The only possible reason to oppose is politics, to hell with the country.
nichomachus
(12,754 posts)When you say you're going to block the nomination of anyone Obama names, even before he names someone, that's political, not based on the merits of the person.
Lorien
(31,935 posts)I think that we can do better.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)Seems that would complete the package
PufPuf23
(8,836 posts)I think we can do better too also.
Maybe the GOP will corner themselves?
Who POTUS Obama can nominate and get confirmed is not congruent with what we need.
In any situation I would not expect POTUS Obama to nominate a liberal.
Califonz
(465 posts)Depends on if she wants to be a senator or SCOTUS judge, I suppose.
Merlot
(9,696 posts)and then, I'm thinking ATTY General for democratic president at some point. She's awesome.
She does need to be more open mined on the legalizing drugs.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)From the State of California.
Merlot
(9,696 posts)I think she is going to be awesome at the job.
Not looking forward to Gavin Newsoms next move though. Some said he wants to also be US Senator, though running for Gov is most likely.
Hugin
(33,198 posts)labeled that, anyway!
The GAME HAS CHANGED, folks. It's that simple.
DAMANgoldberg
(1,278 posts)It doesn't matter who Obama nominates, they won't get confirmed. So don't put anyone that is a sitting Senator or favorite to be one. Crank the minority train up, and lure the Repubs into a honey trap that will bite them @ General Election. If this is done right, the Dems could retake the senate, keep the White House, then the person you want, a true progressive, can be appointed, confirmed, and tip the balance of the court to "our" side. Obama is nothing else a master tactician and politician.
Hugin
(33,198 posts)After 30 years of abuse the Reaganauts set themselves up with a single point of failure... and, well, it failed. Now, it's up to the Dems to drive on with the narrative from this point. Instead of allowing the Repubs to maintain their crazy talk, yet again. So, it seems.
Who's there to keep the Dems from letting the Repubs keep the narrative? Us!
Kablooie
(18,641 posts)Since there's little chance that Obamas choice will be confirmed.
Then the tea party will have to live with Obama in the pubic eye and influencing their lives for as long as they live.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Abortion rights and gay marriage will be safe, as will polluters and huge, corrupt banks and insurance companies
Chichiri
(4,667 posts)That's pretty unlikely, but it has been mentioned as a possibility. She's center-left, mostly on our side but with a few rightward skews. I would love to be able to point at a Supreme Court justice and say, "I voted for her. Twice."
mgmaggiemg
(869 posts)and as liberal as he can for scotus appointment