LETTERS: Reid, Democrats longtime contributors to gridlock
Regarding Steve Sebelius’ column on the Supreme Court (“Senators must live up to oath, or quit,” Wednesday Review-Journal), the first paragraph states that “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, is a disgrace to the Senate, a traitor to his oath and, if he retained the slightest vestiges of decency, would resign immediately.” Mr. Sebelius also states, “Actually, the American people did have a voice — and they spoke in 2012 when they re-elected President Barack Obama, who has indicated he will not delay in making a nomination.”
I’m sure Mr. Sebelius hasn’t forgotten that the American people also spoke in 2014, when they gave the Senate majority to Republicans, but that fact apparently doesn’t suit his narrative.
On that same page was an op-ed by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, in which he states, “Having gridlocked the Senate for years, Republicans now want to gridlock the Supreme Court with a campaign of partisan sabotage aimed at denying the president’s constitutional duty to pick nominees.” Yet Sen. Reid blocked anything and everything during his term as Senate majority leader. His favorite words were “dead on arrival.” Talk about gridlock. I don’t recall Mr. Sebelius writing about Sen. Reid’s behavior.
Of course, President Barack Obama has the constitutional right to nominate a candidate for the Supreme Court, just as it is the constitutional right of the Senate to accept or reject that nominee. For Mr. Sebelius to excoriate Mr. McConnell for doing the same thing Sen. Reid would have done is disingenuous.
Recall that in 2006, then-Sen. Obama filibustered Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. Sens. Reid and Chuck Schumer, along with other Democrats, have conveniently forgotten their role in contributing to Washington gridlock. No wonder the American people are frustrated and disgusted with the current political environment. It’s a sad state of affairs.
Shelley Carpenter
North Las Vegas
Democrats’ hypocrisy
Justice Antonin Scalia’s unexpectedly death leaves a gigantic hole in the Supreme Court. Replacing Justice Scalia will take time and consideration, as the vacancy creates an immense vulnerability in the balance of the court.
President Barack Obama has already announced he will nominate a replacement soon. The nomination must go to the Senate, where consent by the majority is required. The Senate GOP leadership has already announced that in its opinion, the selection of a replacement for Justice Scalia should come after the 2016 election, giving the next president the opportunity to make the nomination. The Democratic Party is slamming the GOP for delaying an immediate replacement for Justice Scalia.
But in this regard, the Democrats are riddled to the core with hypocrisy. If the roles were reversed, the Democrats would never do anything different than the Republican-led Senate is proposing. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and fellow Senate Republicans must have the resolve and determination to resist all political pressure brought to bear as Democrats push for precipitous consent on a nomination.
The Supreme Court hangs in the balance, with one vote significantly determining if this nation will continue to have a constitutional form of government. Otherwise, we’ll live in an activist-driven society in which left-wing/progressive sentiment determines the legal framework within which the Republic will be governed for decades to come.
Bob Jack
North Las Vegas
Positive VA experience
Regarding Troy Pyles’ letter (“Veterans health,” Wednesday Review-Journal), it’s amazing that people who never used Veterans Affairs health care can comment on it. I guess I could make comments on the the Navy, even if I never was in it.
My wife and I have used the VA health system for more than 24 years (I am a disabled Army veteran), and we find it to be first class. Yes, a system so big will have its faults, like all medical programs. But at least do some research before criticizing something about which you have no firsthand knowledge.
Kevin Fitzgerald
Las Vegas
