The Battle Begins

The Big Battle is Brewing

The battle to nominate and get Congress’s “advice and consent” for the next US Supreme Court Justice to replace deceased Justice Antonin Scalia is well underway.

On May 18^th Trump put out a --- list of 11 possibleJustices. --- Then this September he put out his ---- definitive list of 21.  --- He has done this I believe to try and limit the parameters of the argument.  The President Elect has said repeatedly “This list is definitive, and I will choose only from it in picking future justices of the Supreme Court.”  That sounds Presidential as Hell to me.

Trump is gathering his forces and the opening volleys will be heard in the Senate with the confirmation hearings of then President Trump’s nominees for his Cabinet.  Some if not all of these will take place before the full battle for the Supreme Court starts again in the Senate.  From Article II of the Constitution, The President… "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Judges of the Supreme Court.”

Now to the Supreme Court battle itself, the Michigan connection and what we can do and have done to influence it.

--- Big Judicial Con Fab ---

The meeting was put on by the Federalist Society attended by 1700 people in honor of Justice Antonin Scalia.  Many of those on Donald’s list were there.

Guess who hosted one of the sessions?  Michigan’s own newly elected Mi. Supreme Court Justice Joan Larson, who also just happens to be on President Elect Donald Trump’s list of 21 people to replace Justice Scalia. She clerked for Justice Scalia early in her career and to my Michiganian mind would make an ideal replacement.  Please note with pride that Mi. Chief Justice Robert Young is on that list also.  And also note 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Raymond M. Kethledge is a Michigander which makes 3 from Michigan on the list.  Impressive stuff and says a lot about our Michigan’s “Rule of Law” Supreme Court, which brings us to you and me.

Bottom Up Politics is a local blog and is supposed to be about action.  The local part of this story is how friends of mine have worked in the past to insure a “Rule of Law” Court be installed in Michigan.  I was at the 2010 convention when the then Supreme Court Justice --- Robert Young ---pictured above was re-nominated and later elected in 2010, After which he became Chief Justice. 

Locally, we put on an event in which 3 Mi. Supreme Court Justices came to Hart to talk in 2012.  During this November’s election my friends and I campaigned for “Joan and David” as “Rule of Law” judges.  Both Justices Joan Larson and David Viviano were elected and now we have a solid “Rule of Law” court in Michigan. That is the kind of personal involvement I hope this blog fosters. 

Getting back to Michigan Justice Joan Larsen. --- This from the NY Times. ---

Both Mr. Jay and Professor Fitzpatrick said Justice Scalia would have been pleased to be succeeded by one of his former law clerks, Larsen of the Michigan Supreme Court. She went to law school at Northwestern, served in the Justice Department and taught law at the University of Michigan.

“Joan Larsen has a very decent chance,” Mr. Malcolm said.

The list of 21 is long and any one of them would be a great “Rule of Law” choice.  So please forgive my Michigan prejudices.  The one take away I have from this list is Trump’s unwavering commitment to pick someone from that list.  He put it together with the help of the best minds along with those from the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation and came up with this list.  As I pointed out, he has said “This list is definitive, and I will choose only from it in picking future justices of the Supreme Court.”  My take away is that he has started making his decision by putting out the list and at the same time letting people know he will not entertain other suggestions.   Please note he said "future justices" plural.  Looks like Ginsburg will be the one needing the crying towel and play dough....  ;-)

All of this along with him talking with his potential and previous enemies such as Ted Cruz and Mitt Romney lead me to say he is trying to form the coalitions he needs and is starting with his own Republican Party.  Also note the cat and mouse game being played with Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell.  That is a match worth watching.  The whole Congressional political thing is what turned people off and part of the reason they voted for Trump.  McConnell was great at political intrigue in slowing down Obama, I hope he changes his tune to one that will help Trump Make America Great Again.--- Note from this article --- the sides already being drawn.   .

What a great election this has been to be a part of and it will be a great process moving forward if we work and do all we can to keep our mid/American voices heard.  Remember as for our elected Representatives, commend them for the good they do no matter how late.  I was extremely pleased to see our Congressman Bill Huizenga speaking at a Trump Rally in Grand Rapids.  Enough said.  

One star in our local Trump universe is our State Legislator from the 100th district Jon Bumstead who was a Trump supporter from the get go.  He was the first state legislator to endorse Trump.  Rumor has it Bumstead will be running in two years (2018) for the term limited State Senate seat of Goeff Hansen dist. #34.  If he runs, that will be a tough battle.  That district includes Muskegon as well as Oceana and Newaygo.  

This could be a brutal fight in the primary if Holly Hughes the re-elected Muskegon 91^st district State Legislator throws her hat in the ring.  I assume she will as it is the next logical progression for her.  

Like I said this will be a battle in which Rep. Bumstead could use plenty of help from you and me.  That will be another interesting race where you and I are needed.  Again it is only a rumor.  But put those thinking caps on and let’s come up with ways to get Jon some more votes in Muskegon.  There will always be doors to knock on and literature to pass out but we need to also think out of the box on this one --- if the rumors are true. 

Sunny and Patrick

Regards, Bob Carr
Live Dangerously be a Get Things Done Conservative