Quote:This I am not so sure would happen. There is a massive distrust between people, media, and the government right now. Who is going to convince the people that they must vote out the Republicans who are blocking the SCJ? The media? Politicians? The people who voted Republicans into office are not going to listen to them, and you can tell that because the two biggest outsiders, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, are getting the majority of votes as a big FU to DC. If Hillary Clinton is elected, the Republican voter base wouldn't even blink if congress chose to never confirm a Clinton nominee.

 

That said, I think in the end the Republicans would capitulate regardless of whether there was the threat of being voted out or not.

The media, mainstream and otherwise, would swarm down on how the Republicans were unwilling to perform their Constitutional duty (whether that were true or not, and in this case, it would be a lie). The Democrats would be blasting them loudly through all channels, and the GOP itself would be stuck between openly arguing with some of its most prominent members, essentially begging them to form a third party, or saying nothing and allowing the establishment to further lose control.

 

I really think you'd see the Democrats and the establishment GOP quietly working together to marginalize Congresspersons that are clearly operating on a "reject all" mentality rather than considering the merits of each nominee. Honestly, from what I've read about Garland, I think he was chosen by Obama as an olive branch to the GOP establishment by giving them someone palatable and forcing the extreme GOP to either consider him on his merits or risk having both parties come down on them for dereliction of duty.

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