Here are some of my thoughts on President Barack Obama nominating Federal Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Obama’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court should get an up or down vote. The Republican-controlled Senate should allow this. It is also up to the President to nominate someone who can get the required votes in that Republican-controlled Senate to be confirmed.

Whether Republicans like it or not their argument that Americans need a say in this process is hogwash. Americans did speak – they elected Barack Obama (twice).

As of today, there are 310 days left in the President’s term. By nominating Merrick Garland, the President has done his constitutional duties. Garland was confirmed before (1997) to the Federal Court (76-23) with 32 Republicans voting for him.

The Republicans in the Senate should do their constitutional duty.

For a Republican U.S. Senator (or a Democrat Senator if the tables were turned) to come out and say they will oppose any hearing or votes for the President’s nominee to the Supreme Court is one of the reasons people are mad as hell at the Federal government. It’s also one of the reasons the job approval rating for Congress is around 13%.

There are very few statesmen and stateswomen left in Washington, let alone adults.

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