McConnell's hypocrisy and extremism will lead to 11 Supreme Court seats and 4 New Senators...

[Brandern]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The American people are pro-choice, basically liberal, and are going to be just fine with a court that actually reflects the American people.

The hyperpartisanship of a vanquished Republican Senate majority voting the new justice through in a lame-duck just reeks of a similar show of force by the newly empowered left...Republican extremists be damned.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Puerto Rico should have a binding status referendum rather than having statehood decided for them by the Congress, but otherwise this is what should happen if McConnell forces through another justice illegitimately. I think you could even make the argument for a 13 person Court.

[Tekken_Guy]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The American people are pro-choice, basically liberal, and are going to be just fine with a court that actually reflects the American people.

The hyperpartisanship of a vanquished Republican Senate majority voting the new justice through in a lame-duck just reeks of a similar show of force by the newly empowered left...Republican extremists be damned.

The American people are split almost 50-50 between pro-choice and pro-life, and they have been so split for over a decade

https://news.gallup.com/poll/313094/americans-abortion-views-steady-past-year.aspx

Americans' overall stance on abortion has been stable in recent years, with the 48% calling themselves "pro-choice" and 46% "pro-life" similar to the close division on this measure observed most years since 2010.

How does it divide w/ Electoral College votes?

[Roronoa D. Law]

You mean 6 Senate seats. Our military and APA brothers and sister deserve representation in the form of the new state of Pacific Islands of America.

[Hope For A New Era]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The American people are pro-choice, basically liberal, and are going to be just fine with a court that actually reflects the American people.

The hyperpartisanship of a vanquished Republican Senate majority voting the new justice through in a lame-duck just reeks of a similar show of force by the newly empowered left...Republican extremists be damned.

The American people are split almost 50-50 between pro-choice and pro-life, and they have been so split for over a decade

https://news.gallup.com/poll/313094/americans-abortion-views-steady-past-year.aspx

Americans' overall stance on abortion has been stable in recent years, with the 48% calling themselves "pro-choice" and 46% "pro-life" similar to the close division on this measure observed most years since 2010.

They will remain divided like this until the focus of partisanship shifts somewhere else. (See: the trans bathroom issue was going to be the next cultural wedge issue until Trump appeared)

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The filibuster isn't going. Too many Senators love the idea having power over the rest of their caucus when they're in the majority. Without the filibuster going, there will be no new states and no court packing.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The American people are pro-choice, basically liberal, and are going to be just fine with a court that actually reflects the American people.

The hyperpartisanship of a vanquished Republican Senate majority voting the new justice through in a lame-duck just reeks of a similar show of force by the newly empowered left...Republican extremists be damned.

The American people are split almost 50-50 between pro-choice and pro-life, and they have been so split for over a decade

https://news.gallup.com/poll/313094/americans-abortion-views-steady-past-year.aspx

Americans' overall stance on abortion has been stable in recent years, with the 48% calling themselves "pro-choice" and 46% "pro-life" similar to the close division on this measure observed most years since 2010.

They will remain divided like this until the focus of partisanship shifts somewhere else. (See: the trans bathroom issue was going to be the next cultural wedge issue until Trump appeared)

It might end sooner than that thanks to advances in bio-bag technology rendering the abortion question irrelevant.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Planned Parenthood was affirmed 6-3 and we have had loopholes in McCain-Feingold campaign finance laws, that's why I will never donate again due to disappearing Markey, except 3.00 on my income tax.

 We shouldn't assume that Dems will get an 11 judge panel, it's called unanimous consent, if 1 Senator objects to anything, they can derail a judge or legislation. It's a gentemens agreement that this tool is never used due to the filibuster, but it's the only tool left for the Rs, that's why we dont have 1200 stimulus,  Rs and Ds used unanimous consent, not the filibuster to block each other's piece of legislation.  It was used in 2002, after 911 for a 2nd yr unemployment after 911

[dunceDude]

You mean 6 Senate seats. Our military and APA brothers and sister deserve representation in the form of the new state of Pacific Islands of America.

Northern Californians, I've got a pitch for you!

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

You mean 6 Senate seats. Our military and APA brothers and sister deserve representation in the form of the new state of Pacific Islands of America.

Northern Californians, I've got a pitch for you!

Once you start splitting up pre-existing blue states, you open the country up to the 500 Oklahomas problem.

[Bomster]

You mean 6 Senate seats. Our military and APA brothers and sister deserve representation in the form of the new state of Pacific Islands of America.

Northern Californians, I've got a pitch for you!

Once you start splitting up pre-existing blue states, you open the country up to the 500 Oklahomas problem.

Oklahomies.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Give me a counterargument to this happening...seriously...

The American people are pro-choice, basically liberal, and are going to be just fine with a court that actually reflects the American people.

The hyperpartisanship of a vanquished Republican Senate majority voting the new justice through in a lame-duck just reeks of a similar show of force by the newly empowered left...Republican extremists be damned.

The American people are split almost 50-50 between pro-choice and pro-life, and they have been so split for over a decade

https://news.gallup.com/poll/313094/americans-abortion-views-steady-past-year.aspx

Americans' overall stance on abortion has been stable in recent years, with the 48% calling themselves "pro-choice" and 46% "pro-life" similar to the close division on this measure observed most years since 2010.

This is true if you ask people about their personal opinions on abortion.

But if you ask people whether Roe should be overturned, it’s not close.

https://www.npr.org/2019/06/07/730183531/poll-majority-want-to-keep-abortion-legal-but-they-also-want-restrictions
(A 2019 poll showing 77% of Americans want to uphold Roe.)

[TomC]

Do the winners of AZ and GA special (after run-off) get to take office earlier than Jan 3?

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Do the winners of AZ and GA special (after run-off) get to take office earlier than Jan 3?

Yes. In the case of AZ, and IIRC GA, one day afterwards.

If there are at least two genuine "No" votes in the Republican caucus, McConnell is going to want to hold this vote before.

[Former President tack50]

Counterarguments:

11 SC Justices: This will simply lead to destroying the US judiciary, as Republicans would counterattack when they got a trifecta back. Rinse and repeat until the SC is completely broken. And I imagine at least some democrats would want to stop that.

4 New Senators: Harder to stop, but it is far from impossible that Puerto Rico rejects statehood. Statehood there is a plurality but it is not a majority. DC statehood is inevitable though.

Worth noting these are all contingent on Biden winning and Dems getting a trifecta. So if Dems don't flip the Senate (or Biden loses) then you can forget about these.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Counterarguments:

11 SC Justices: This will simply lead to destroying the US judiciary, as Republicans would counterattack when they got a trifecta back. Rinse and repeat until the SC is completely broken. And I imagine at least some democrats would want to stop that.

There's a huge risk here if it's just regular old court packing, but new states will require judicial circuits and a new federal circuit (or two) could plausibly imply another seat (or two) on the Supreme Court. This is where DC and PR come in.

[GeneralMacArthur]

What I would like to see is Democrats threatening to go full nuclear unless Republicans agree to some constitutional amendments to enshrine the basic principles of our democracy that have been violated over the last decade.  Republicans have basically dropped the MOAB so nuclear is all we have left.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Counterarguments:

11 SC Justices: This will simply lead to destroying the US judiciary, as Republicans would counterattack when they got a trifecta back. Rinse and repeat until the SC is completely broken. And I imagine at least some democrats would want to stop that.

There's a huge risk here if it's just regular old court packing, but new states will require judicial circuits and a new federal circuit (or two) could plausibly imply another seat (or two) on the Supreme Court. This is where DC and PR come in.

A potential silver lining of court packing (which would be horrible for the country to be sure) could be the subdivision of the Ninth Circuit, which is WAY too big. California should probably have its own circuit at this point.

[ProgressiveModerate]

I don't support packing the courts because it'll just become power grabs that escalate every cycle.

[GeneralMacArthur]

I don't support packing the courts because it'll just become power grabs that escalate every cycle.

The Republicans already started the unconstitutional power grabs.  How much further do they need to go before we start playing the same game?

[ProgressiveModerate]

I don't support packing the courts because it'll just become power grabs that escalate every cycle.

The Republicans already started the unconstitutional power grabs.  How much further do they need to go before we start playing the same game?

We don't need power grabs, but we need things that make the system more fair, such as admitting DC and PR, just because it's the right thing to do to give those people a voice. Making it easier to vote and making RCV universal would also help.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Counterarguments:

11 SC Justices: This will simply lead to destroying the US judiciary, as Republicans would counterattack when they got a trifecta back. Rinse and repeat until the SC is completely broken. And I imagine at least some democrats would want to stop that.

Seems like if the Dems held the presidency and the Senate and really wanted to go nuclear and still have their reforms endure long term, they could do something like this:

1.) End the filibuster
2.) Pack the Supreme Court with extreme progressives
3.) Pass a new Voting Rights Act that includes “political reparations”, which would be something like a 10-year moratorium on white people voting.  The would certainly be struck down by the current SCOTUS, but could be upheld if Court is packed correctly.
4.) The next couple elections cycles would basically assure progressive supermajorities in all offices in almost all states.  Use these supermajorities to pass constitutional amendments radically restructuring our republic to make it more fair to all.
5.) Among these amendment, prohibit further packing of the Court.

From here, the possibilities seem endless....

[WD]

I don't support packing the courts because it'll just become power grabs that escalate every cycle.

I disagree. We can’t take this lying down. A 6-3 Conservative SC is not acceptable

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

I don't support packing the courts because it'll just become power grabs that escalate every cycle.

The Republicans already started the unconstitutional power grabs.  How much further do they need to go before we start playing the same game?

We don't need power grabs, but we need things that make the system more fair, such as admitting DC and PR, just because it's the right thing to do to give those people a voice. Making it easier to vote and making RCV universal would also help.

Democrats are going to have to shatter some norms like the filibuster to do this, which will inevitably change the distribution of power. Given the gridlock and over-reliance on judicial activism for reforms, altering the distribution of power (in abstract) is probably a good thing.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Counterarguments:

11 SC Justices: This will simply lead to destroying the US judiciary, as Republicans would counterattack when they got a trifecta back. Rinse and repeat until the SC is completely broken. And I imagine at least some democrats would want to stop that.

Seems like if the Dems held the presidency and the Senate and really wanted to go nuclear and still have their reforms endure long term, they could do something like this:

1.) End the filibuster
2.) Pack the Supreme Court with extreme progressives
3.) Pass a new Voting Rights Act that includes “political reparations”, which would be something like a 10-year moratorium on white people voting.  The would certainly be struck down by the current SCOTUS, but could be upheld if Court is packed correctly.
4.) The next couple elections cycles would basically assure progressive supermajorities in all offices in almost all states.  Use these supermajorities to pass constitutional amendments radically restructuring our republic to make it more fair to all.
5.) Among these amendment, prohibit further packing of the Court.

From here, the possibilities seem endless....

Is this a meme?