Alan B. Cormack: GOP arrogance

Charles Krauthammer, in his Feb. 19 column, said that the Republican-majority Senate is “Wholly justified in blocking Obama” from appointing a balance-tipping Supreme Court justice in his last year in office. He railed about “raw power” and hypocrisy. Well, let’s talk about that.

On President Obama’s inauguration day, the Republican congressional leadership met and pledged to block everything he did, so as to make him a failure and be voted out in 2012. That is what they have attempted to do. That’s the kind of “leadership” they have shown for seven years.

Raw, unprincipled power is what the Republicans are about. That’s because they believe that, contrary to two decisive votes of the American people, they alone are qualified to rule. What arrogance.

Obama has resorted to executive actions because the Congress won’t legislate. One of them, granting amnesty to a lot of immigrants, was also done by Presidents Reagan, Clinton and the two Bushes without criticism.

Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, both George W. Bush appointees, weaseled their way through Senate confirmation hearings, giving bland non-answers to questions about their views. Once in office, they gave us Citizens United and a ruined Voting Rights Act.

It’s time for change.

This story was originally published February 21, 2016 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Alan B. Cormack: GOP arrogance."