There are many who would argue that the political and media circus around the Kavanaugh controversy has gotten out of hand. It is not about the facts. It is not even about respect for the claims of his accusers or his repeated denials. It is about the spectacle.
Despite everything that has happened, a new Rasmussen survey found that 56% of respondents still believe that everyone who is nominated by the president should get an up or down vote in the Senate — suggesting that this includes Kavanaugh as well. The number dropped from 60% in July.
Meanwhile, 20% of respondents disagreed and 23% were unsure.
It’s interesting to note though that Americans are more divided on the urgency of the vote. Forty-nine percent of respondents said the Senate should act to replace Justice Kennedy immediately, while 44% said the vote should wait until a new Senate is sworn into office.
The voting public has long been in favor of giving Supreme Court nominations picked by the president a hearing and vote. A CNN / ORC poll found that 64% of likely voters in 2016 believed Merrick Garland should have received a hearing, and 57% said the sitting president should pick the nominee.
Accusations have surfaced of Democratic retribution for what happened to Garland, while Republicans blast their colleagues for stall tactics. There is arguably no clearer example of hypocrisy on both sides of the aisle than the treatment of Supreme Court nominees these days, while the opinions of voters are ignored.
What is supposed to be the most independent of the three branches of government — the Supreme Court — is at the mercy of extreme partisan maneuvering and tactics and has been for years now. Will the Kavanaugh nomination be resolved by November? At this point, it is anyone’s guess.
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