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Poor Brett Kavanaugh: He’s Irrelevant
The only one who cares if Kavanaugh is appointed is Kavanaugh himself, who has wanted this job all his life. For everyone else, he’s just a pawn in what the others – Republicans and Democrats alike – really care about, which is the Senatorial elections this coming November.
The crucial thing is to have a majority in the Senate in order to appoint or not appoint a right-wing Republican to this lifelong job. If Trump or the Republicans in the Senate have to sacrifice Kavanaugh to achieve this, they will do it. What everyone is trying to figure out is what will swing a small number of voters in a small number of states, such that their party’s candidate will win a majority in the Senate. There is no consensus on the tactics required to do this.
I know everyone says that a defeat of Kavanaugh will be a great victory for the Democrats, and so it seems. But if they don’t gain the majority in the fall elections, Trump will simply nominate another ultra-rightist person. And if they do win the majority, Trump will have to appoint a more “moderate” person or he will not pass.
Kavanaugh knows this, which is why he’s so angry. And Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer knows it too, which is why he’s being so cautious. In the meantime, everyone is shouting loudly with rhetoric in which they half believe. But behind rhetoric there is always reality. And the reality is that Kavanaugh is just a pawn.
Did he engage in drunken attempted rape when he was 17, and did he then lie about it? The evidence that he did seems to me pretty strong.
But so what? If Trump appoints another ultra-rightist who is pure as the driven snow, will that be better? I don’t think so. So, as always, let us keep our eyes on the ball and not on the diversions.
Commentaries
This is the end; this is the beginning
Europe’s telephone and the politics of non-real change
Again and Again!
Decisive moment! Decisive moment?
The Fire of Notre Dame Cathedral: How Tragic?
Ontological Dilemmas
Who is Winning? It All Depends When
Unacceptable compromises: A clarification
Can Unacceptable Compromises Prevail?
How to Fight a Class Struggle
The Big Five: Clinging to power
Withdrawing troops: The Impossible choices
The Desperate mr. trump, or Trump says he matters
When Trump Visibly Crashes
Is Trump Scared?