Are you in favor of stacking the Supreme Court?

[masterpanthera_t]

(10-27-2020, 04:15 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Here's my point in as succinct a manner as possible.  McConnell's tactics were underhanded and sleazy, but they were within the framework of the existing rules.  He didn't have to change or modify anything.  In fact, all he had to do was nothing, which is what he did.

I see what you mean. While I knew that your view was that his move was underhanded, I got more context here. I think, if I were to accurately restate your view here, you look at McConnell's inaction sort of along the lines of a "filibuster". A move designed to prevent an action, but mainly, and this is the key - the move is already within the framework. I can see this view, and probably this is close to my view here.

Quote:Contrast that with the proposed court packing.  Packing the court will require a complete change in legislation.  It is changing the rules because they didn't work in your favor and changing them in a way that only benefits you (because no way do they expand the SCOTUS if the GOP keeps hold of the Senate).  This is the very essence of tyranny, imposing your will on others outside the framework of the rules.  Not that it matters because I'm only one person, but if the Dems pack the court then I will never, ever, in my life ever vote for another Democrat and quite honestly would hope that the end up on the ash heap of history with the Whigs.  I'd add that I've never voted GOP in my life.

I can certainly see this point of view, and yes, it would be an imposition of a will on others outside the framework. And I'm not unsympathetic to this viewpoint. At some level, though, even McConnell's actions (or inaction) goes against the "spirit" of what was the intended functioning of the framework, IMO (perhaps I'm not informed enough here). While technically his actions are more on the path of finding a loophole (or something along those lines) within the framework, and in contrast, the court packing would be a rebuild of the framework (naturally, timed in a way that further rebuilds may not be that easy, although not impossible to pull off), ultimately I find them both guilty of breaking the spirit of the framework. While I'm almost in concurrence with you on why rebuilding the framework would be tyrannical, something about the process undertaken by McConnell really rankles my sense of fairness, and allowing that to stand by on a "technicality" (loop hole finding vs. rebuilding the framework) without any action also strikes me as essentially allowing a power grab without any "censure" if you will. Because both actions, IMO, break the spirit of the framework, just that the latter is more overly so.
And as for your last point about the Dem party, well, I will say that I hope both parties go away into the ash heap of history to be replaced with two or more parties and a better more functioning system of Democracy. But now I'm digressing away from the topic.