Is the Blue Slip a Black Ball that should be Deep Sixed?-

The US Senate has a tradition of allowing U.S. Senators to veto the appointment of judges from their state, called the “Blue Slip.” But, that might change.

Of course, the attack on the Blue Slip procedure is can be viewed as a part of the ongoing judicial confirmation wars. IMHO the threat may be a good tactic for Bill Frist. It means that the Democrat Senators could lose some power by continuing their filibusters.

However, dropping the Blue Slip procedure might be a good idea in its own right. Do you it would be better if home state Senators lost the power to blackball a judge?

I have no real opinion, but must say the title clearly shows a certain craftmanship. I am not sure if it good or bad craftsmanship, but it is craftmanship.

I don’t know where the Blue Slip system originated. In theory, the home state Senators should know their local judge better than other Senators or the President. So, it makes sense to give them a voice.

OTOH if they are using their veto power for political purposes, then it isn’t serving the public. In the case at hand, it’s claimed that the California Senators are opposing Ms. Kuhl for political reasons, rather than lack of honesty, intelligence, or technical competence.

Would this deep-sixing be forever, or just until the the next Democratic President wants to nominate left wing liberals to the bench?

This is not the other hand, it is the same hand. Divying up a home state senator’s opinion on a judgeship into “special knowledge” and “politics” is an arbitrary, and essentially partisan undertaking. By breaking with the custom, the senate would ensure that those with the greatest knowledge, and stake in the decision process have no more input than the obviously partisan, and less-informed majority of senators. How would less well informed decisions improve the quality of the selection process ?