# Schumer Urges Filibuster to Block Gorsuch Confirmation
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [March 23, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845 "2017-03-23T16:45:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 34
### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/661 "2017-04-06T15:10:18Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> What elephant?
I imagine he’s referring to Bork who got double of 3 (i.e. 6) Republican votes against him.
---
### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/662 "2017-04-06T15:13:45Z")
> [@Airbeck](#):
>
> Ok everybody should de-escalate.
>
> Your turn now. Will you do the same? Or is it only our side that needs to care about such things? Or shall we all just go ahead and play the Armageddon game until the whole place is left in smoldering ruins? Who wins in that scenario? Cockroaches?
When Obama nominated Garland, I said:
> [@Obama nominates Judge Merrick Garland to the SCOTUS.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-nominates-judge-merrick-garland-to-the-scotus/749160/18):
>
> If I were a senator, I would vote to confirm.
Well?
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### Author:  [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/663 "2017-04-06T15:21:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> When Obama nominated Garland, I said:
>
> Well?
Well what? I don’t see how that counts as exhorting your side to de-escalate anything. Its your personal opinion on the matter, sure, but in what way does stating that exhort anyone else to do anything? Did you call your Senators to tell them this and make your opinion clear to them?
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/664 "2017-04-06T15:33:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> When Obama nominated Garland, I said:
>
> Well?
If I were a Senator and Garland had been confirmed, I would consider Gorsuch’s nomination on the merits.
Would I vote to confirm? Damned if I know. Because of Garland, I’ve not been following the particulars of this nominee. I’d look into two things more than I have: (1) the balance of his decisions involving conflicts between corporations and flesh-and-blood human beings, and (2) the plagiarism question.
If on the former, his stances are nuanced, no problem, even if he’s got a somewhat corporate lean. But if he seems to almost always find a way to favor corporations over humans, then he loses me. And on the latter, if what he did was plagiarism by any reasonable standard, then I’d have to question his integrity.
But Garland wasn’t confirmed, and I don’t see how the Dems can just let that one go by. If GOP misdeeds don’t have consequences, how do we expect our conservatives to learn?
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/665 "2017-04-06T15:33:41Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> I imagine he’s referring to Bork who got double of 3 (i.e. 6) Republican votes against him.
Correct. Sparked by \*\*Bricker’s \*\*following post:
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Nope. Haynsworth was subject to what I think were unfair attacks, to be sure, but those attacks convinced double-digit numbers of Republican senators to reject him. I dislike the result but can’t argue it, any more than I argue Abe Fortas’ rejection for CJ.
Bricker is walking a hell of a fine line here to play the “this all started with Bork” game. 10 votes against, result: fair outcome. 6 votes against, result: tremendous injustice.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/666 "2017-04-06T15:43:10Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#):
>
> Bricker is walking a hell of a fine line here to play the “this all started with Bork” game. 10 votes against, result: fair outcome. 6 votes against, result: tremendous injustice.
Forgot to add: 3 votes against, result: crackpot.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/667 "2017-04-06T15:47:10Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#):
>
> Correct. Sparked by \*\*Bricker’s \*\*following post:
>
> Bricker is walking a hell of a fine line here to play the “this all started with Bork” game. 10 votes against, result: fair outcome. 6 votes against, result: tremendous injustice.
No, no, no – the votes alone don’t tell the whole story. It was the tactics that led to the votes, as well as the votes, that drew first blood.
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/668 "2017-04-06T15:48:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> No, no, no – the votes alone don’t tell the whole story. It was the tactics that led to the votes, as well as the votes, that drew first blood.
Yeah, shame on Teddy Kennedy for bringing up Bork’s record! Unfair!
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/669 "2017-04-06T15:49:27Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#):
>
> Forgot to add: 3 votes against, result: crackpot.
Not in any way an accurate summary of my words above.
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/670 "2017-04-06T15:49:55Z")
Aaaaaand…the Dems filibustered Gorsuch.
Will be calling my Senators this afternoon to thank them.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/671 "2017-04-06T15:50:37Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Yeah, shame on Teddy Kennedy for bringing up Bork’s record! Unfair!
Bringing it up? Fair. Lying about it?
Unfair.
Your characterization of Kennedy’s lies as merely “bringing it up?” Unfair.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/672 "2017-04-06T15:52:28Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Aaaaaand…the Dems filibustered Gorsuch.
>
> Will be calling my Senators this afternoon to thank them.
Pass on my thanks for the future easy confirmation of Pryor to RBG’s seat too, will you?
Thanks much.
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/673 "2017-04-06T15:58:35Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Bringing it up? Fair. Lying about it?
>
> Unfair.
I happen to disagree with your belief that Kennedy mischaracterized Bork’s record, and I’m hardly alone in this. But apparently you see yourself as not just always right, but the Paragon of Integrity who gets to decide who’s right and who’s wrong, who’s telling the truth and who’s lying.
You’re just another human being, and your judgment is no better than mine or anyone else’s. So please get over yourself.
And as I said earlier, get over Bork. It was 30 freakin’ years ago.
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/674 "2017-04-06T16:00:43Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Pass on my thanks for the future easy confirmation of Pryor to RBG’s seat too, will you?
>
> Thanks much.
You’re right, Mitch McConnell would have never dreamed about killing the filibuster for Pryor. He’d have only done it over Gorsuch.
And in other news, the Ganymede Goshawks just won the NCAA championship.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/675 "2017-04-06T16:08:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> No, no, no – the votes alone don’t tell the whole story. It was the tactics that led to the votes, as well as the votes, that drew first blood.
Right. The tactics plus the votes.
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Nope. Haynsworth was subject to what I think were unfair attacks, to be sure, but those attacks convinced double-digit numbers of Republican senators to reject him. I dislike the result but can’t argue it, any more than I argue Abe Fortas’ rejection for CJ.
Specifically, the tactics plus fewer than 10 votes. Because 10 is a round number. 5 is also a number, but you never know what you’re getting if someone says “5”. They might actually mean 6. But you know where you are with 10: You’re at 10. How many fingers do you have? 10. Boom.
---
### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/676 "2017-04-06T16:13:14Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> I happen to disagree with your belief that Kennedy mischaracterized Bork’s record, and I’m hardly alone in this. But apparently you see yourself as not just always right, but the Paragon of Integrity who gets to decide who’s right and who’s wrong, who’s telling the truth and who’s lying.
>
> You’re just another human being, and your judgment is no better than mine or anyone else’s. So please get over yourself.
>
> And as I said earlier, get over Bork. It was 30 freakin’ years ago.
There exist factual claims. I’m just another human being, but that does not rob me of the authority to declare invalid a false claim of fact.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/677 "2017-04-06T16:16:21Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#):
>
> Right. The tactics plus the votes.
>
> Specifically, the tactics plus fewer than 10 votes. Because 10 is a round number. 5 is also a number, but you never know what you’re getting if someone says “5”. They might actually mean 6. But you know where you are with 10: You’re at 10. How many fingers do you have? 10. Boom.
I’m done with you. While I decried the tactics used against Bork, it does not then automatically follow that I object to any sort of tactics used at any other time. Your response is the fallacy of equivocation, where you use ‘tactics’ in a fundamentally different way than I did, and so I’ve become convinced that further words with you would be unproductive.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/678 "2017-04-06T16:17:29Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> And as I said earlier, get over Bork. It was 30 freakin’ years ago.
And as for you: get over Gorsuch. It’s so tomorrow.
Also, get over Pryor.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/679 "2017-04-06T16:17:35Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> I’m done with you. While I decried the tactics used against Bork, it does not then automatically follow that I object to any sort of tactics used at any other time. Your response is the fallacy of equivocation, where you use ‘tactics’ in a fundamentally different way than I did, and so I’ve become convinced that further words with you would be unproductive.
So what was the difference between the treatment of Haynsworth and Bork aside from the # of Republicans voting against them?
---
### Author:  [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/680 "2017-04-06T16:19:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> I’m done with you. While I decried the tactics used against Bork, it does not then automatically follow that I object to any sort of tactics used at any other time. Your response is the fallacy of equivocation, where you use ‘tactics’ in a fundamentally different way than I did, and so I’ve become convinced that further words with you would be unproductive.
I suspected that your inability to convince me of your argument would somehow be my fault. Thank you for confirming.
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