On the occasion of America’s birthday, the historian in me (I taught that subject in high school and college for more than 40 years) demands that I make, and air, some “appropriate” comments. None who reside in this great country would disagree with the fact that Americans are deeply divided on a host of very important issues: immigration, the environment, homelessness, taxes, guns and more. The compromises necessary to alleviate them might, or might not, be found. What is a certainty, however, is that our legislative branch will play a major role in debating these issues.
Selecting a Supreme Court justice to replace the retiring Anthony Kennedy is the first major task that the current Senate will face after President Trump makes his nomination. When former Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, then-President Obama named Merrick Garland (on March 16), the chief justice of the D.C. Appellate Court, for the vacant high court position. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged his fellow senators to not perform their constitutional duties and wait for the November election results. We can all be certain that he will not give the same advice now.
