Obama nominates anti-rights candidate for Supreme Court

President Obama has chosen a Washington judge to assume the seat formerly occupied by Antonin Scalia. Obama is expected to announce Merrick Garland as his pick. Garland has been previously considered by Obama, but never chosen for the Supreme Court. Republicans are expected to oppose his nomination.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Merrick Garland, 63, is a lawyer and judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, and he may become the next Supreme Court justice. Obama has announced Garland will be considered for the seat, assuming the senate will conduct confirmation hearings.

Previously, Republican lawmakers have asked that Obama refrain from nominating a replacement so the voters could participate in the process by electing the next president, who would in turn, nominate the replacement justice. However, the White House has argued that the voters did decide when they elected Obama, and they have pointed out that several justices have been confirmed in the last years of lame-duck presidencies.

Most of the American people agree that Obama should nominate a replacement sooner rather than later.

However, there is still opinion on what kind of justice should replace Scalia, if the justice should be constitutive, moderate, or liberal. Analysts have said that Obama would stand his best chance nominating a moderate justice. Liberals want a liberal nominee to advance their agenda, but Senate Republicans should block any such attempt. Conservatives point out that Scalia was conservative, so Obama should nominate a conservative justice, or better, all should wait until the next president to nominate such a justice.

Garland has worked as a prosecutor and is known for liberal bias. He was appointed to his current position in 1997 by Bill Clinton. He has enjoyed some support previously from conservative members of the Senate, including seven sitting Republican senators who voted for him in 1997: Dan Coats (Ind.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Orrin Hatch (Utah), James M. Inhofe (Okla.), John McCain (Ariz.), and Pat Roberts (Kan.).

While Garland may have some bipartisan support, it should be known that he is regarded as a liberal justice. His most obvious liability is his liberal stance on the right of people to keep and bear arms, specifically, he once demonstrated support for a ban on handguns in Washington D.C.

It is possible that his nomination may not gain traction, in which case Obama will need to nominate someone else, or forgo nominating a replacement altogether. However, given Obama's pride and his desire to build a legacy for himself, it is certain that Obama will push until his demands are met, or he runs out of time.

---

The California Network is the Next Wave in delivery of information and entertainment on pop culture, social trends, lifestyle, entertainment, news, politics and economics. We are hyper-focused on one audience, YOU, the connected generation. JOIN US AS WE REDEFINE AND REVOLUTIONIZE THE EVER-CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.