Idiot du Jour

Sen. Tom Tillis (R-NC -- of course):

Republicans have never made it easy for President Barack Obama to confirm judges. But Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) came up with a new reason the Senate shouldn’t be filling empty court seats: It’s not our job.

Democrats including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) made repeated requests Wednesday to confirm a batch of Obama’s judicial nominees who are ready for votes. Each time they tried, Tillis objected and suggested the Senate shouldn’t be spending time on judges.

“What we get are things that have nothing to do with doing our jobs,” he said. “I’m doing my job today and objecting to these measures so we can actually get back to pressing matters.”

(Emphasis added.)

Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution:

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

(Emphasis added.)

It is your job, Senator.

Via Digby, who goes on to opine:

Thinking about the literacy test, I've changed my mind. Let's get to the nub of the problem: the Senate. It's an undemocratic institution that really has no place in a modern democracy. It's decided not to bother doing the few specific jobs it does as an individual body. Even with the loons running the House today the only legislative body this country would not be in any worse shape. So really, why are we paying for it at all? It's useless.

I don't think I agree: with the loons running the House, we need the Senate to use its dead weight to stall some of their colleagues' more outlandish attempts at wrecking the country.