ETHS AP Government & Politics 2015 Blog

Kawveh Alagheband

AP Government and Politics

Mrs. Gordon

2/22/2016

Obama and the Supreme Court

1.  A consensus is a position or agreement came to between the President and Senate. If a Republican candidate is elected, the Democrats would then have control over two branches of government, and they would also have a little over two weeks with control of both Senate and President. That is a time when they would be able to push through the candidate of Obama's choosing. Presently, the President and the Senate cannot come into agreement because the Republicans have the Senate and Obama is a Democrat; they can't come to a consensus. During those two weeks in January, Obama and the Senate would easily have a consensus because of similar political views. 
2. President Obama holds the power to keep his view point and thoughts in a major power role in the government. If he picks a replacement for Scalia in the Supreme Court, he will most likely be choosing someone that has the same view point. Even though he does have the power to choose a new person to fill the spot, he needs to come to a consensus with the Senate on who to choose. Since the Republicans have the Senate, there is no consensus in sight since Obama is on his way out of the White house and Republicans have a major chance to get a candidate elected. 
3. A "lame duck" president is one that doesn't do anything while in office during their last, non-influential days as president. President Obama doesn't fit into the "lame duck" mold, yet. He still has time to let go of the reigns and do nothing when nothing is needed of him, especially when he can just wait on the issue of appointing a new Justice. However, Obama hasn't yet shown any letting up of his power in legislature and I believe he will well utilize the power he has during that 17 day window to give a new Justice  to the Supreme Court.