Letter: Neil Gorsuch is mainstream

The specter of the “loyal opposition” rationalizing opposition to confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch is a sad commentary on the current state of that party.

Gorsuch is said to be out of the “mainstream,” but who’s mainstream? Certainly not people in the majority of counties won by Trump. Perhaps it is the 16 out of 46 New York counties carried by Hillary Clinton. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s definition of “mainstream” reminds one of the famous New Yorker magazine covers depicting a New Yorker’s view of the world. It’s all about the city.

In 10 years, the judge wrote or joined in thousands of opinions, more than 90 percent of which were unanimous. Few, less than 5 percent, were overruled. Beyond being a demonstration of legal acumen, the record is evidence of what any rational observer would define as “mainstream.”

The Democrats’ recent embrace of Senate tradition regarding filibuster conveniently ignores their use of the “nuclear option” to pack the District of Columbia Circuit Court with Barack Obama nominees, and Sen. Tim Kaine’s endorsement when Clinton’s victory and Democratic Senate control seemed assured last year.

Then there’s the argument that obstruction is justifiable “payback” for the Republicans’ refusal to consider the lame-duck nomination of Merrick Garland. That action, however, was consistent with the so-called “Biden Rule,” which was endorsed by Schumer, an axiom that apparently applies only when the lame duck is Republican and Democrats control the Senate.

Judge Gorsuch will be confirmed, making one wonder if the opposition will ever embrace reality.

This story was originally published April 5, 2017 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Letter: Neil Gorsuch is mainstream."