In response to the Friday letter, “GOP doing the right thing”: The writer conveniently ignores that an election for president also took place in 2012. Voters overwhelmingly reelected President Obama to a second term. For all of the bluster coming from Republicans about following the Constitution, perhaps they should read it. In particular Article II, section 2:

“He (The President) 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.”

President Obama has nominated Merrick Garland to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, amid protests by Senate Republican leaders. Since 1900, the Senate has voted on eight Supreme Court nominees during an election year. Six were confirmed. It is time for the Senate to do its job. The Senate has never taken more than 125 days to vote on a successor from the time of nomination; on average, a nominee has been confirmed, rejected or withdrawn within 25 days. When Justice Antonin Scalia died, 342 days remained in President Obama’s term. Even in an election year, there should be some consensus that Garland should get a hearing. I suppose the GOP could obstruct all of this year and pave the way for President Clinton to nominate a more liberal judge next year. How would the writer react to that?

Dan Stone

Lake Stevens