This has been a big news day.
As Sebastian mentioned, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s husband died yesterday. In the Senate, Robert Byrd died this morning. Certainly, these two events have added an obvious weight to today’s proceedings. Sen. Orrin Hatch’s words about the Ginsburg family were very sweet, and Sen. Jeff Sessions had a pretty funny story about Byrd doing a Friday morning floor speech lamenting how textbooks weren’t teaching the difference between a republic and a democracy.
Elena Kagan’s hearings started at 12:30, and I’m tuning in to cover them while Sebastian sticks with McDonald. Sen. Sessions has already brought up that Kagan’s previous work put her on the wrong side of history today. Regardless of what any gun groups do, I think the strength of the opinions issued today will make this a red meat issue for the Republicans. That’s actually a good thing. We don’t have to use any political capital, yet it remains a big issue. It really help drives home that the Second Amendment is becoming an 80% issue. That means we can use our political capital on other fights – specific policies, defeating candidates, and winning reforms legislatively.
“Sen. Sessions has already brought up that Kagan’s previous work put her on the wrong side of history today. Regardless of what any gun groups do, I think the strength of the opinions issued today will make this a red meat issue for the Republicans. That’s actually a good thing.”
But will they actually do it? Probably not. Or they will but not push it.
Will who actually do what?