Generational change without compromising character

By David W. Marshall
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

In a speech given in his home state of Kentucky, Senator Mitch McConnell would say: “One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, ‘Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’” The eleven members of the Senate Judiciary Committee followed suit by signing a letter saying they had no intention of consenting to any nominee from President Obama. As a result, no proceedings of any kind were held for Obama’s nomination. With so much attention today being given to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, it is easy to forget what happened to Garland in the spring of 2016. With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, an icon in conservative circles, Merrick Garland was nominated by then-President Barack Obama to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. It was considered to be a safe pick. Widely regarded as a moderate, Garland had been praised in the past by many Republicans, including influential senators such as Orrin Hatch of Utah. But even before Obama had named Garland, Senate Majority Leader McConnell declared any appointment by the sitting president to be null and void.

He said the next Supreme Court justice should be chosen by the next president – to be elected later that year. With McConnell blocking Obama’s pick, it left the Supreme Court with an empty seat for more than a year, until President Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch was sworn in. The unorthodox move by McConnell could not be stopped by scores of scholars or by the Democrats as the minority party. Law professors, historians and political scientists urged the Senate to at least have a process for Garland as a duly appointed nominee with impeccable qualifications. It turned out to be a classic power move by McConnell and no one was in position to stop him.

It’s been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. The same can easily be said about the love for power. Meaning unchecked greed can be a major cause of society’s problems. It can be the greed for money as well as greed for power. In regards to the pursuit for power, not every individual or group can responsibly handle the power given to them without misusing it. The abuse of political power prevented the seating of a Democratic president’s judicial choice to the Supreme Court. The Republicans knew had Garland been considered by way of a fair process, he might have pulled a few majority-party members across the aisle. Years later, it is no surprise immediately after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death the same Mitch McConnell said President Trump’s nominee to replace her “will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.”

The influence that power can have on elected officeholders can be sickening at times. Particularly those in leadership positions. Which brings us to Mike Pence? Does the quest for power cause one to totally give up their self-respect? Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger has a valid point. He said, “Mike Pence, if after January 6, he had fully divorced Donald Trump, and would have gone out and spoken about it, he would be the Ron DeSantis right now. He would be the guy that over the last two years was able to make a compelling case to the Republican base who trusts him, even if at the moment they don’t like him, I think he could be the alternative to Donald Trump. Now, I have no idea where he stands.” Pence was always the faithful vice president. But it is difficult to understand how a violent mob can chant “Hang Mike Pence” and President Trump makes no effort to insure Pence’s personal safety. Yet Pence seems unwilling to publicly draw attention to Trump’s actions of disrespect as being unworthy of a sitting U.S. president. While Pence wants to be president himself, he remains intimidated by the individual power of Trump and the collective power of Trump’s voting base.

The disrespect to Pence and his family was not enough for the former vice president to take a strong consistent public stand with dignity. The country and the January 6 House committee needed a courageous Mike Pence to speak to the American people about the “Big Lie” and it didn’t happen. The examples of McConnell and Pence are only a few of many, but they illustrate different ways in which political power exposes ones true character. These examples give us reasons to appreciate the career of Nancy Pelosi even more as she announces her retirement after two decades in Democratic leadership. There are reasons why House Speaker Pelosi is hated. She gets things done the right way.

She is a skillful, effective and seasoned legislator who is a true leader with character. Whether you agree or disagree with her policies, Nancy Pelosi’s manner in which she wields her power has never compromised the respect of her leadership position or the institution she represents. She is the epitome of a leader who can be trusted with the power that comes with the position. With her retirement, it is time to pass the baton to a new generation of leaders. It appears Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is poised to succeed the first woman House Speaker by becoming the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress. As Jeffries served as an impeachment manager in President Trump’s first impeachment trial, it represents the degree of trust Pelosi has in him. With the party of obstructions and investigations taking control in Congress, Nancy Pelosi’s trust in Hakeem Jeffries means a lot.

David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. He can be reached at www.davidwmarshallauthor.com.

This article originally published in the December 5, 2022 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.