Senate is expected to uphold the Constitution

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, in concert with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, had the audacity to decide that they will automatically refuse to convene and consider any of President Obama's nominees for the ninth member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

This is a position vacated by the recent and unexpected death of Justice Antonin Scalia. It is the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to consider and accept or reject a sitting president's nominee to fill an open seat on the Supreme Court.

It is also a constitutional right and responsibility of the sitting president to nominate individuals as potential replacements for the Senate, and I read nothing in the Constitution that states these responsibilities are negated during the final year of a president's term.

This public rejection of this constitutional responsibility has been announced before any nominee has been submitted for review. This is unprecedented. The Supreme Court should have a full complement of justices in order to appropriately rule on issues that will affect all of us in some form.

I am incredulous that the Senate Republicans would dismiss this accountability when they are professed constitutionalists. This is in addition to the irresponsibility to the American public.

I am also curious to learn what position each Mississippi senator will support on this situation. Will they remain silent, or will they voice opinions for or against the decision?

GERRY GILBERT

Diamondhead

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Senate is expected to uphold the Constitution ."