Senate should consider Obama’s nominee: Your Say

President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to hold confirmation hearings. Letter to the editor:

The Republicans are quick to refer to the Second Amendment on matters concerning gun control. But they want to ignore the Constitution and refuse to even hold hearings on a Supreme Court nominee.

And they accuse President Obama of overstepping his authority?

Howard Goodhand; Lake Wales, Fla.

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

The Republican Senate leaders are cowards, shirking responsibilities and finding fault in others when they should be looking for fault in themselves.

— Michael C Bisson

The Senate is under no obligation to confirm a president’s court nominees, as then-Sen. Joe Biden in 1992 and Sen. Chuck Schumer have explained.

— Thomas Katsampes

The right talks as if it is above the political games when in fact, those politicians play the same games as those on the left.

— Art Vaughn Jr

I bet the Senate holds confirmation hearings after Hillary Clinton is elected but before she is sworn in. Notice senators carefully say wait until the election is over, not until the next president is sworn in.

— Chris Reising

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The Constitution never meant for the “advise and consent” power given to the Senate as a rubber stamp.

The selection of the next Supreme Court justice is not the sole right of the president. If anything, the Senate, as the body that votes on the nominee, was intended to have the most power in the process.

— Roberto Johnson

Please do the job you were elected to do — follow the Constitution. Sen. Mitch McConnell and his ilk are why we need term limits for elected officials.

— Michael J McGee

We asked what our followers thought about President Obama’s Supreme Court nomination. Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

The GOP will look bad and petty if they don’t give this man an honest look and serious consideration.

— @ToddHeadleeAZ

Obama cannot be trusted. Neither can any of his nominees. Congress is duty-bound to block it until after the election.

— @Markalleus

We the people elected our president for four years. Senate, wake up! We have spoken!

— @tearock

I find Obama pushing for a vote when he bypassed Congress at every turn is beyond hypocrisy.

— @TheRealKlauss

It’s not my job to give a thumbs-up or -down on the #SCOTUSnominee, but it certainly is the Senate’s.

— @ChelseaMB

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.