Packing a Wallop

""I'm concerned about the caseload of this circuit and the efforts to pack it,"
Sen.  Chuck Grassley (R-IA), on the president trying to fill three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

This is not true and is ignorant at best, and a knowing lie at worst.  "Packing the court" is a well-known and accepted term for trying to change a court by adding seats, in order to push a a partisan agenda.  There are three vacant seats on the court that the president is trying to fill, according to his constitutional duty.

"[Democrats] consulted with the White House and pledged to pack the D.C. Circuit with appointees"
-- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), on the president trying to fill three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

This is not true and is ignorant at best, and a knowing lie at worst.  "Packing the court" is a well-known and accepted term for trying to change a court by adding seats, in order to push a a partisan agenda.  There are three vacant seats on the court that the president is trying to fill, according to his constitutional duty.

"I certainly hope neither the White House nor my Democratic colleagues will instead decide to play politics and seek -- without any legitimate justification -- to pack the D.C. Circuit with unneeded judges simply in order to advance a partisan agenda."
-- Sen Mike Lee (R-UT), on the president trying to fill three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

Shockingly, I know, this actually not true and is ignorant at best, and a knowing lie at worst.  "Packing the court" is a well-known and accepted term for trying to change a court by adding seats, in order to push a a partisan agenda.  There are three vacant seats on the court that the president is trying to fill, according to his constitutional duty.

Clearly, the Republicans sent out The Talking Points Memo, and it said to use the phrase "packing the court" as much as possible, despite it being blatantly untrue.  Apparently the belief is that if they say it enough, however, it will take hold and be seen as true.  In other circles, this has come to be known as The Big Lie.  So, sometimes, to counteract it, the only thing that's appropriate to do is say -- simply and clearly and just as repetitively -- that's it's not true at best, and and at worst is a lie.  Trying to debate a knowing untruth only gives legitimacy to the untruth.  It turns the lie into accepted wisdom.

You just know this untruth (or lie) about packing the court is going to show up any day on "Fox News."  And at that point, it will be the Talking Point on far-right talk radio among listeners who don't have a clue what they are talking about.  Ignorance is no defense.  But it still can be dangerous.

"Packing the court" stems from Franklin Roosevelt's attempt to add seats to the Supreme Court.  It was opposed by senators on both sides of the aisles -- yes, even Democrats, who understood fairness and honesty.  FDR ultimately backed down.

President Obama is trying to fill three existing seats on the D.C. circuit court of appeals.  This is not "packing the court."  What it is -- is his constitutional duty.

By the way, it gets worse.  Sen. Grassley's own proposal is to cut these same three seats from the court.  That is the exact mirror image of packing the court!  The exact same thing as "packing the court," just in reverse.

And (yes, there's more...) both Sen. Grassley and Sen. McConnell each voted to fill vacancies on that same circuit court when the nominees were offered by President George Bush.  The hypocrisy is almost choking.

So, let's be clear.  What the Republican senators are saying -- is not true and is ignorant at best, and a knowing lie at worst.  "Packing the court" is a well-known and accepted term for trying to change a court by adding seats, in order to push a a partisan agenda.  There are three vacant seats on the court that the president is trying to fill, according to his constitutional responsiblity.