Perhaps by now the people of Pennsylvania are beginning to realize what a mistake they made in electing Pat Toomey to the U.S. Senate. Like most Republicans in Washington, he reflexively rejects everything President Barack Obama proposes. He supports the Ryan budgets, which voucherize Medicare, and he inexplicably champions austerity when the economy is weak, raising the specter of a double-dip recession like Britain's.
One of Mr. Toomey's worst acts is to vote for filibusters against President Obama's nominees for important federal positions. After four years in office, the president has not been able to fill many vital positions in the government because of Republican filibusters, meaning it takes 60 votes, not 51, to confirm an appointee.
Two years ago President Obama appointed Caitlin Halligan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Although this highly qualified Princeton University-Georgetown Law School honors graduate has gotten a majority vote twice (54 and 51), filibusters have kept her off the court. In a letter to me, Mr. Toomey states: "I believe that Ms. Halligan is not qualified to serve on the United States Court of Appeals. ... Her record unfortunately reflects an ideological deviation from legal precedent and established constitutional principles."
This is standard stuff for anyone a Democratic president nominates these days. Mr. Toomey doesn't give one single example of her deviation from constitutional precedents. The real guiding principle of Republicans like Pat Toomey, I fear, is to make Mr. Obama fail by any means possible. Will Pennsylvanians let this obstructionist politician fool them again when he comes up for re-election?
DAVID W. SOUTHERN
Canonsburg
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