Letter: President has power to nominate justice

The president has the constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. The Senate has the right to advise and consent. If an election is a referendum on the court, then the people have awarded the power of appointment to the president in the elections of 2008 and 2012. The faulty logic inherent in the controversy should then also apply to Congress.

Senators and congressmen should abdicate their right in an election year to vote on legislation until the people have spoken. It is ludicrous. It is also abysmal that the Senate has determined it will not approve a nomination when it has no knowledge of who will be nominated. That is political. Of course, Republicans have controlled the court for 44 years so it is understandable they are uneasy. But, regardless of any political agenda, it is disingenuous to invoke any concern of what the people want to mask obvious partisanship.

Muriel Steadman

Marion