Barack Obama wants the lame duck Congress to focus on judicial nominations

  There has been some speculation that the Democrats intend to use the lame duck session of the Congress to push through some of Barack Obama’s more contentious legislative items still on the table. I wrote about the Congress adjourning early this session in order to purposely leave some of these issues on the table for the lame duck session for this very reason here.

  While that still might be part of the plan, this article contends that Barack Obama wants the lame duck session of the Congress to focus on confirming his judicial nominations. Many of these nominees are just a little bit controversial, to say the least, and probably wouldn’t pass the confirmation process before the election as politicians look to position themselves for re-election. But after the election–when politicians who are defeated feel they have nothing else to lose, combined with the liberals who manage to hold onto their seats and feel emboldened–all bets are off. 

If the Democrats lose control of even one branch of the Congress it will severely restrict Barack Obama’s chances of passing the most controversial agenda items left on his docket–from cap and trade to card check–so Barack Obama is looking at other options to help him down the road. While he will certainly try to use the lame duck session to pass legislation that surely will not pass in the next session if the Democrats lose the House, he needs a “Plan B” just in case he is still unable to pass anything during the lame duck session.

  And getting activist judges on the bench during the lame duck session is the perfect “Plan B.” Barack Obama feels–rightfully so–that activists judges may help him pass his agenda into law if he is unable to get it through the Congress using constitutional methods.

  “Plan B” may not be the most desirable option in the eyes of Barack Obama simply because it will take much longer to implement his agenda using the courts than it would using the legislature, but the bottom line here is the fact that Barack Obama is willing to use whatever means necessary, no matter how long it takes, to mold America into the America that he envisions.