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Federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, center, receives applause from President Obama, right, and Vice President Biden as he is introduced as Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court during an announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, March 16. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais, The Associated Press)

Re: President Obama nominates Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, March 17 news story.

I am writing to express my dismay and distress with the Republican Party s stance in refusing to consider the nomination of President Obama s Supreme Court nominee. The idea that Americans should wait until the upcoming election to have a voice in who should fill the vacancy is specious at best. The American people have already expressed their voice, twice, in 2008 and again in 2012.

Coloradans, and the American people, are exhausted and appalled by the continuing obstructionist actions Republicans employ. These petty partisan positions are more frequently seen on elementary playgrounds rather than in the halls of Congress, where they should instead be trying to solve the issues of the day rather than attempting to score political points.

I urge Republicans to take a principled stand and do what is right for the country rather than to acquiesce to those short-sighted demagogues who fear an intelligent debate on the issues of the day.

Todd Arnold, Broomfield

This letter was published in the March 19 edition.

Re: Merrick Garland is a solid pick, but what about diversity?, March 18 Noah Feldman column.

Noah Feldman points out one major factor that seriously lacks diversity: where Supreme Court justices received their law degrees. President Obama s nominee, Merrick Garland, obtained his legal training at Harvard. The current eight justices went to either Harvard or Yale law school, with Ruth Bader Ginsburg attending Harvard Law and graduating from Columbia. Supreme Court justices in the past have come from diverse educational institutions and some even lacked a legal degree.

The legal stranglehold by the Ivy League ruling class on the Supreme Court needs to be defeated starting now. The Supreme Court has become the private domain of the East Coast establishment and it is high time to break up the monopoly and inordinate power of the elites.


Richard Erickson, Broomfield

This letter was published in the March 19 edition.

When he ran for Senate, Cory Gardner promised to work across party lines and to not engage in reflexive partisanship. Now he is falling in line behind Sens. Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz in refusing to hold hearings and vote on President Obama s nominee to the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland. Gardner and other Republican senators claim there is a tradition of not confirming justices in the final year of a presidency. This is clearly false, as Anthony Kennedy was confirmed unanimously by a Democratic-led Senate in 1988.

Judge Garland is, by all accounts, highly respected, eminently qualified, and a centrist. There is no reason beyond naked partisanship to deny him hearings and a vote. By standing with his party, Gardner is failing to live up to a campaign promise, and he is doing a disservice to Colorado, the nation and the Constitution.

Bo Tuerk, Golden

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