Democrats are hypocrites on following Constitution

The letter by Karen Wagner claiming that the president is constitutionally mandated, "tasked," to nominate a replacement justice, and the Senate has to make time for this is totally incorrect.

Article II, Section 2, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution states, "The President shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States ..."

The Senate may vest such appointments as they think proper. They don't have to consider any of the president's picks if they don't want to.

Also, the Constitution says the president shall nominate with the advice and consent of the Senate, which means he can nominate, but not that he is "tasked" to do so.

The first Supreme Court had six members, not nine. The Senate has the power to appoint or take away federal judges. If they want to go to back to six, they can by denying any more confirmations until the court is down to six again.

On the charge of Republican hypocrisy, let's review what then-Sen. Joe Biden said in 1992. He said President Bush "should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not - and not - name a nominee until after the November election is completed."

The Democrats are the hypocrites.

Harold Knudsen

Arlington Heights