In our first one-off episode, Dianne and I discuss the news of the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia and what it means for the future. Clearly, based on the news from all sides in the past 48 hours, activists on both sides realizes that President Obama has the opportunity to change the Supreme Court from a mostly conservative majority to a mostly liberal majority.

Clearly, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was clear in his willingness to prevent the confirmation of a Justice should the President put one forward. The GOP has gone as far as fashioning another fabrication about how it is common custom not to nominate a Justice in the last year of the Presidency. Complete fabrication as Politfact explains in this great article. I am personally so sick of this mentality that the GOP will prevent our government form working because the GOP thinks it may win an election at some point. Our government has limped along for 8 years because the GOP thinks they will win back the Presidency. Of course, this didn’t happen in 2012 and it doesn’t look promising for 2016.

As expected, President Obama was quick to announce that he will be sending a nominee to the Senate as is the President’s responsibility and obligation under the Constitution. Who that will be remains to be seen as it will be challenging to replace Scalia. Not that good candidates aren’t available, nor is it difficult to nominate a candidate who is thoroughly better than Scalia was. No the problem is that the GOP will fight the effort to replace Scalia and will ultimately force the President that nominate a candidate that is more moderate than those of us on the left would really want.

By getting one more Justice, we can end the death penalty. Protect abortion. Extend non-discrimination rights to everyone.

On the up side, even if we can’t get a new Justice until after the election, the Court is facing a string of 4-4 ties which will uphold the lower court ruling, but not set precedent so the case can be brought to the Court in the future. Even if this is the best we get this year, we are actually better off than before.

#NominateNow #EndDeathPenalty #ReplaceScalia #DoYourJobSenate

Welcome to our fourth episode in four weeks!!!! We are incredibly excited that we have found our stride. Once again, thank you to all of our listeners. You are the greatest.

This week we wrap up Iowa and look forward to New Hampshire and beyond. For the results, take a look at this page.

Now on to Marco Rubio.

After a not so surprising finish in Iowa, it is time to ask that question: Is Marco Rubio next? Well, this week your intrepid hosts try to answer that very question and what the answer actually means. Listen as we frantically want to find a reason to support Rubio. Sadly, it turns out that the Senator from Florida is a Tea Party conservative who in no way represents moderate Republicans. We were desperately hoping that one moderate was in the race, but, instead, we got Rubio. Listen in as our mild enthusiasm turns to tears and heartbreak.

It is Marco Rubio’s turn. (Well, we actually spend most of the time discussing Ted Cruz, but really, it is the Rubio episode.)