Supreme Democracy: The End of Elitism in Supreme Court Nominations

289 Pages·2017·1.906 MB·English

by  Richard Davis

Supreme Democracy

Supreme Democracy
The End of Elitism in Supreme Court Nominations
RICHARD DAVIS
1
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To my wife, Molina

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction   1
THE DEBATE OVER THE NOMINATION PROCESS   2
A CHANGING NOMINATION PROCESS   5
THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF SUPREME COURT NOMINATIONS   16
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK   18
Constitutional and Early American Political Underpinnings   20
THE FRAMERS AND JUDICIAL SELECTION   26
DEBATES AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION   27
JUDICIAL SELECTION IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RATIFICATION PROCESS   32
EFFECTS ON PROCESS EVOLUTION   34
THE NON- DEMOCRATIC COURT   36
The Traditional Process   37
PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION   41
SENATE CONFIRMATION   72
THE ROLE OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE   74
DEMOCRATIC ELEMENTS   78
vii
viii Contents
The Transition toward Democracy   80
THE ROLE OF INTEREST GROUPS   81
THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA 86
PUBLIC OPINION   88
INSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATIZATION   89
UNDERMINING THE PRESUMPTION OF CONFIRMATION   100
FACILITATING DEMOCRATIC INVOLVEMENT   100
EXTERNAL PLAYER MOTIVATIONS   102
Presidential Selection   104
THE PRESIDENT’S ENVIRONMENT   105
INFLUENCES ON PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION   110
HANDLING PRESSURES   121
VETTING THE CANDIDATES   122
CONCLUSION   132
The Changing Role of the Senate   133
INTRODUCTION   133
SENATE DELIBERATION   135
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE   137
THE FILIBUSTER   144
DEMOCRATIC PRESSURES ON THE SENATE   147
DEMOCRACY AND THE SENATE CONFIRMATION PROCESS   167
Presidential Management   169
THE PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FOR CONFIRMATION   170
THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT   172
IMAGE-M AKING STRATEGIES   178
COUNTERING OPPOSITION IMAGE- MAKING   186
TACTICS FOR IMAGE- MAKING   189
SENATORS AND THE ADMINISTRATION   200
THE ROLE OF GROUPS   209
SUMMARY   214
Contents ix
Conclusion   216
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?   218
THE FUTURE OF NOMINATIONS   226
Notes   229
Index   271