Supreme Democracy: The End of Elitism in Supreme Court Nominations 1st Edition Richard Davis

The Debate over the Nomination Process

A Changing Nomination Process

The Democratization of Supreme Court Nominations

The Purpose of this Book

Constitutional and Early American Political Underpinnings

The Framers and Judicial Selection

Debates at the Constitutional Convention

Judicial Selection in the Constitutional Ratification Process

Effects on Process Evolution

The Non-Democratic Court

The Traditional Process

Presidential Selection

Senate Confirmation

The Role of the Senate Judiciary Committee

Democratic Elements

The Transition toward Democracy

The Role of Interest Groups

The Role of the Media

Public Opinion

Institutional Democratization

Undermining the Presumption of Confirmation

Facilitating Democratic Involvement

External Player Motivations

Presidential Selection

The President’s Environment

Influences on Presidential Selection

Handling Pressures

Vetting the Candidates

Conclusion

The Changing Role of the Senate

Introduction

Senate Deliberation

The Judiciary Committee and the Senate

The Filibuster

Democratic Pressures on the Senate

Democracy and the Senate Confirmation Process

Presidential Management

The Public Campaign for Confirmation

The Political Environment

Image-Making Strategies

Countering Opposition Image-Making

Tactics for Image-Making

Senators and the Administration

The Role of Groups

Summary

Conclusion

What Is to Be Done?

The Future of Nominations

Notes

Index