For assorted reasons the potential of a new Supreme Court vacancy has been much discussed in recent months. Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the various Supreme Court nominees who were REJECTED by the Senate. I’m omitting John Rutledge since – because he was a recess appointment – he actually served as Chief Justice for one of the Court’s terms before the official Senate vote rejecting his nomination by President Washington.
ALEXANDER WOLCOTT
Gang Affiliation: Democratic-Republican Party
Senate Vote: On February 13th, 1811, the Senate rejected Wolcott’s nomination by President James Madison by a vote of 24 nays and 9 yeas.
Ostensible Reasons For The Rejection: The Federalist Party Senators and the Federalist Party media outlets clobbered Wolcott over his enforcement of the controversial Embargo and Non-Intercourse Acts while serving as Customs Inspector in Connecticut.
Second – and most importantly – his limited legal experience was cited as a definite hindrance to serving on the highest court in the land. (Ya think?)
JOHN C SPENCER
Gang Affiliation: Whig Party
Senate Vote: On January 31st, 1844, the Senate rejected Spencer’s nomination by President John Tyler by a tight vote of 26 nays and 21 yeas.
Ostensible Reasons For the Rejection: Spencer had accepted the position of Secretary of War and later Secretary of the Treasury under President Tyler, alienating fellow Whigs who saw him as a traitor for not showing solidarity with them against Tyler. This rejection was part of a virtual war between the Executive and Legislative Branches following John Tyler’s succession to the presidency following the death in office of Whig President William Henry Harrison. Continue reading
It may be my fondness for mythology that makes me love to watch particular movies around particular holidays. I say that because many of the well- known myths were recited on ancient holidays when their subject matter was relevant to those holidays. The stories helped accentuate the meaning of the special events and that’s the way I use various movies. 
HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY! What better way to poke through the undeserved air of reverence that often clouds this holiday than by taking a look at the Five Most UN-qualified people who rose to the presidency. And remember, this list is not a reflection of their subsequent performance as president, just on their qualifications prior to taking the office. 
NUMBER 5: ULYSSES S GRANT 
Happy Presidents Day Weekend! Balladeer’s Blog’s seasonal posts continue with this look at the presidential election of 1912. 
DEMOCRAT: Woodrow Wilson, the victor. To this very day many Republicans blame Wilson for starting the country on its path toward all the things they don’t like. 
PROGRESSIVE: Former Republican President Theodore Roosevelt had come out of retirement to run again because he was thoroughly disenchanted with his hand-picked successor, incumbent Republican President William Howard Taft. 
Hello everyone! As always I find it humbling when so many overseas readers ask me for my honest, non-partisan take on our political scene here in America. I will be 100% sincere with this blog post about the ridiculous overreaction to de facto Third Party President Trump declaring a national emergency regarding the flood of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs pouring across our border with Mexico, a virtual narco-state at this point given how the Cartels run wild. 
With President’s Day coming here’s a look at some of the men and women who proved pivotal to the administrations of the Presidents of the United States. Many of those Secretaries may not be household names here in the 21st Century but they would definitely stand out on any staff. Here is an examination of sixteen such figures in chronological order. Figures like James G Blaine, William Seward, and Henry Kissinger are so well-known that they are not included on this list.
2. HENRY CLAY (1825-1829)
3. JOHN FORSYTH (1834-1841)
February is the month for remembering Democrat race-hatred and the heroic people who have resisted it over time. This blog post will salute a few of the more recent Women of Courage to oppose the Democrats and their vile hatemongering. THE DEMOCRAT PARTY NEEDS TO CHANGE ITS NAME TO ELIMINATE ITS CONNECTION TO SLAVERY. 
In this era of eliminating so many monuments to the Confederate States of America the Democrats have no excuse for bitterly clinging to the name and symbol of slavery, White Supremacy, the KKK, Jim Crow, the Trail of Tears, Japanese Internment, the Gulf of Tonkin and so many other atrocities that Democrats try to blame on the rest of us. 
CRYSTAL WRIGHT 
AARON BURR
Balladeer's Blog 