Sheryl Mcintosh's Blog: Judge Kavanaugh vs Taylor Swift

Many C@W readers will have ample perspectives of their own on the politics of the USA, so feel free (as you always do) to pile in. But here's my idiosyncratic observation on the imminent mid-term elections.

The main show seems to have been the Kavanaugh confirmation - which I assumed probably wouldn't happen. Why? Because the great bargain that Trump has struck with the truly conservative Right in America is to nominate congenial appointees onto the Supreme Court (which has an effect lasting many years) in return for their votes. The conservatives delivered for him; and with two nominees they greatly favour, Trump has played his part in return. Gorsuch was already home and dry, last year. In the run-up to the midterm elections, it seemed to me any anti-Trump sentiment whatever in the Senate (and there's plenty) would translate into a thwarting of Kavanaugh, to weaken conservative enthusiam for voting.

Well, what did I know. Kavanaugh is confirmed by a hairsbreadth; the conservatives are delighted (at the bottom-line outcome, at least) and presumably will show their gratitude both now and in 2 years time. They really have got something they wanted - badly wanted. Maybe Senators feared a mighty backlash if they acted otherwise.

Somehow, as these techtonic plates grind, Taylor Swift's, errr, intervention - though doubtless welcome to the Democrats - looks somewhat less than a knockout blow. Am I wrong about that also?

ND