Mr. Blunt and Cranky saw this article today about a possible Supreme Court decision in the recess appointment dustup in DC, and was struck by the narrow path our nation walks sometimes, and how easy it is for the Supremes to push us off that path, as they sometimes have in the past.

In this case, they would pretty well be deciding whether a President can use recess appointments at all. In theory, the Constitution gives him that power. But Senators from both parties have come up with tricks to make it look like they aren’t technically in recess, even when they actually are totally out of Dodge. So the current Prexy decided to recess-appoint some peeps docs to get stuff done, and pick a partisan fight into the bargain.

Of course the Senators who were using the faux non-recess recess to obstruct the President were irate, and started the court process, in order to be able to keep obstructing, and to pick a fight right back.

Fat Tony and the rest of the Court will be deciding the meaning of two words: “the” and “happen”. They may or may not consider the Senatorial obstructions that gave rise to this case, or the many unchallenged recess appointments that would be invalidated if they rule narrowly. They WILL be ruling on the meaning of two little words.

And depending on how they rule, we might see our entire government held hostage to the extremism of a minority of Senators, or we might see a return to negotiated legislative activity. A big ruling, with huge ramifications for our nation.

Two little words. One huge ruling.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky