United States Senate's process of confirming the president's nominees_美文

United States Senate's process of confirming the president's nominees

John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center says both political parties have used the confirmation process as territory for dispute.

"Before it was often thought that you would give the president the choice as long as it was within a certain range of acceptableness. Today many, many people from the opposition party oppose a lot of nominations."

Historian Lichtman says increased confirmation battles in the Senate are another example of America's current sharp political division. He links the nomination process to a political campaign.

"We have now in America what I call the perpetual campaign. There seems to be no deference to a president or to presidential appointments even in-between elections. We are always campaigning, and if a nominee looks like a convenient target, why not?"

Expert John Fortier says the next major confirmation battle could happen if and when President Obama has a chance to fill a place on the Supreme Court. The high court remains sharply divided with five justices generally voting along conservative lines. The other four justices often provide more liberal opinions.

President Obama says it is time for the United States to have what he calls "common sense" immigration reform. The president announced his goals for a new law last week.

Mr. Obama says immigration reform is extremely important. He wants to settle the future of the 11 million people currently living and working illegally in the United States.