1.  We’re leading off with this today.

2.  While I’m celebrating this moment we also need to talk about the vote.

3.  Justice Jackson was confirmed with a vote of 53 yeas and 47 nays. To nobody’s surprise this was down party lines.

4.  Three Republican senators — Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski — crossed party lines to vote for her confirmation.

5.  Well gee, Laura, isn’t that how these things usually go?

6.  They didn’t used to.

7.  In 1986 Justice Scalia was approved unanimously with two abstentions.

8.  In 1988 so was Justice Kennedy with three abstentions.

9.  In 1991 they hit the first roadblock with Justice Clarence Thomas. 48 voted against his nomination but I’d hazard a guess that was less partisan grandstanding and more an issue of being credibly accused of sexual harassment.

10.  1993 saw a return to bipartisanship approval with Justice Ginsburg. 41 Republican yeas, 55 Democrat yeas, 3 nays, 1 abstention.

11.  In 1994 Justice Breyer was approved with similar numbers.

12.  Beginning in 2005 the approval process became much more partisan. Justice Roberts, President George W. Bush’s nominee, only garnered 22 Democrat yeas.

13.  Later that year President Bush nominated Justice Alito who only received 4 Democrat yeas.

14.  President Obama’s two nominees were approved with similar splits: Justice Sotomayor only received 9 Republican yeas while Justice Kagan garnered a measly 5.

15.  We’ll leave discussion of Republicans blocking Judge Merrick Garland’s hearing for another day, shall we?

16.  We’ll also set aside pushing Justice Barrett’s confirmation through in the midst of the 2020 election because I’d like to avoid stroking out while writing this post.

17.  Which means we should also avoid the topic of Ginni Thomas’ treasonous behavior because what in the holy hell.

18.  Anyway, my larger point is this. Supreme Court confirmations used to be based solely on a judge’s qualifications.

19.  I was surprised to learn the Constitution is silent on those. There’s no citizenship, age, or professional requirements for being nominated to the Supreme Court.

20.  Based on history, though, a variety of preferred qualifications have emerged.

21.  For the longest time those included white Protestant male because, y’know…The Patriarchy™. Anyhoo.

22.  Most judges tend to be in their 40s and 50s and an overwhelming majority attended law school and worked as a lawyer or judge before their nomination.

23.  School credentials are important, too. Most of the justices over the span of the Court attended either Harvard or Yale Law School. Many of the others attended another top tier law school.

24.  I shared this during the confirmation hearings.

25.  When I say Justice Jackson is measurably better qualified than every justice currently serving on the Supreme Court…it’s all right there, for Pete’s sake.

26.  Which is why I’ve avoided clips of Republicans “explaining” why they didn’t vote to confirm this highly qualified and accomplished legal mind to the Court.

27.  I’d boil it down but I’m trying not to get censored on any of my platforms.

28.  Besides, it’s hard to miss the truth here.

29.  Mama always said you stand in the street you’re bound to get run over by a Mack truck.

30.  Well no, not really, but she was a sharp lady and could read between the lines as well as anyone I know.

31.  Phew! Items 1-30 on the Supreme Court, bet you weren’t expecting that today!

32.  It’s been a poor run of cooking around here so I don’t have any recipes to share.

33.  Sometimes we thrive, sometimes we survive.

34.  Clean underwear available? We’re calling that a win.

35.  Managed to run the Roomba today, too, so technically the house is vacuumed.

36.  Woo hoo!

37.  Gracie’s at the vet today getting a little checkup.

38.  Within five minutes of walking through the door two more goldens arrived. It was like a family reunion in the lobby.

39.  That was something to see.

40.  Here’s hoping you have similar multiple-goldens-cavorting energy in your life today.

If you’re curious about the breakdown of Senate confirmation votes you can check out the chart at this link.