[cmccuist]

All the techniques you mention are used by both sides - voting against the nominee in committee, not holding the confirmation hearing, delaying the vote until the candidate gets pissed off and quits.

The technique that hasn't been used is the filibuster of the actual vote in the Senate.

I believe that a president should be able to appoint who he wants to appoint as long as they're qualified. Now the judges are being "judged" on their policy decisions rather than their qualifications. That's wrong whether it's the left or the right doing the obstructing.

The desparation I'm talking about is that the Democrats are not getting their agenda through at the ballot box or in congress since they're out of power. The only avenue left is the courts. So they're trying to make sure GOP friendly judges aren't appointed who would be antagonistic to they're causes - gay marriage, abortion, gun control etc.