Garland proved while ag that he was utterly terrified of controversy. His legacy will be one of a man hiding from an opposition party that would jail him if it were even worth the trouble.
He probably pulls Roberts over time into "respecting" precedent. Not that Roberts isn't who he is, but Roberts can't inflict death by a thousand cuts on laws when he's part of the minority.
He was a lousy advocate for justice; he would have been a fine associate judge. Almost certainly way too centrist for a D POTUS to have nominated, but none of the stupid RW stuff would have gotten through.
That’s the fun thing about living in the present: getting to find out week by week whether we’ll soon remember the caning of Sumner with wistful nostalgia for simpler, more civilized times.
Agreed on the McConnell/Calhoun take about their evil legacies. Another common factor: really gnarly throats (check out the neckbeard on Old Man Calhoun).
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Not saying it's implausible, just it's a high bar!