The President and Senate Dems have succeeded in overcoming a major obstacle placed in their way by obstructionist Republicans: the Federal appeals court system now has a strong majority of full time judges appointed by Democratic Presidents, according to a report in the New York Times. Of the 13 appeals courts, 9 now have a majority Dem judges, compared to only one when Obama took office in 2009. The impact of the decision to deny the filibuster to Senate Rethuglicans can't be overstated, as significant issues are brought before the appeals courts such as marriage equality and voting rights, and because appeals court judges are among the first considered for vacancies on the Supreme Court. As New York Senator Chuck Schumer notes in the article,
“With all the gridlock, it is forgotten that one of the most profound changes this Congress made was filling the bench. This will affect America for a generation, long after the internecine battles on legislative issues are forgotten.”Along with affordable health insurance available to all, the appointments of these judges to appellate court vacancies is one of the President's major, long-lasting accomplishments.
