Politics & Power Quote by Johnny Isakson

Isakson’s line reads like an ode to civics, but it’s really a power move disguised as principle. By insisting the Senate should vote on “each and every” judicial nominee, he’s not just defending process; he’s defending the Senate’s right to force accountability onto the record. Votes leave fingerprints. They make obstruction costly, expose weak justifications, and deny senators the political luxury of hiding behind procedure.

The phrase “no reservation or doubt” signals that this isn’t a casual preference. It’s a prophylactic against the modern habit of laundering hardball through “rules.” The subtext is aimed at the filibuster-for-nominations era, blue slips as vetoes, holds, committee bottlenecks, and, most explosively, the refusal to move Supreme Court nominees at all. Isakson is drawing a bright line: the Constitution expects advice and consent to be an action, not an indefinite postponement.

Context matters because judicial confirmations became the most durable way to shape policy when Congress can’t legislate. Courts are where contested issues go to live for decades. In that environment, “procedure” isn’t neutral; it’s strategy. Isakson’s rhetoric tries to reclaim an older Senate self-image: a deliberative body that argues, then decides. It’s also a subtle rebuke to his own institution’s incentives. Senators love to talk about duty. They love even more to avoid votes that could anger either donors or primary voters. Isakson is saying: if you want the power, you owe the public the courage of a yes or no.