The tradition is window dressing, cover to hide behind for politicians who are too scared to admit they are using the power of their majority to do what they want.
It can (and will) be discarded when convenient.
At one point, there were traditions and deference that governed our institutions.
Even while the left was shredding them, the right still observed them. Look at the battles over Judge Bork and Justice Thomas. Look, shortly afterward at the votes over Justice Ginsburg and Justice Breyer. (Also note that I didn't characterize them as "battles". And there's a reason for that.)
The right TRIED to continue the tradition of deference to the executive and a simple requirement of the appointee being qualified. They EVEN PURSUED the tack of forgiving the first break
S from tradition instead of an immediate Tit for Tat strategy.
What did the left do? Took that as weakness and forged further ahead. Now we have idiots OSTENSIBLY on the right, like that moron David French, pulling "BOTH SIDES!!1!!1!1eleventy!!!" crap.
No. One side tried to pursue tradition and comity in the face of the other breaking them. You want the old order back? The
AGGRESSORS (the left) have to fall back and give up ground that they have taken. Otherwise, there is absolutely no reason to trust the left.