There has ALWAYS been a political component to appts/confirmations of judges to all the different levels of the federal courts, but this politicization of the process went to a hyper-political level when Barack Obama took office in 2009. Republicans engaged in every tactic possible while in the minority in the Senate to slow/stop Obama appts (blue slip, filibuster, extended confirmation process, etc etc)--which culminated in Reid invoking the "nuclear option" in 2013 for non-Supreme court nominations at the point where Republicans were basically completely shutting down the process.
Once in the majority in 2015, Republicans did essentially shut down the judicial confirmation process.
Of course, with control of the Presidency and the Senate from 2017 onward Republicans eliminated all the previous constraints on the confirmation process (ALL OF THEM--filibuster, blue slip, etc etc) and have been confirming new federal judges at record numbers and a record pace (their delaying tactics throughout the Obama era left large numbers of federal judge openings when Trump entered office).
Dems are justified in packing the courts or whatever other ameliorations that are necessary vis a vis the federal courts to rectify the situation created by Republicans since Obama took office.
Once in the majority in 2015, Republicans did essentially shut down the judicial confirmation process.
Of course, with control of the Presidency and the Senate from 2017 onward Republicans eliminated all the previous constraints on the confirmation process (ALL OF THEM--filibuster, blue slip, etc etc) and have been confirming new federal judges at record numbers and a record pace (their delaying tactics throughout the Obama era left large numbers of federal judge openings when Trump entered office).
Dems are justified in packing the courts or whatever other ameliorations that are necessary vis a vis the federal courts to rectify the situation created by Republicans since Obama took office.