What role does partisanship play in the appointment of judges? Do you think this is beneficial to the judicial?

Partisanship is key to the appointment of judges. Initially, it sounds worse because justice is supposedly above politics, simply law and precedents. Having a political party run them through the confirmation process is obviously at odds with that. But, you have to consider that everyone gets their crack at the process; Republicans appointed the judges for several years, now the democrats get their crack at it. The tide in the courts rolls back and forth from slightly left of center to slightly right of center, much like the voters in the country. Of course that's just for federal judges. At the state and lower levels, most are elected by the voters.