White House Prepares for Possibility of 2 Supreme Court Vacancies

[bobbyw24]

http://libertypulse.com/article/4082

[Flash]

Are you serious...

[fisharmor]

Just more proof that we're boned.
Any country where essential freedoms are one heart attack or car accident away from being taken away is not a free country.

On topic... why don't presidents try to appoint people directly out of law school? Make it a full 50 year run before you have to start worrying about replacements. After all, they're not replacing people, only ideological makeup.

[Flash]

Court watchers believe two of the more liberal members of the court, justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, could decide to step aside for reasons of age and health.

At least it won't be a big loss.

[MelissaWV]

Just more proof that we're boned.
Any country where essential freedoms are one heart attack or car accident away from being taken away is not a free country.

On topic... why don't presidents try to appoint people directly out of law school? Make it a full 50 year run before you have to start worrying about replacements. After all, they're not replacing people, only ideological makeup.

I would think that'd be a massive liability. First off, people have different experience levels fresh out of law school than they do later in life. Second, people change. Someone at 70 absolutely has different views than someone who's 20. Someone fresh out law school with enough clout to gain a SCOTUS nod is probably a spoiled brat. Do you really want this person deciding the constitutionality of laws? :(

[__27__]

At least it won't be a big loss.

Really? You need to watch the results on a case by case basis and not judge by simply saying "this is the liberal bloc, this is the conservative bloc, etc." Ginsburg was the lead dissenter in Kelo v. City of New London, siding with the protection of private property. The 'Conservative Bloc' were all for eminent domain in that case.

Just one example, but very often (especially for libertarians) both blocs of the court are both on our side and against us depending on the case.


Edit: My slip on Kelo, it was O'Connor who was the lead dissent, but my argument still stands. The 'liberal bloc' is very on our side in terms of civil liberties, and the 'conservative bloc' on certain other matters. To say one bloc or the other doesn't matter to us is flat out wrong.

[winston_blade]

Really? You need to watch the results on a case by case basis and not judge by simply saying "this is the liberal bloc, this is the conservative bloc, etc." Ginsburg was the lead dissenter in Kelo v. City of New London, siding with the protection of private property. The 'Conservative Bloc' were all for eminent domain in that case.

Just one example, but very often (especially for libertarians) both blocs of the court are both on our side and against us depending on the case.


Edit: My slip on Kelo, it was O'Connor who was the lead dissent, but my argument still stands. The 'liberal bloc' is very on our side in terms of civil liberties, and the 'conservative bloc' on certain other matters. To say one bloc or the other doesn't matter to us is flat out wrong.

You got it backwards on Kelo. Just read that for class today and O'Conner was the lead dissent, but she was joined by Scalia, Thomas, and Rehnquist. Everyone else, including Ginsburg was for it.

[__27__]

You got it backwards on Kelo. Just read that for class today and O'Conner was the lead dissent, but she was joined by Scalia, Thomas, and Rehnquist. Everyone else, including Ginsburg was for it.

Hence the edit. The point remains, saying Scalia/Thomas/et al are "on our side" while Ginsburg/O'Connor/et al are "against us" is flat out wrong. Scalia/Thomas/et al have taken some VERY anti-liberty stances on cases, while Ginsburg/O'Connor/et al have taken some very pro-liberty stances on cases. Neither of the blocs is on our side or against us, so to assume that replacing a "liberal bloc" justice is good for us or replacing a "conservative bloc" justice is bad for us is patently false.

[Vessol]

Just more proof that we're boned.
Any country where essential freedoms are one heart attack or car accident away from being taken away is not a free country.

On topic... why don't presidents try to appoint people directly out of law school? Make it a full 50 year run before you have to start worrying about replacements. After all, they're not replacing people, only ideological makeup.

No thanks. I already dislike immensely the Supreme Court being a lifetime seating.

[Slutter McGee]

The real question is what happens when Kennedy retires. Sure there are times when the votes get a little mixed up from both sides. But Kennedy IS the swing vote. Hell Justice Kennedy is the most powerful member of the court easily.

Slutter McGee

[erowe1]

Edit: My slip on Kelo, it was O'Connor who was the lead dissent, but my argument still stands. The 'liberal bloc' is very on our side in terms of civil liberties, and the 'conservative bloc' on certain other matters. To say one bloc or the other doesn't matter to us is flat out wrong.

I don't think your argument does still stand. O'Connor was pretty wishy washy. Ginsberg is as liberal as they get. Her replacement won't be more liberal than she is. And there might be some rulings where the liberal block takes a better position. But generally, it's other way around. A court of 9 Scalia's could definitely be improved upon. But it would be better than the current court.

[LibertyPulse.com]

nice find Bobby :)

[South Park Fan]

The real question is what happens when Kennedy retires. Sure there are times when the votes get a little mixed up from both sides. But Kennedy IS the swing vote. Hell Justice Kennedy is the most powerful member of the court easily.

Slutter McGee

Hopefully President Paul can appoint Kennedy's replacement.

[Mini-Me]

What I find most amazing and aggravating about the Supreme Court is how they're all able to hide their complete disregard of the Constitution behind a scholarly veneer of approaching everything from such and such strict methodology. :rolleyes: Le sigh. This is just a general comment I decided to make upon mention of the Nazgûl.