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Scuba

(53,475 posts)
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 07:56 AM Jun 2014

D's and R's have split the last 14 Presidencies, but R's have appointed 12 of 20 SCOTUS justices

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/upshot/the-supreme-court-blunder-that-liberals-tend-to-make.html?_r=0


The Supreme Court Blunder That Liberals Tend to Make

With President Obama entering the final years of his presidency and Senate control up for grabs this year, Supreme Court transitions have again become a salient subject. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at 81, is the oldest justice, and Stephen Breyer, who also leans left, is 75. Antonin Scalia (78 years old) and Anthony Kennedy (77), both Reagan appointees, presumably have no interest in handing another nomination to Mr. Obama, but they may face their own hard choices a few years from now.

The court — now entering the final weeks of this year’s term, when many of the biggest decisions will arrive — is of course closely divided. Five-to-four decisions are the norm on most big issues, including climate change, voting rights, same-sex marriage, campaign finance, abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty, prison crowding and defendants’ right to counsel. If a conservative were to replace a liberal justice, or vice versa, the outcome of major cases would flip.

...

The mistake that liberals have made, while less known, is no less real: They have surrendered seats on the court by being less strategic than conservatives with the timing of their retirements. The six most conservative justices, based on their voting patterns, to have retired in the last 50 years all left the bench under a Republican president. By contrast, only one of the six most liberal justices has departed when a Democrat was president.

...

Just think about what liberals would give to have had a Democratic president replace Justice Marshall. And think about how many major cases — on voting rights, campaign donations, the death penalty and other issues — might have turned out differently.
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D's and R's have split the last 14 Presidencies, but R's have appointed 12 of 20 SCOTUS justices (Original Post) Scuba Jun 2014 OP
Ginsberg really needs to step down before Obama leaves office so he can appoint her successor. Squinch Jun 2014 #1
Agreed Michigander_Life Jun 2014 #2
Well, or suddenly decided that they needed to join a cloistered monastery together. Squinch Jun 2014 #3
That means stepping down this summer. tritsofme Jun 2014 #6
Nice post....but, I thought you were KoKo Jun 2014 #4
Who said I was taking a "time out"? Scuba Jun 2014 #5
Sorry...must have confused you with another poster....n/t KoKo Jun 2014 #7
Perhaps, perhaps not. Scuba Jun 2014 #9
Why do Democrats confirm RW justices? leftstreet Jun 2014 #8
Because our Democratic Presidents are not exacly flaming liberals. Despite what Faux News says. Scuba Jun 2014 #10
R's are conservatives first, and justices second ... eppur_se_muova Jun 2014 #11
 

Michigander_Life

(549 posts)
2. Agreed
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 09:51 AM
Jun 2014

And I wouldn't shed any tears if Scalia and Thomas were overcome with terminal cases of food poisoning from spoiled milk slurped out of big business's teat.

Squinch

(50,774 posts)
3. Well, or suddenly decided that they needed to join a cloistered monastery together.
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 09:55 AM
Jun 2014

But yes, if they went, I would squawk with joy.

tritsofme

(17,325 posts)
6. That means stepping down this summer.
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 12:20 PM
Jun 2014

If Republicans take the Senate, there is no guarantee Obama will be able to appoint any more judges.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
4. Nice post....but, I thought you were
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 11:53 AM
Jun 2014

taking a "Time Out."

Is it the "Hotel California" syndrome?

Anyway...we need (or at least some of us need) informative posts like this to stick around DU in the first place. So, glad to see you will still post if you find something you think the rest of us would be interested in.

 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
9. Perhaps, perhaps not.
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 01:29 PM
Jun 2014
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025164435

I found it interesting how many people read this to mean I was taking a break now, which I suspect includes several who would like to see me take a break.
 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
10. Because our Democratic Presidents are not exacly flaming liberals. Despite what Faux News says.
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 01:30 PM
Jun 2014

eppur_se_muova

(36,227 posts)
11. R's are conservatives first, and justices second ...
Sun Jun 29, 2014, 01:41 PM
Jun 2014

so they time their retirements strategically to keep the court under conservative control. Dem appointees act as if the court really is impartial, and retire based on their personal situation.

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