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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Conservative Era Is Over
Antonin Scalias death has already changed the way the Supreme Courtand conservative litigantsdo business.
Nobody quite knows what to make of it yet, but nobody disputes it, either: The Supreme Court of March looks nothing like the court we knew in February. The loss of a single justice, Antonin Scalia, has blown up the court and reshuffled everything. Its the early days yet, and much of the evidence of newish, liberalish outcomes at the court lies in routine housekeeping matters: unsigned orders and withdrawn appeals. Still, its safe to say the high court is no longer going to be a candy store for pro-business and socially conservative litigants. What will rise in its place is still a work in progress.
As the Washington Posts Robert Barnes put it this past weekend, with Scalia gone, the Supreme Court, now with only eight members, seemed transformed in substance and style. It wasnt just the fact that Justice Clarence Thomas, after 10 years of declining to ask a single question at oral argument, suddenly did so. It wasnt merely the fact that arguments in a blockbuster abortion case were dominated by the courts liberal wing, while the conservative bloc struggled to land a punch.
The crazy new vibe at the court isnt even limited to the raft of orders that have come down in the past week. Those include a critical and unanimous order affirming the right of same-sex partners to adopt children and the tossing of a death penalty conviction in Louisiana because the state withheld significant exculpatory evidence.
First Speaker
(4,858 posts)...and hope, too, that Cruz doesn't somehow win this November...
tularetom
(23,664 posts)If the republicans in the Senate want to ignore their job he doesn't have to be in any hurry to send a nomination to them. Things seem to be proceeding just fine as it is.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)Lazy assed, racist, mouse pellet, Republicans can refuse to do t heir job for which they are very well paid.
The President must not.
Lorien
(31,935 posts)America is essentially a one party fascist oligarchy.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)KG
(28,751 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)US House of Representatives: 247-188 GOP on top.
US Senate: 54-44 GOP on top. 2 Independants who caucus with Democrats.
Governorships: 31-18 GOP over Dems.
State houses: let's see it on a map, from 2014:
Oopsie! The ol' Dems aren't doing so well, are they?
Maybe we might need to unite against the crazies instead of infighting. D'ya think that might be a good idea?
This life-long Democrat voted for Bernie Sanders in Michigan today. But hell if I am going to stay home in November because I am butt hurt because I didn't get my way today. They'll have to chain me up to prevent me from voting Democratic in November no matter who the nominee is.
Wounded Bear
(58,648 posts)The election this November is still very important. Failure to put a Dem in the White House could very well swing the court back to the conservative side, as the judges most likely needing replacement are the liberal ones.
longship
(40,416 posts)I figured DUers just knew about that. However given the number of folks here who state that they can never vote for Hillary Clinton, hopefully soon to be a violation of DU TOS, I am not too sure.
I voted for Bernie today, but I will vote Democratic in November. If you cannot commit to that, you don't belong here. It really is that simple.
Apparently, the Bernie Sanders group thinks otherwise.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)It is a good article.
Read it.
bhikkhu
(10,715 posts)I'm in a safe blue state, but will happily go to the polls and cast a straight party-line ballot to help keep it that way. Since Carter, who I was very impressed with but too young to vote for, the difference has always seemed to be - one party stands for good governance, while the other party is like a bull in a china shop.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)I will be out to vote for any and all Dems in November. F the GOP!
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)ozone_man
(4,825 posts)with the other conservative bath water.
lindysalsagal
(20,679 posts)It's mental illness.