Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies at Home

Bush will do the country as much or more harm with his SCOTUS choices as he did with Katrina response.

B.

Contact your lawmakers and demand his immediate impeachment (and Cheney's, too)


Nobody's going to trust a single thing these people say or do anymore. I've heard right-wingers saying things I've never heard right-wingers say about Bush. It's all over for him.

On edit: http://congress.org/stickers/?dir=congressorg&officials=1

GET * OUT of the Whitehouse! FROG MARCH HIM!

Unless Sandra D. O'Connor is appointed (and I don't love her either for the 2000 election thing) but that is the best of the worst case senerios.... I mean can you imagine Scalia as CJ??!!

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welcome to DU.

have some respect.

A man who if he had his way, black people would still be sitting in the back of the bus.

If we don't run Buscho out on a rail, they get TWO seats on the court, one being the Chief.

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so it doesn't change the balance of the court. Unfortunately, it looks like the new Justice will probably be there for a very very long time.

I never liked Rehnquist, but I think there are many young judges out there who could make our lives miserable for many years to come. This is really bad news.

maybe while he knew he was dying, he decided to hang on to limit the damage that he and others wrought on the US.

Atonement of sorts.

so it doesn't change the balance of the court. Unfortunately, it looks like the new Justice will probably be there for a very very long time.

My mistake.

:shrug:

http://www.cnn.com/

> BREAKING NEWS Chief Justice William Rehnquist died Saturday at age 80.

and take the heat off bush. One man has died, well guess what, thousands have died and more are still dying.

...away from Bush's f**k ups. Now we're supposed to feel sorry for the ol' fart.

that progressed markedly in the last 5 years.

n/t

n/t

No thanks to Rehnquist for December 2000, though.

Isn't that the most likely scenario?

A nomination of a justice to chief justice is subject to the "advise and consent" provision of the Constitution.

If Smrk & Sneer, Inc, wanted to keep the consent hearings to a minimum, he'd make one of his open seat nominations directly to chief justice.

The senate will roll over for whatever nominee Bush gives them. He need not give a damn about Democratic opposition, he only has to appoint someone mainstream enough not to alienate most Republicans.

I believe bush has just lost his rubber stamp. It's every Republican for himself right now, NO ONE wants to hitch their wagon to bush at the moment. The man is a walking disaster area himself and I don't think he's going to find the lockstep support he previously enjoyed.
Americans are going to start taking a good, long, hard look at everything else these assclowns have been doing for the last 4+ years and are NOT going to like what they see.
His popularity was tanking before 8/29, and the aftermath of this tragedy is going to erode even some of his most ardent supporters.
bush is going to have to be very careful in who he picks to replace Rehnquist IMO, he's walking the razor's edge as it is. He can kiss goodbye his second term agenda already. The country has had enough of his incompetence and will be watching very closely who he opts for.

I too was thinking that, in his current position, the Chimp might be humbled enough to put forth a concensus candidate. But I also suspect, while other pols might just be religious opportunists, that President Cornpoop actually believes that he's Jesus' earthly messenger, and if he thinks that the Nazarene wants Jesse Helms on the supreme court he'll say so. Maybe the devious fucks like Darth Cheyney who actually run things will intervene. We'd still get a right winger but maybe a qualified right winger. Small consolation, but I'll take it.

When pigs fly. That man is arrogant as Satan.

and threaten their very lives as well as their family's.

All these politicians need to do is publically tell America
that this administration is physically threatenning them
and believe me America and possibly even the military will
step in to stop these thugs.

Many of the military has family in New Orleans too to boot.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist died Saturday at age 80.

Just heard it on CNN. This is not good at all.

N/T

N/T

Wouldn't put it past Cheney...

I'm thinking Ashecroft or Olsen. Either way it's bad.

(You know they want to...)

Mercifully, they're cowards, but the downside of that is that they'll send in guys (and they WILL be guys) who are in their 40s with very little track record. Following the fear-based conservative M.O., they'll force both of the votes through as if Chicken Little and his falling sky were about to hit any moment.

He will pick a younger nominee -- someone in their early 50's like Roberts. You can bet the nominee will be some right wing loon.

They need to be accountable for EVERYTHING they have done and are doing contrary to the best interests of the people of this country.

Bush will appoint Pat Robertson to the Supreme Court.

And he'll interrupt rescue efforts to do it.

I hate this administration.

Fitz, PLEASE save us.

get used to it

hearings in congress if that happens later! :(

:banghead:

Oh well, we knew this was coming.

the pressure will be on to confirm quickly

... of her replacement. I'm hoping the Senate's recess is officially over, otherwise Smirk could do the totally outrageous and make a quick recess appointment.

:tinfoilhat:

Just remember people, you have to prove it.

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He lived as long as (or longer than) expected after initial diagnosis. The treatment he was reported to be receiving is typical only for a particularly deadly and fast moving cancer.

Medical folks I spoke with never expected him to return to work at all after the initial reports of the treatment he was receiving.

The dude had cancer and was walking like a duck. My brother is a physician at Bethesda and said he escaped death months ago, just barely.

Dems had better start fucking fighting tooth and nail against these goddamn republican incompetent pieces of crap.

:scared:

In which case, millions would be saved.

In which case, "millions" more would die.

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"Honestly, if back alley coat-hangar abortions resulted in injury to the "mother" (since you use quotes for these terms) then I would consider that justice served."

Nice to know your insane stance. Here's a clue: it's none of your fucking business what a woman decides about HER body and choices.

You don't get a say, thankfully. Fuck your marginal vote.

And you are not pro-life since you wish mothers would die if getting an abortion.

You seem to be happy with the potential consequences of outlawing abortion.

The woman's life must ALWAYS come before the clump of cells in her uterus, which is not a child by ANY stretch of biology.

MIGHT kill a fertilized egg "baby". Women better start waking up and FAST.

If you're going to say that women being injured (women die from those injuries) from abortions is simply "justice served", then you're not only a Conservative, you're an "Army of God" type of Conservative.

If you're going to espouse the ideas, don't be a coward and shy away from the appropriate title for your ideas. You already wear it well.

Fucking freeper asshole. Good riddance to your marginal "pro-life" vote!

Great work, mods! :toast:

any more than any woman should be forced to have an abortion.

A woman's choice does not belong to anyone but her.

And I was pretty certain he would not hold his seat until a Democrat was in office. But since O'Conner is out, we face a total rethuglican takeover of the government.

One thing I'll say for Rehnquist: I believe he respected the two-party system and saw the value of an equally proportioned Supreme Court.

Ideally, the court would be comprised of justices who could overlook their politics and deal simply with what is right and what is wrong, including what the government should and shouldn't have the power to decide...like who can get married and whether or not women should have abortions.

Too bad the country is not an ideal place.

this man's death against the unprecedented genocide of the people in the Gulf.

I simply can't give Rehnquist's death or this issue any fucking CPU time.

-eom-

This is war.

Bush gets a chance to put TWO freepers on the bench. It's time to start writing your reps NOW, everyone. We need to start early and strong to try to keep some balance on the court, or we could be socially screwed...

But some people wanted to screw around....

Bush is going to appoint another RW'er to replace him so it's a push. The big one is Roberts replacing O'Connor who was a swing vote.

Impossible to do worse than Rehnquist.

Just pray for the continued health of the rest of them...

Check Thom Hartmann's notes on this. He made a point that that was probably why the supreme court refused to rule on a case in the 70's that would have solidified support for corporate personhood, was because he didn't want to rule for or against it, based on what he discovered in the Santa Barbara/Southern PAcific case and what he felt it might do in the economy. Now you know that corporate shills like John Roberts and Scalia would rule for corporations in a moment. That is why I think that needs to become more a big part of the questioning of John Roberts now! We don't need to solidify corporations with equal and more rights than we the people do, which they likely will do if it comes there way now! So much for judicial activism if that case comes before then. They won't care that it originated that way!

Go to this article...

http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/05/01/int05004.html

And go to the following part:

...

It's interesting that in one of the most recent cases decided by the Supreme Court expanding corporate personhood, Chief Justice Rehnquist dissented. The case was First National Bank of Boston versus Bellotti, in 1978, and the bank was asserting that, as a "person," it had the right of "free speech" to interfere in politics. This was the case that kicked wide the door to corporations corrupting our political process in the last twenty-five years, and has led directly to the corporate capture and manipulation of Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Dubya as well as the majority of both houses of Congress, the Republican Party, and the DLC wing of the Democratic Party.

In opening his dissent, Rehnquist said: "This Court decided at an early date, with neither argument nor discussion, that a business corporation is a "person" entitled to the protection of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific R. Co., 118 U.S. 394, 396 (1886)."

This makes it pretty clear that neither Rehnquist nor his clerks actually read the Santa Clara case, but, as has been done for over a hundred years, were relying on the headnote. But, to his credit, Rehnquist disagreed with the headnote, saying:



Rehnquist then added, brilliantly in my opinion:



In this dissent, Rehnquist demonstrated the difference between a classical conservative, as he is, and the new corporatists who call themselves conservatives. Interestingly, this interview would probably be just as interesting and agreeable to readers of the website of William F. Buckley Jr. as it is to the readers of BuzzFlash. This is an issue on which both classic conservatives and classic liberals agree.

...

So please note that with either Roberts as a new justice and likely anyone that Bush picks to replace Rhenquist, and if Scalia or Thomas get picked as chief justice we LOSE on this issue with the death of Rehnquist!

Rest in Peace.

At least we have nothing to lose on his seat. But who will be picked CJ? Scalia?


(Please God no.)

one to sit on the court, another to become Chief Justice. I would still put money on Scalia though.

No matter who is nominated to Chief Justice, it requires Senate consent ... whether or not the nominee is already a Justice. A nomination of an outsider, even Roberts, would only require a single consent process in the Senate. If Roberts, then the Bushoilinis would merely withdraw his nomination to be a Justice and make a new nomination to the office of Chief Justice.

Kablooie was that little racist remark called for?????

A pubic hair was the center of attention for a while.

Still the comment was uncalled for.

It was brought up during Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearings as something THOMAS said to Anita Hill - a fellow African-American law professor.

Anita Hill raised serious sexual harrassment allegations against Thomas, but the Repuke senators did their usual smear and distract job to deny her credibility and get Thomas appointed. To this day, I think that the person who should have been nominated and confirmed to the SCOTUS was Anita Hill.

now?

He does not want to be subjected to the confirmation process again. One can surely understand why given he is unqualified to be a member of the court in the first place.

nt

When it rains it pours. :scared:

I'm sure he would've preferred to get Roberts through and then deal with Rehnquist's replacement later. With both spots up at the same time, even though Rehnquist was as far right as they come, it may give the Dems the opportunity to push back against an extemist. And Bush's political standing is low and sinking right now, so maybe the Dems in the Senate will get the backbone they've not particularly shown up until now.

onenote

Try this one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1476817/posts

Retake Congress in 2006, impeach Bush and Cheney and use a resignation and appointment strategy to get either Gore or Kerry to be Speaker of the House. One of them can then appoint the other as Vice-President. Then pack the court like Roosevelt tried to. Otherwise, it's fascism or civil war or fascism and civil war.

Even some republicans would vote for it now. My only hesitation, is there a real chance of winning any election from now on? I begin to doubt it since the republicans control the legislature, the courts, the executive, and most importantly, the voting machines. Some of us have foreseen insurrection in our future for the last four years. It looms large now.

That having been said I wonder if it really matters at this point. The economy will take a possibly fatal blow from the disaster at the gulf coast. Not only NO was destroyed, Biloxi and other cities were cut off at the knees. This will certainly be a belly blow to the economy. The lack of sufficient petroleum will also have a drastic effect. And don't forget the fact that Iran is starting it's own oil market and diversifying into the euro among other currencies, so the dollar will no longer be the fiat currency of trade. And that will HURT!

Then there's global warming. With arctic ice disappearing at such an alarming rate it can't be long before the salinity of the north atlantic goes low enough that the atlantic conveyor is turned off. At that point it's Katie bar the Door. No one knows the results of that except that europe will get cold. And we can be sure that the weather here will not be the same. Those areas that we depend on for growing food won't support that anymore. Where our sustenance will come from is anyone's guess.

As you can tell, I'm not very positive about our future. And I blame it all on George W. Bush.

Some call him the Anti-Christ.

Not me.

I call him Shiva, Destroyer of Nations.

I call him King Sadim. Reverse Midas. Everything HE touches turns into a great big pile of shit.

It was the Rehnquist court that decided FOR Bush & Cheney v. Al Gore in 2000. It's hard to imagine a worse result for this country than that action by the Supreme Court, denying "states' rights" to Florida and crowning King George by default.

Though here's the scenario that's more realistic that I like: Either Bush is removed or Cheney keels over, elevating Hastert to VP. That means a new Speaker of the House, and with the highest-ranking House Republican being Tom DeLay, there could be two factions of the GOP: the pro-DeLay neocons and the moderates who don't want to risk political sabotage. If this rift continues into the voting process, and every Democrat votes for Nancy Pelosi, there's a chance we could have Speaker Pelosi. Then once the shit REALLY hits the fan, Pelosi eventually gets elevated to the presidency.

Sure it might just be a pipe dream, but dammit, sometimes that's all we have to be optimistic about.

not

It's just a shame that Rehnquist forever tarnished the last five years of a 60 year-long career in jurisprudence by helping to appoint Bush as President.

This is going to be a wild, wooly year on Capitol Hill.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com

Too many bad things going on at the same time. Bush is incompetent and a bully and appoints incompetents and bullies.

I feel fearful for our nation.

This is really, really bad.

I just saw this at MYDD and hoped it wasn't true.

I mean, of course, it's bad for him.. as it sucks to die. But, politically, since we're discussing that, is there no better time for Bush to make appointments than when people are regarding Bush with total disdain? Not like the guy has any political clout anymore, even the republicans are pissed at him.

I, for one, will join Cindy, and refuse to pay taxes to a theocratic, anti-woman, anti-minority government.

Bush has never been weaker! He is vulnerable. The Democrats must now find courage and fight against any Bush appointment. First things first - Democrats and loyal American Republicans in the Senate must demand that the entire Bush Administration resign now for gross crimminal negligence for the Iraq War and the lack of preparation and response to Katrina. The blood of thousands of Americans killed and maimed in Iraq and on the Gulf Coast is on their hands. 9/11, Iraq and Katrina happended on the Bush Administration watch - whether from ignorance, incompetence, arrogance or crimminal malfeasance, the results are the same. They must be held accountable and forced to resign in disgrace. They are killing us and the country cannot wait for a Democratic Congress after the 2006 election and possible impeachment. The Bushies,all of them, every elected and appointed member of that administration must be shown the door, NOW!

The Democrats must not cooperate, compromise or give-in to anything from this corrupt, immoral, deadly administration. We must fight them on every front and persist with resolve until they are gone!

Imperialism and theocracy will be accepted by Lieberman, Biden, and the Clintons. Falwell's chief lawyer to be nominated. The democrats in power will find the man reasonable.

They will fire Dean as a heathen and hang Kucinich as anti-government.

Clarence Thomas will be appointed as the new head justice and he will give Condi an award for her consumerism in buying shoes and keeping the economy vibrant. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson will also be lynched as anti-government.

NO will be given to the rich with government vouchers to pay their workers $5.00 an hour, with $3.00 paid to the employers out of the employee checks for housing and food. Healthcare does not exist. That will be left to God.

All U. S. citizens who agree (as I do) with the opinion of Riverman need to write this and say this to every Representative, Senator, and all others who will listen. This is absolutely necessary if we are to survive. The time for action is NOW!

:toast:

now more than ever. The meme should be "if a man would kill poor people in New Orleans for politics, why should we allow him to appoint TWO judges for the Supreme Court." Eben the Repubs are beginning to bandond ship, so it is possible.

Impeachment should be the major thrust of the Sept 24th protest. Forget the zillion-and-a-half issues that ANSWER brings to the fore. Impeachment due to incompetence should be the message. We have more than enough evidence.

And a moratorium on all political appointments until then. It is clear from Bush's appointmnt of Brown as head of FEMA. That guy is as useless as tits on a bull.

all these events are happening at the same time!

It's maddening.

Unfuckingblievable, just unfuckingbelievable....

and protect us in this coming anarchy

to our highest court. Sad days for America.

Bye bye Bill of Rights ! It was nice while it lasted.

Expect the POLICE STATE to flourish.

I'm not viewing ... damn! How convenient for him to die NOW so the ghouls in the Executive Branch can attempt to take the American Sheeple's focus off of our most horrific National Disaster.

Please don't let the media whores take their eyes off of the Gulf Coast?

he was declared literally GONE

I won't gloat, there are probably MILLIONS who would be more than eager to take his place. Heaven and hell can be seen right here on earth if your willing to look

May he rest in peace. And God forgive him for being responsible for giving us George Bush. Now that said, I'm frightened about another Bush pick and Scalia advancing to Chief Justice. We had all be ready for a fight. More bad times ahead.

David Bossie, after which it's discovered Rehnquist fell down his steps and expired.



But that would never happen, would it?

I can only hope that with Bush's historically low approval ratings that some Republicans decide to side with the Democrats to eliminate the worst of the nominees. Or maybe he will appoint Gonzales who is bad but not as bad as he could be. If that makes any sense.

not as bad as he could be? I beg to differ

I suppose he will really nominate Priscilla Owens or Pryor or someone like that. That's all I meant.

No way.

Ok, look at it like this:

It must suck. But, we'll all have to deal with it.

Hey, at least you didn't die waiting to be rescued from your home's rooftop. Or, in a wheelchair at the Superdome or at the Convention Center.

Guess I'm just sayin' count your blessings.

Unnerstand?

Am prayin' for ya.

Well, sorta.

(edit: ok, don't even ask)

and that people get what they deserve. It will be pretty toasty for Old Bill if that's the case.

I knew of course that Old Bill wouldn't last 3 1/2 years and that the idiot would get the chance to nominate a Chief Justice. The only comfort I take is that Bush's political capital is probably at an all time low right now. It is cold comfort of course, but I guess it is better than no comfort.

As an aside, I went to law school with Rehnquist's son Jamie. He looked just like his father. I didn't know him that well and didn't know much about his politics.

just waiting for him to expire.

I'm not looking forward to this shit.

I'm truly shocked and freaked out at the prospect of Bush getting two SC picks.

Fuck

Are Cheney and Rehnquist the same person or something?

(resident of flooded Metairie, La.) He better check in soon, or else Bush** will have to appoint someone slightly less of a Nazi to fill Rehnquist's seat. :sarcasm:

http://www.davidduke.com/

Lots of sympathy for the NOLA victims too. To think how many Louisianans actually voted for this guy for governor.

...there's one picture on his site that's hilarious, regardless of race.

It's a picture of a boarded-up storefront, and on the boards it says, "Don't try. I am sleeping inside with a big dog, an ugly woman, two shotguns, and a claw hammer. Looters will be shot."

Maybe it shouldn't be funny, but dammit, it is.

Anyways, burn in hell, Rehnquist. Tell Ronald Reagan the US says hi.

If Bush gets his way, this whole nation is going to look like New Orleans by the end of his term.

Be afraid. And Democrats, for once in your lives, FIGHT!

The US is quickly going down the tubes and the * admin stacking the SC with their thugs will make things much, much more unpleasant. Face it, the dems are NOT going to save us.

did not suffer. He served this country his whole life, whether you agreed with him or not, he was a character alright.

Condolances to his family and I hope the MSM give them privacy.

This is not such a bad thing....better he die before the Johnny Bob Taliban hearings, right?

Now the Dems know what they are facing.....plus they have a bit of momentum on their side....given the fiasco and devastation in New Orleans...

Stop being so defeatist and fatalistic.....

Please send some powerful vibes to the Dem Judiciary committee members of : Kennedy, Leahy, Feinstein, Biden, Kohl, Feingold, Schumer, and Durbin...in fact, why not call them TOLL FREE 1-800-828-0498 and tell them how you feel?! Call them Tuesday....and tell them the Supreme Court is NOT a place for johnny bob taliban, OK? thx.

Say hello to Chief Justice Scalia :(

...with two new far-right radicals on the court now.

Get ready for the systematic dismantling of women's control of their own lives, worker's rights and equality...ready to all go down the drain.

Almost a century of progress will be lost in the NeoCon plan to destroy this country.

This is what we all feared folks. Looks like it's here.

the man just died.

They are gonna want a neo-Nazi to fill the vacancy before Rehnquist is cold.

We're not the ones you should tell to be respectful

With some Cons disappointed that Roberts is "not conservative enough" on all some things, anyone would be a fool to think they will not insist on the most radical goose-stepper to for Chimmpy's second replacement and as soon as possible.

It's just who W will replace him with. The guy liked orgies.

His replacement is likely to set up a theocracy.

Spit on him and his family. You think differently?

I dont write much, but i read often...We're not republicans. Dont make the personal attacks. Disagree with his policies (as we all do), but the man is dead. He doesn't need to have his person attacked.

v/r

The man has served his country. He worked until the time he died. And what, because you disagree with his opinion you say spit on him and his family. What makes your opinion more worthy than his. Did you spend your life studying, reflecting, and struggling over the constituionality of things? I didn't agree with the man on many things, but I never thought that the decisions he made were made with malice, or politics. So yeah, I think differently.

Where you are coming from. :eyes:

There is no doubt in my mind that the next Chief Justice will be Scalia.

The court will swing toward it's conservative conscience, and the entire Federal Government will be being run by business interests and religious zealots.

Even if every election from here on goes totally to the democrats, there is no reversing what has now been set in motion. Even if Bush is impeached, there is no reversing the current course.

We will live in a religiously conservative oligarchy for the foreseeable future.

With the election now corrupted and defunct, the only reasonable scenario that will prevent at least 20-30 years of an oppressive state toward the majority in the short term is revolution.


Sorry to rant. I'm just very sad. I'm sorry Rhenquist died. I hope his soul rests well. He was an old American conservative. I like to imagine he wouldn't resign simply because he couldn't tolerate the notion of handing over his powerful office to Bush.

God save America.

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist died on Saturday evening at his home in Arlington, Va., a spokeswoman for the the supreme court announced.

"The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his duties on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days," Kathy Arberg, the court's spokeswoman said. The chief justice was surrounded by his three children at the time of his death, she said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5304454/

I'm tempted to dance the jig, but it's late, I'm tired, and uncoordinated.

Trouble is, Bush could very well select an even crazier freak who will make Rehnquist seem like Michael Moore in comparison. :scared:

:nuke: :hide:

US Chief Justice Rehnquist dies after battle with cancer

04/09/2005 04h10

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a leading conservative voice on the US Supreme Court for three decades, died late Saturday after a battle with thyroid cancer, authorities announced. "William Rehnquist, the 16th Chief Justice of the United States, died this evening at his home in Arlington, Virginia surrounded by his three children," the Supreme Court said in a statement. His death opens a second vacancy on the court following the retirement this year of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Federal appeals court judge John Roberts has been appointed by President George W. Bush to replace O'Connor, but he is expected to face a tough confirmation hearing, during which his positions on issues ranging from abortion to the role of government will be closely scrutinized.

Rehnquist's passing means the president is likely to have another major political battle on his hands. Rehnquist was first appointed to the Supreme Court in 1971 by President Richard Nixon and took his seat on January 7, 1972.

He was elevated to chief justice by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Rehnquist was a strong opponent of abortion, gay rights, gun control and affirmative action for minorities.

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/050904040747.h544ztq1.html>
(more at link above)

Just wondering ...

n/t

total distraction. Will nominate some super radical hump job and then push Roberts as the lesser of two evils.

We are so fucked right now. UNLESS, we can get a motion to impeach.

Chances of that happening:

I will grow a second head first.

you wanna rephrase that about tuckfard? he has caused nothing but havoc for 5 years.....

any president that goes months without going after Bin Laden then ignores him a few months later, and can't obtain armor to protect his troops in a multi billion dollar industry during a war, and THEN ignores a giant disaster for days on end deserves to be given the props he deserves... he's been causin havoc for 5 years! the jerk.

...who wants to continue?

He's younger than Fat Tony. This fits with Rove's mission of constructing a new Thousand Year Reich.

He will be thankin God he died but is it ok for us to ask the gods of rock heads for the same for him?

I really don't know if this is a break for Bush or not. Obviously it takes the press off the horrors of NO. That is without a doubt. But it will put even more pressure on an already over-stressed administration that has shown no capacity to handle stress. This may push him into making further screw ups and gosh, can we hope, impeachment. I know its a stretch but I gotta make to try to stay sane. Because we are even more fucked now. Replacing an arch-conservative on the SC almost gives Bush license to pick the most far-right wingnut he can. And as far as Rehnquist goes, I am glad his suffering on Earth is over, as cancer is a horrible thing to watch a loved one die from. My sainted father passed away from cancer, and I'm telling you all, there are so very few people on this planet I would want to wish that on. My condolences to his family.

I say they do the unexpected: pull Osama out of the bag and put him up for confirmation. NO ONE will see it coming! eh? eh? ;-)

Just for shits and giggles.

He had no intention, and stated that publicly, he would remain on the court as long as his health permitted. And it was only in the last few days his condition turned for the worse.

I found that an interesting statement, as well as O'Connor's intent to stay until her successor's confirmation is completed.

Therefore it makes me wonder why they both wanted to hang on as long as possible. Was there something about the administration they were uncomfortable with?

... all Justices on the Supreme Court get a little more liberal as they age. It's natural. There's only so much human misery that one can adjudicate before a judge is forced to back off of his or her once-cherished conservative illusions. Even Justice Scalia is starting to come around in regards to the erosion of the 4th amendment (our protection against unreasonable searches and seizures) and our Reagan-era mandatory sentencing guidelines (the ones packing our prisons with non-violent felons). He and Clarence Thomas have started voting with Ginsberg, Souter, and Bryer in a string of cases on these issues. In short, as nearly all Justices do, they are becoming more liberal, as even did Rehnquist in his later years.

For this reason, I'm sad to see Rehnquist go. Bush will give us another young, neo-nazi that we'll have to live with until that new Justice wakes up to reality (and this usually takes many years on the court).

But don't believe for a moment that Bush will nominate a moderate. And, please, let's not call for civil war. Calling for a bloodbath merely undermines our credibility.

-Laelth

eom

God have mercy on this country.

If Pat Roberts can channel God, then so can I.

or whatever that gooey stuff between his ears is, to find someone who's as much of a bigoted fascist as Rehnquist. He'll probably manage somehow... What really concerns me is Chief Justice: either Scalia or (gulp) Uncle Thomas. :scared:

Edit: Oh shit, King Dumbass** has an extra special incentive to pick Uncle Thomas. That'll be his way of demonstrating that he really does care about black people with all his heart and soul (if he had any, that is), no matter what that America-hating commie Kanye West says. :sarcasm:

Perhaps O'Conner will take this opportunity to recind her resignation, in light of Rehnquist's death.

If that's even possible, it might be the best senario at this point.

If she can and does do that, then the worst is that Bush replaces one ultra regressive (Rehnquist) with another ultra regressive (Roberts).

PERHAPS, if O'Conner is pegged as the most favored to receive the Chief Justice role, she will choose to stay on.

Surely she can't be happy with a nominee to replace her that would seek to overtrun Roe-v-Wade, and most of the other cases she voted in favor of.

Run again in 2008.

Putz.

FU, Ralph.

who only represents a minority, I will also refuse to pay taxes. Without a doubt.

The extremists can pay taxes for their extremist appointments. I won't.

I'll also watch how many right wingers send their kids to Iraq for W's war.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050905/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus

:sarcasm:

Tsk tsk me if you will, but I'm not going to pretend that the late Chief Justice is anything other than a complete racist asshole.