Politics And Current Events

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Justice Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing ribs in fall

Better put some bubble wrap on her. In all seriousness, I hope she is ok.

I hope she is too. She's really getting up there in age. If she were to retire soon, how bad would people lose it that Trump would get a 3rd Supreme Court nominee?

Could somebody smarter than me explain why the Supreme Court is not only an appointed position but also a **** lifetime appointment?

Not only this, but why don't other branches have term limits? Pelosi is on her 16th term?

[Freddy Rumsen]

Justice Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing ribs in fall

Better put some bubble wrap on her. In all seriousness, I hope she is ok.

I hope she is too. She's really getting up there in age. If she were to retire soon, how bad would people lose it that Trump would get a 3rd Supreme Court nominee?

Could somebody smarter than me explain why the Supreme Court is not only an appointed position but also a **** lifetime appointment?

The concept behind a lifetime appointment was so that there would be ideological diversity on the court, wisdom and temperance of age, and that justices would serve in service of the law, not re-election, etc...

[nocera]

Okay, so because less than half of the population voted for a (hopefully) 4 year term for Trump, we're all now forced through a **** generation of a very conservative court.

[Kaiser]

I guess the only solution is to vote democrat.

[nocera]

I guess the only solution is to vote democrat.

And just hope people retire or die? Hell of a system.

[Silentom]

That's what old people do; they die.

[Kaiser]

I guess the only solution is to vote democrat.

And just hope people retire or die? Hell of a system.

take it up with the other dead people we still listen to.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Okay, so because less than half of the population voted for a (hopefully) 4 year term for Trump, we're all now forced through a **** generation of a very conservative court.

Fewer than 50% of the people voted for any number of Justices on the court, and both of the SCOTUS people Trump put in were on Romney's short list, so not sure point.

It's not like he put his sister or his personal attorney's on the court.

[nocera]

Okay, so because less than half of the population voted for a (hopefully) 4 year term for Trump, we're all now forced through a **** generation of a very conservative court.

Fewer than 50% of the people voted for any number of Justices on the court, and both of the SCOTUS people Trump put in were on Romney's short list, so not sure point.

It's not like he put his sister or his personal attorney's on the court.

Don't give him any ideas.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Well his sister is a pro-choice Democrat, so most of this thread would be happy with that choice.

[shafnutz05]

There is a very good reason for lifetime appointments to the Court, and Freddy laid them out well. To be clear, ideology permeated the Court is hardly anything new. Remember FDR's infamous court-packing in the 1930s? At its core, and maybe I am an idealist that fondly remembers my high school civics classes, but I still think that the SCOTUS is a noble institution, and I am not a fan of politicians from either party using it as a political weapon.

[shafnutz05]

She's also not likely to have any sort of out sized influence in the House. Unless she forms some sort of DSA caucus, she's relegated to a back bench position without much hope for gaining additional notoriety. I listened to a discussion where they suggested her next step is to run for mayor of NYC.

Yup. The establishment will do whatever they can to marginalize her influence, and I can't blame them.

[tifosi77]

More raw numbers of people voted for Trump than voted for Clinton in either '92 or '96, and he got a bigger percentage of the vote than Clinton did in '92. And we still have RBG and Breyer.

The Constitution does not actually say "for life" or anything like that; it just reads that Article III judges and justices "shall hold their Offices during good Behavior", which has been interpreted to mean a lifetime appointment barring them doing something impeachable.

I think a 10-15 year appointment would be appropriate. But bringing that to bear would require a Constitutional amendment, so that's out.

[Freddy Rumsen]

I demur from "10-15" for a lot of reasons. Want to put an age cap? Nope.

You don't get to change things just because your team isn't getting its way, that's precisely the fear of Democracy any rational person should believe.

[grunthy]

Okay, so because less than half of the population voted for a (hopefully) 4 year term for Trump, we're all now forced through a **** generation of a very conservative court.

Hate to break it to you but every Supreme Court Justice is appointed by someone that got less than half the populations vote.

[shafnutz05]

I demur from "10-15" for a lot of reasons. Want to put an age cap? Nope.

You don't get to change things just because your team isn't getting its way, that's precisely the fear of Democracy any rational person should believe.

Which, make no mistake about it, would be the case. If there is ever a change seriously proposed to a system that has been in place since 1789, it will be because one side wants it.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

She's also not likely to have any sort of out sized influence in the House. Unless she forms some sort of DSA caucus, she's relegated to a back bench position without much hope for gaining additional notoriety. I listened to a discussion where they suggested her next step is to run for mayor of NYC.

Wouldn't expect such blatant racism from you. Just because she's a black woman doesn't mean you need to put her in the back.

[dodint]

What a reach.

[MR25]

0/10

[CBear3]

Congresspeople have term limits, they're called elections

[tifosi77]

I demur from "10-15" for a lot of reasons. Want to put an age cap? Nope.

You don't get to change things just because your team isn't getting its way, that's precisely the fear of Democracy any rational person should believe.

This has nothing to do with 'teams'. RBG and Breyer have been on the Court since I was in college, and I don't think there's a net benefit to that.

[dodint]

Local Libertarian candidate pledged to serve only one term. I would've like to have seen him get elected just to see if he would stick to it.

[tifosi77]

She's also not likely to have any sort of out sized influence in the House. Unless she forms some sort of DSA caucus, she's relegated to a back bench position without much hope for gaining additional notoriety. I listened to a discussion where they suggested her next step is to run for mayor of NYC.

Wouldn't expect such blatant racism from you. Just because she's a black woman doesn't mean you need to put her in the back.

I think she might be surprised to find out she's black.

[tifosi77]

Local Libertarian candidate pledged to serve only one term. I would've like to have seen him get elected just to see if he would stick to it.

Now this is the opposite end of the spectrum. If this was for a House seat, I manifestly would not want anyone in there who only wanted the job for two years; that's just around the time you're becoming useful at a new gig. You pledge to call it quits after two terms? Okay. But one is more of a 'why bother' situation.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

What a reach.

So is describing a black person as being articulate, but that is considered racist so why wouldn't saying a black woman will be at the back of something.