http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/13/politics/supreme-court-justice-antonin-scalia-dies-at-79/index.html
I can't even imagine the size of the upheaval coming.
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 13, 2016, 11:47:10 PM
I can't even imagine the size of the upheaval coming.
Yep. Obama will want to appoint a liberal justice, but the Senate will not confirm this close to the election.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on February 14, 2016, 12:43:48 AM
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 13, 2016, 11:47:10 PM
I can't even imagine the size of the upheaval coming.
Yep. Obama will want to appoint a liberal justice, but the Senate will not confirm this close to the election.
I've read the Repub Senators have asked that replacing Scalia be put off entirely till after the election. Do not believe that's how this works but that no longer seems to bother the GOP.
Obama said clearly that he will offer an appointment. Let the games begin.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on February 14, 2016, 05:32:42 AM
Obama said clearly that he will offer an appointment. Let the games begin.
There isn't a bucket of popcorn big enough for this.
Man, the guy's body is still warm and yet the political jockeying has already begun. This is going to be a crazy time.
Quote from: Firebird on February 14, 2016, 06:45:34 AM
Man, the guy's body is still warm and yet the political jockeying has already begun. This is going to be a crazy time.
Tell me about it. The political lines were drawn about 5 seconds after his body was found.
He died in his sleep in a resort ranch out in West Texas. I know the area - it's quite remote - desert and mountains. He was quail hunting, went to bed not feeling well, and never woke up.
I admired the man's wit and intelligence, but little else.
"The Simply Breathtaking Consequences Of Justice Scalia's Death" |
ThinkProgress (http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/02/13/3749464/the-simply-breathtaking-consequences-of-justice-scalias-death/)
QuoteTwenty-four hours ago, Republicans were headed into what remains of the current Supreme Court term with a solid majority and a docket strewn with some of the most consequential cases in decades. Affirmative action, abortion, birth control, immigration, an effort to shift congressional power to Republicans — all of these issues are before the justices this term.
The issues remain before the Court, but the balance of power just changed.
[Continues . . . (http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/02/13/3749464/the-simply-breathtaking-consequences-of-justice-scalias-death/)]
Lets just hope the next one isn't quite as backwards thinking.
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 15, 2016, 02:09:07 AM
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Good idea. Obama can then introduce sharia law in the USA ;)
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 15, 2016, 02:09:07 AM
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Yes yes yes yes yes!
Quote from: Tom62 on February 15, 2016, 04:57:38 AM
Good idea. Obama can then introduce sharia law in the USA ;)
:snooty:
Quote from: Tom62 on February 15, 2016, 04:57:38 AM
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 15, 2016, 02:09:07 AM
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Good idea. Obama can then introduce sharia law in the USA ;)
Michelle would probably divorce him if he dared to go along with this :) I get the impression she can't wait to get out of there.
I've heard NJ Senator Cory Booker's name floated out there too.
Quote from: Tank on February 15, 2016, 08:15:22 AM
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 15, 2016, 02:09:07 AM
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Yes yes yes yes yes!
That is the scariest thing I've heard In a long time. I ol
Quote from: Firebird on February 15, 2016, 06:47:51 PM
Michelle would probably divorce him if he dared to go along with this :) I get the impression she can't wait to get out of there.
I've heard NJ Senator Cory Booker's name floated out there too.
a) I don't blame Michelle at all, and b) no to Cory Booker. I want him free to run for President in the near future.
Quote from: Steeler on February 15, 2016, 08:30:34 PM
Quote from: Tank on February 15, 2016, 08:15:22 AM
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on February 15, 2016, 02:09:07 AM
A suggestion I heard that's just a fantasy, but is making me happy: the GOP succeeds in putting off appointing a replacement till after the election, and Pres. Sanders or Clinton pushes Obama thru as the next SCJ.
Yes yes yes yes yes!
That is the scariest thing I've heard In a long time. I ol
Thank you! :grin:
Certain folks like to dismiss
Slate as useless fluff and sensationalism, but on occasion it has some rather good articles. Here's one on Justice Scalia: "The Tragedy of Antonin Scalia" |
Slate (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2016/02/the_tragedy_of_antonin_scalia.html)
I think the following quote is particularly apposite:
QuoteScalia refused to acknowledge that originalism does not enable justices to decide cases neutrally. If they choose to adopt this methodology, and manage to figure out a way to make it constrain them, they are committed to enforcing mostly 18th-century values—which are, by definition, conservative.
In fact, the historical sources are rarely clear, and foundational questions about how originalism is supposed to proceed—including how much weight (if any) should be given to post-founding judicial precedents that deviate from the original understanding, and how broadly constitutional principles like "due process" and "equal protection" should be understood—are irresolvable. One of the original originalists—Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black—was a stalwart liberal. A liberal Yale law professor has mischievously proclaimed himself an originalist (http://www.amazon.com/Living-Originalism-Jack-M-Balkin/dp/0674061780) and shown how originalism can lead to liberal outcomes. Scalia's interpretation of originalist sources has been frequently criticized, and in notable instances when he could not bend them to his will, he simply ignored them. His belief that campaign finance laws and commercial speech regulations violated the First Amendment would have surprised the founders, for example.
This is why originalism has no staying power except as a slogan. When Sen. Ted Cruz says that he will appoint an originalist if he wins the presidency, he means that he would appoint a justice who will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and strike down economic regulation like Obamacare. Republican senators will block any nominee to the Supreme Court to replace Scalia who isn't likely to vote in such a way—but neither President Obama nor a potential future liberal president would nominate such a person. The court is probably doomed to a lengthy period without a full slate of nine justices (at least through the election, possibly longer), which will be devastating to its effectiveness.
[Continues . . . (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2016/02/the_tragedy_of_antonin_scalia.html)]
^^ I love John Oliver.
John Oliver rulez! I wish I had HBO. That dildo/New Zealand episode the other day was hilarious.
-Nam