01-07-2005 21:42									#31
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I would acvtually be OK with Gonzales: on the core "social" issues that have the Rigth wingers goat he is moderate. So he is in fact NOT that popular with the "the diplomat's" of the world. Besides, Bush probably wants to nominate the first Hispanic to the court, or the first Asian-the first SOMETHING.

I agree with Ming, Bush is politically weakened, meaning a more right-center as opposed to far-right candidate might have to be the choice of the day for Bush.

As for pronouncements of the end of the world, bull.

There are 3 rightwingers, maybe 3 left-winger, and 3 up in the air votes in the Court right now (Souter, Kennedy, O'Connor). So even if a new Bork gets put in, the court has not all of a sudden tilted to the far right.

Ditto if Renquist goes, since it would be replacing one far righter with another.

NOw Stevens leaving, THAT is more scary.

	01-07-2005 21:46									#32
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quote: Of course, why it should be surprising that liberals would be concerned over potentially ultraconservative SCOTUS picks is beyond me. Was the religious right thrilled for Ginsburg or Breyer as nominees?

Terrible analogy. Ginsburg and Breyer were very moderate by any measure. Stevens is the only strong liberal on the Court now, and there hasn't been an "ultraliberal" nominated since 1968.

quote: There are 3 rightwingers, maybe 3 left-winger, and 3 up in the air votes in the Court right now (Souter, Kennedy, O'Connor). So even if a new Bork gets put in, the court has not all of a sudden tilted to the far right.

Indeed; unless Stevens retires (or, as is more likely, dies), the most Bush can do is move the median to Kennedy. I would disagree with your analysis of the current court, though. IMHO there is one strong liberal, three moderate liberals, two moderate conservatives, and three strong conservatives.

	01-07-2005 21:48									#33
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So, at this point we have about a 50% chance of getting more SCROTUM on the SCOTUS?

Somebody had to..

To my knowledge, O'Connor did good service to the court and her country during her 25 years. She wasn't a dogmatic in terms of ideology, and brought true credit to the high position.

And of course, she was appointed by President Reagan, so..

	01-07-2005 21:55									#34
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quote: Originally posted by Winston And of course, she was appointed by President Reagan, so..

Funny how even Reagan could appoint decent judges if he stopped paying attention.

	01-07-2005 22:07									#35
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Reid has actually suggested four Republican Senators (all from states with GOP Governors) for Dear Leader to nominate: Martinez, Graham, Crapo, and DeWine. Graham would be an interesting choice.

	01-07-2005 22:12									#36
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Yeah, like that's going to happen...

	01-07-2005 22:18									#37
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One can always dream.

	01-07-2005 22:42									#38
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Stevens is the one you should really worry about, not O'Connor.

I'd be happy to see a conservative justice replace O'Connor, and for the Democrats to be forced to carry out their threat of a filibuster.

	01-07-2005 23:32									#39
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I don't care who gets nominated as long as it hummiliates Frist and the religious right, who will go batsh*t crazy if they get anything less than a reactionary nut like Scalia, hence weakening the Republican party base just in time for the congressional elections.

	01-07-2005 23:41									#40
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quote: Originally posted by Ben Kenobi Stevens is the one you should really worry about, not O'Connor. I'd be happy to see a conservative justice replace O'Connor, and for the Democrats to be forced to carry out their threat of a filibuster.

And if Frist tries the Nuclear Option he can say goodbye to a conservative court when the Democrats regain power, since there will be nothing stoping us from nominating uber-liberals without the threat of the fillibuster.


I will laugh if Renquist survives and stays on the court untill early '07 if the Dems regain the Senate, his replacement would have to be a moderate.

	02-07-2005 00:08									#41
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Interestingly O'Connor was thought to be conservative when she was nominated, but 'liberal' on women's issues.

I guess the definitions have changed...

	02-07-2005 01:18									#42
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An "anonymous official" -- they will soon be rare thanks to Time, so mark this day on your calendars -- announced that Bush's 'short list' included only men. I am not exactly an insider when it comes to Supreme Court affairs, so are there any qualified women out there who could conceivably find their way into the Court as this current SCOTUS dies off?

	02-07-2005 01:32									#43
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We're probably not going to get a prominent Senator or a career jurist; the trend now is to throw up "tabula rasa" with a small paper trail in terms of legal decisions. Gonzales would somewhat fit the bill, but expect Bush to offer up someone you've never heard of who everyone will then say "Well, of course we knew about him and blah blah blah...".

It's a shame though that we won't be getting as many intelligent, thoughtful jurists on the SC. Love him or hate him, men like Scalia and Stevens and Thomas are high intelligent and well-writen. I'd hate to see another Thomas who is quite and word-thrift.

	02-07-2005 02:27									#44
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quote: Originally posted by Odin And if Frist tries the Nuclear Option he can say goodbye to a conservative court when the Democrats regain power, since there will be nothing stoping us from nominating uber-liberals without the threat of the fillibuster.

You say us like they actually care what you think and your apart of the team First rule when dealing with any group of politicians is to not kid yourself into thinking your on some kind of team. Your views may coincide with some of theirs but don't let that lead you to believe that you somehow count. Unless your a mover, your a pawn or just an onlooker just like the rest of us.

	02-07-2005 03:00									#45
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quote: Originally posted by GePap Besides, Bush probably wants to nominate the first Hispanic to the court, or the first Asian-the first SOMETHING.

He'll probably try to give us the first lunatic.

	02-07-2005 03:29									#46
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I just want a damn justice who isn't a raving right-winger or a lunatic liberal. I want a man or woman who can look at *all* the angles of any given issue without some sort of ideological shading. But, hey, that's just my wishy-washy spineless moderate view. We need spine in this world! We need someone to lay down the law, damn the consequences! We need a judgmental judge! One whose power comes "on loan" from God!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

**wheezes**

Lord, is it too much to ask for a well-rounded person to be the next justice?

Gatekeeper

	02-07-2005 03:34									#47
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Here are some potential nominees:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050701/D8B2MVGO0.html

I'd LOVE if the nominee was McConnell or Roberts, but I'd settle for Wilkinson as well. They also sound like they think through things rather than rigidly follow their own ideology.

	02-07-2005 06:09									#48
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O'Connor

I don't know why some of you are so surprised she's retiring now, though. She's a Republican through and through.

Now bring on McConnell...

	02-07-2005 18:06									#49
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No matter who gets put up, it will be a circus

	02-07-2005 18:12									#50
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I just read that her husband has Alzheimer's. Taking care of a loved one who is mentally deteriorating can take a hideous toll on anyone. My mother's mind was failing in the years before she died, though for other reasons. Watching the brilliant person you love have their mind slowly rot from the inside is hell. We should all say a prayer for her and her husband, and the rest of their family.

	03-07-2005 01:40									#51
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McConnell sounded like one of the likeliest to me too, of the 12 possibilities touted by today's Washington Post. I'm inclined to root for him. Of the others, most don't sound too bad; the only one that seems worse than Scalia is Janice Brown, who sounds severely unstable and is probably only on the list as a ploy by W. to make the real nominees look better. Edith Jones does come close to Scaliatude with that machine-gun legalization thing though.

As for Gonzalez...WTF? The man thinks the Geneva Convention should be scrapped, but as long as he's cool with abortions and gay marriage there's no problem from the left? Keep that man the hell away from the SCOTUS, whatever he thinks about "social" issues!

Frankly I doubt that anyone too nuts will be let through, or that the Democrats will be able to stop Bush from appointing a Pro-Lifer if he wants to. Societal trends are against the anti-gay movement getting ground no matter who he appoints, so that's closed too. The seven Dems on the filibuster compromise pledged not to filibuster a SC nominee except under "extraordinary circumstances." The Post listed Sen. John Cornyn as well as Garza and McConnell, who regards RvW as "settled" but would probably vote against it if the opportunity arose. None of those would appear to qualify as "extraordinary."

	03-07-2005 11:16									#52
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Gonzales won't get close. Conservative groups have said he is too pro-abortion for them.

	03-07-2005 12:15									#53
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Should be fun to watch. I think it's always important to remember that nominees can change when they get that SCOTUS appointment for life. Warren, Brennan, Blackmun, and Stevens were all GOP appointees and are probably 4 of the 5 most liberal justices appointed since WWII (the fifth being Marshall); the GOP's court agenda is still largely devoted to trying to undo teh work of the Warren-Brennan court. Souter has turned out to be way more liberal than Daddy Bush thought he would be, and Breyer has turned out to be more conservative than Clinton thought he would be.