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Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire

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Anonymous

Guest
Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire
by Nina Totenberg


NPR.org, April 30, 2009 · NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.

The vacancy will give President Obama his first chance to name a member of the high court and begin to shape its future direction.

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court. In fact he is in the younger half of the court's age range with five justices older and just three younger. So far as anyone knows, he is in good health. But he has made clear to friends for some time that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire. Now, according to reliable sources he has decided to take the plunge and has informed the White House of his decision.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I have to respect Souter for his decision...I've heard for sometime he wasn't happy in D.C. - and at 69 he's earned the right to live some retired life while he can....
Too bad a whole bunch of those other old fogies on the Supreme Court and in Congress don't take a hint...I was watching the Senate the other day and it looked like a Geriatric Center with several being pushed around in wheel chairs or using walkers...

Some of those folks need to step aside and let some younger folks- with new ideas- new energy come in.....
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
Committee requires the consent of at least one member of the minority. Before today, Specter was likely to be that one Republican. Now what?

http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/04/specter-defection-will-haunt-dems-on.html
 

Texan

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
I have to respect Souter for his decision...I've heard for sometime he wasn't happy in D.C. - and at 69 he's earned the right to live some retired life while he can....
So you respect a liberal Justice for waiting until a liberal President is in office to do what he's been wanting to do for "sometime"? Clearly, his timing was an ideologically-based decision. I'm not sure I find anything to respect in that.
 

Texan

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Too bad a whole bunch of those other old fogies on the Supreme Court and in Congress don't take a hint...I was watching the Senate the other day and it looked like a Geriatric Center with several being pushed around in wheel chairs or using walkers...
I can sure agree with you on that. And now with the addition of Specter to the Democrat party, it's clear that most of the senility in the Senate is on the Dem's side. Specter, Kennedy, Byrd, etc.

But it doesn't really matter which party - once they get in the shape some of those guys are in, they need to go.
 

Steve

Well-known member
Texan said:
Oldtimer said:
I have to respect Souter for his decision...I've heard for sometime he wasn't happy in D.C. - and at 69 he's earned the right to live some retired life while he can....
So you respect a liberal Justice for waiting until a [/b]liberal President[/b] is in office to do what he's been wanting to do for "sometime"? Clearly, his timing was an ideologically-based decision. I'm not sure I find anything to respect in that.

so much for checks and balances in government...
 

Mike

Well-known member
Souter's replacement won't change the court make-up that much overall.

Obama will definitely appoint a liberal to take his, a liberals, place.

Neither will Ginzburg's, who will probably be next to retire?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
reader (the Second) said:
It's fascinating to go back 19 years and see the editorials on Souter's nomination and the speculation, as well as Bush's (the father) assurance to the right wing that Souter would be a staunch conservative.

This judge will make an interesting biography.

If you really want to read interesting comments - go back and read history about the Warren appointment-- and the rightwings movement from ecstasy at his appointment (which was a political move by Ike to keep him from running against him) to gloom when he became the biggest progressive legislator from the bench in the history of the court....
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Speculation is running about who President Obama may appoint- with many believing it will be a woman...This is a list of the top women being speculated about- with my thinking that Elena Kagan (who would be a good pick)-and who Obama just appointed Solicitor General, leading that list...

Elena Kagan Solicitor General 49 Formerly Dean of the Harvard Law School

Teresa Roseborough Lawyer at MetLife 50 Black woman finalist for Court of Appeals in 1997

Leah Sears Chief justice of GA Supreme Court 53 Black woman

Sonia Sotomayor Appeals Court Judge 55 Latina (Puerto Rican) from the Bronx

Kathleen Sullivan Professor at Stanford 53 Lesbian

Kim Wardlaw Appeals Court Judge 54 Latina woman

Diane Wood Appeals Court Judge 58 Strongly pro-choice

Altho some are speculating he may do like was more often done in the past- and choose someone out of government or the private sector- and not now sitting on the bench or involved with Judicial... (like with the Warren appointment)...


Obama thanked Souter, 69, for his more than 18 years of service, and said he will choose as his replacement someone who understands "the realities" people go through every day, and someone who understands "the rule of law."

In addition, the president said he will seek "somebody with a sharp, independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity." That person must honor traditions, respect the judicial process and share Obama's grasp of constitutional values, he said.

The president said he intends to consult with people in both political parties as he makes his choice to replace Souter.
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
What's the makeup of the Senate commitee, wil that have any bearing?

Here's audio of Obama in 2006

Flashback 2006: Obama Explains Why Winning Presidency Doesn’t Guarantee Judge Picks

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=331013&widget=1
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I think some Repubs can see they can't continue just being the party of NO- as its not working for them...And like in the case of Elena Kagan- it would be awful tough for them to try and block her nomination- when the Senate just voted to confirm her a couple months ago.....

I do wish both parties would get off the political philosophy and ideology and go back to the old days when the decision was made on qualifications....
And noone can prejudge which way a nominee will go once they put on that robe- as many of the conservative picks over the years- have actually ended up being the most progressive/liberal- and like Chief Justice Warren, the most progressive legislator by the courts of probably any...

Sen. Orrin Hatch, the Republican who led the Senate Judiciary Committee when President Bill Clinton nominated Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer to the court, said Republicans needed to be fair and not seek "a big fight that is ideological."

"That is not right," Hatch said. "And I think real senators who know what their responsibilities are will stand up and do what is right. You can't just vote against them because they differ with you in political philosophy."

"It all comes down to qualifications," he said. "If they don't meet those, then a legitimate vote against them is proper. But if they do meet those qualifications, the fact that they are not activists, not political, bodes well for them."

Breyer and Ginsberg, he said, were "both eminently qualified" to serve on the Supreme Court.

"We're not going to get any conservatives on the Supreme Court," Hatch said. "We're not going to get someone who is pro-life on the Supreme Court from Barack Obama. We know that. The question is, are they qualified?"
 

VanC

Well-known member
Just think. Every liberal judge in the country who thinks they might have a shot at the Supreme Court is scrambling to pay those taxes they "forgot about". Heck, if Ginsburg and Stevens retire, too, it could create enough revenue to pay off the national debt. :lol:
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
"share Obama's grasp of constitutional values, he said. "

That statement makes me want to puik. Obama's "constitutional values"? Exactly what "constitutional value" does Obama have?
 
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