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Author Topic: Lifetime appointment  (Read 898 times)

Offline Manedew

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Lifetime appointment
« on: July 01, 2005, 09:39:54 AM »
The frist woman to serve on the US sepreme court stepped down today (just announced)

This is a lifetime appointment.

Some media are talking of this being too long.  That they should have set terms.

The founding fathers talked about "enthusiasms" the people might have.  That fad's might cause problems.  This seems like another good safeguard aginst such fad's-"enthusiasms".  By keeping these judges for so long ... things can't be moved too quickly.

Any thoughts?
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Offline Toad

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2005, 09:44:06 AM »
Well to Justice O'Connor. I didn't always agree with her decisions/votes but I respect her.

Life terms? Yep. That's the design and so far it seems to work.

Now the fun will really begin in the Senate, however.
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Offline rshubert

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Re: Lifetime appointment
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2005, 09:50:51 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Manedew
...Some media are talking of this being too long.  That they should have set terms...Any thoughts?


lifetime appointments were specified in order to make the Supreme Court less corruptible than the other branches of government, among other reasons.  If your job depends on the goodwill of a boss (president and/or congress and/or the electorate) that can fire you at the next election or next week, your rulings are going to consider that fact, and be colored by it.

I say leave it like it is.  I don't always agree with the decisions made by the SC, but I know they are made in an atmosphere where the justices are not afraid of personal repercussions due to their decisions.  Removing that burden allows them to follow their hearts and heads, for good or bad.
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Offline Maverick

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2005, 09:51:10 AM »
There is already more than enough political wrangling going on with appointing the Justices. Tying their hands to "popular" political trends would be like mandating "political correctness" for their decisions instead of just being "correct". The lifetime appointment was the best option to remove as MUCH political influence as POSSIBLE for them to be as independent as they could be. I think it was a good idea for that time and is still a good thing.
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Offline ASTAC

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2005, 09:59:05 AM »
If i was part of that court...coming out with the se whacked out decisions lately..I'd probrably step down out of frustration . Wonder if that is a motivator?
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Offline Maverick

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2005, 10:02:38 AM »
Astac,

I doubt it. She was enough of an outspoken person to make that statement very clearly if that were the case.
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Offline Nilsen

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2005, 10:03:51 AM »
how many members are there on the supreme court?
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Offline ASTAC

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2005, 10:07:09 AM »
one less than before...


actually 9
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Offline Chairboy

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2005, 10:14:24 AM »
Keep the system the way it is, it works.  I strongly disagree with some of their recent decisions, but it would be much worse if their appointment reflected brief 'gusts' of opinion.  There's already a little bit of that, but minimize the frequency of change as much as possible to reduce the problem.
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Offline Nilsen

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2005, 10:14:33 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by ASTAC
one less than before...


actually 9


is that what you may call a "legal defecit"?


seriously... same number as we have then (10)
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Offline Maverick

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2005, 10:19:00 AM »
Nope, not 10. The full complement is 9 to keeo a uneven number guaranteeing that it cannot be a tied or "hung" court unless some justice recuses themself.
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Offline lasersailor184

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2005, 10:21:44 AM »
Actually, there is no set number of Supreme Court Judges.  It doesn't even have to be odd.  It's just that 9 judges is traditional.
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Offline Masherbrum

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2005, 10:33:49 AM »
Regardless.  USSC is corrupt.

Karaya
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Offline Maverick

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2005, 10:51:49 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Masherbrum
Regardless.  USSC is corrupt.

Karaya


Wow what a powerful statement, so beautifully argued and with such compelling proof. :rolleyes:
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Offline AdmRose

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Now that O'Connor has stepped down...
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2005, 10:57:22 AM »
Unfortuntately lifetime appointments don't guarentee that they won't be voting along their party's lines when it comes to decisions.
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