Lifetime appointment

[Chairboy]

Correct, the only thing that'll prevent that is their professionalism.  The important thing is that the less often new justices are picked, the lower the chance that they'll be picked in the middle of some political crapstorm (like, say, the immediate aftermath of 9/11).

[Sandman]

Originally posted by AdmRose
Unfortuntately lifetime appointments don't guarentee that they won't be voting along their party's lines when it comes to decisions.

Which is something O'Connor rarely did. I suspect that there's going to be one helluva fight trying to replace her.

[Toad]

This early in Bush's term though AND with Rhenquist sick she will be replaced. I don't think the Court can go three more years on 8 justices. Though she did say she'd stay until her replacement is confirmed I think.

Overall, I think her timing favors Bush a bit.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Maverick
Wow what a powerful statement, so beautifully argued and with such compelling proof.

Our government as a whole is corrput.  I love my country dearly.

Karaya

[Eagler]

she was the swing vote against the late term abortion law

yep, Bush just has to get a true Conservative in there, which he will do

[GRUNHERZ]

How about this guy?

http://www.morallaw.org/roymoore.htm

Wouldnt that be funny?

[myelo]

Any word yet on which conservative female Hispanic Bush is likely to nominate?

[GRUNHERZ]

Originally posted by myelo
Any word yet on which conservative female Hispanic Bush is likely to nominate?

So true.

[soda72]

Geesssh..... Bush hasn't even picked anyone yet and people are screaming about this already.....

No matter who he picks someone is not going to like it.....

[Toad]

Originally posted by myelo
Any word yet on which conservative female Hispanic Bush is likely to nominate?

They're having trouble finding one that is also homosexual, 1/4 black, 1/4 Native American, 1/4 Asian and 1/4 Hispanic that supports the right to choice while being fervently anti-abortion and hasn't already worked for Halliburton or KBR at some point in her career.

That's what I heard anyway.

[myelo]

Originally posted by soda72
Geesssh..... Bush hasn't even picked anyone yet and people are screaming about this already.....

No matter who he picks someone is not going to like it.....

Screaming? Who's screaming? And what makes you think I don't like it?

For those who were drawing airplanes in 3rd grade when the teacher was covering reading between the lines, I’ll spell it out.

Bush is likely to go one of two ways on this.

1. Make the pick on ideological grounds; someone with a hard right record on social issues to appeal to the religious right (i.e. Eagler) of the GOP. Such a choice will surely face a vigorous confirmation fight and it’s a toss up which party would win the public opinion battle.

2. A political choice. This would most likely be a female or Hispanic as these are two demographics the GOP are strongly courting. This type of choice is much less likely to face severe opposition.

It will be interesting to see which way he goes. I’m predicting #2.

[lasersailor184]

So myelo, you're saying that any hispanic or non white person is automatically not qualified for the job?  That because they are hispanic they aren't actually good enough and it's just a political move?

[myelo]

Not just a political move. But if you don’t think politics are involved in this, quickly instruct  the nearest bystander to call 911 and tell them to bring the brain defibrillator.

After all, O’Connor herself was a political choice; Reagan had made a campaign promise to nominate a woman to the Supreme Court.  

Picking a female or Latino helps Bush politically and might blunt the backlash from democrats. With a second opening looming I don’t think the W wants this to turn into an “extraordinary circumstance.”

[Maverick]

Originally posted by Toad
They're having trouble finding one that is also homosexual, 1/4 black, 1/4 Native American, 1/4 Asian and 1/4 Hispanic that supports the right to choice while being fervently anti-abortion and hasn't already worked for Halliburton or KBR at some point in her career.

That's what I heard anyway.

[bj229r]

Ill be happy if he picks someone even slightly to the right of O'Connor--she was always depicted as a centrist, but was actually the left-leaning swing vote in a lot of  decisions one could easily label as 'activist' --But, that won't stop  words like 'extremist'..'out of the mainstream'...etc from invading us in the near future, no matter who he picks.

(Over 70% of polled Americans think the recent decision to grant local governments the right to snatch property from poor people and give it to wealthy campaign contributors is 'extremist')