I am no fan of the Dems, but judicial appointments are the only reason I can see to vote for them. I don't even have to look at the lineup to know how Justices Ginsberg and Breyer, the Clinton appointees, voted on this one. Moreover, when I was last at the Court, I looked over the bench and this is what I saw: Justice O'Connor, late 70s and unwell; Justice Ginsberg, a cancer victim; Justice Stevens, late 70s or eatly 80s, Justice Rehnquist, laye 70s and unwell. That's four appointments the next Prez is likely to be able to make. Moreover, there is reliable rumor that Justice Scalia is thinking of hanging it up and resigning if the Dems win in November.
In addition to the S.Ct, there are the lower court appointments, and if you don't think that makes a difference, both at the trial and the appellate levels, think again. The Courts of Appeals are, in effect, the S.Ct for most cases, since the Supremes take over 100 or so cases a year. And as a district court clerk, I can tell you that district courts have more power than you might think, not least because only a small fraction of cases are ever appealed.
I am not arguing that we should all throw down whatever we are doing and start stumping for the Dems. Unlike Nathan, I do not see particularly significant policy differences. But the judiciary is another matter, and we should not pretend otherwise. The difference between Justices Ginsberg and Thomas is not insignificant, or between my judge (a Clinton appointee) and many on the district court bench here appointed by Reagan or Bush.
--jks
< We are sliding towards a Supreme Court that
> will be as activist reactionary as the old Lochner court of the 1920s.
>
> -- Nathan Newman
Yeah, right, this refrain has been used by liberal activists ever since I can remember. They use the threat of who could be appointed to the Supreme Court as an excuse to vote democratic.
Well, the Clinton administration disproved that scare tactic. Look at the justices he appointed. What's more, look at what Clinton did to civil liberties during his administration. Make you almost pine for the days of George Bush, Sr.
I see one solution to this: abolish the Supreme Court.
<< Chuck0 >>
This was the year *everything* changed.
-- Commander Ivanova, 2261
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