Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan

I don't know much about Kagan and I'm sure that there aren't many that really do know much about her but if she does nothing else in her time on the bench other than bring this court back from the extreme Right turn it has taken then I'll be happy she was appointed.

 

From what I understand she's another member of BO's Chicago gang & she has never been a judge.

 

I doubt there will be much change. No doubt she will be more liberal than Stevens but in the end she is a liberal replacing a liberal. Yeah, we can debate whether he is a true liberal or a moderate or even maybe a conservative but, in reality, he is a liberal on this court. And she will be too.

Just the way I see it, anyway. I will let the others react with their typical reactions either for or against depending upon their agendas.

 

What does that even mean? One third of the appointees to the Supreme Court have never been judges.

 

My hope, and I sort of doubt that it will come to pass, is that she will be very Left leaning. You just never know how these appointees turn out once they get comfortable in their lifetime appointments.

 

It means exactly what I said....Axelrod, Rahm, et al...you know, the Chicago Gang. As far as her never being a judge? I was just pointing out a fact, nothing more, was I wrong?

 

Geez...I dunno much about er either partner...but if that Obamer feller picked er...

 

He shoulda did a Bush and nominated his cleanin' lady..

 

I think that is a pretty safe bet, actually. I doubt she will become very right leaning. lol I doubt we will see many surprises out of any of the Justices much any more. They seem to me to just mostly be arms of whatever political party is in charge when they are appointed. And the political parties are so partisan that the nominees will reflect that.

In theory, Justices might switch but, these days, I think it would take decades for any of them to really creep to a side they weren't appointed by. Unless a President is totally hoodwinked by his candidate and I figure there is probably way too much investigation that goes into them for that to realistically happen.

 

This is one system of yours that I do find hard to understand, ok here goes LOL
You have Justices appointed by Presidents (usualy with leanings towards that President views) and yet they are the final arbiters on the constitution? then you can elect a Justice who has never actualy sat in judgment on anyone?
I am sorry but from my own perspective those who sit in such a position should be free of political taint (we see it here with the comment one of the Chicago gang ) and I have to be honest about it David does have a legitimate point as would any other member who commented on a Justice nominated by any President
Why is it that the Judiciary in the US is unable to govern itself?

 

That had to be hard for you to admit.

 

Why David unlike you I am quite open minded and dont stick rigidly to one concept

 

It took me a long time to figure out exactly what legitimate point you were referring to.
You’ll find no objection from people of David’s political persuasion when Bush appointed hard-line Right wingers like Alito and Roberts. These guys are so far out on the Right they gave corporations the same rights as citizens. The court leans so far to the Right at this point that they had to install extra pillars on that side just to keep the building from completely tipping over on its right side.
But when a Democrat appoints a centrist, the Right cries that they will legislate from the bench which is exactly what the Right wing leaning court just did in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. 5 conservatives voted against 4 progressives to overturn 100 years of precedent but they aren’t legislating from the bench. Right!!!

 

Slow down, take a breath & re-read what I posted.
I said she was one of BO's Chicago cronies and I said she had never been a judge. I never said anything about any of the issues you brought up in your tomc-like, off-on-a-tangent little tirade. Breathe now Dr moen, breathe

 

They are nominated by one branch and confirmed by another branch. That does not make them free of political taint or views, obviously, but it can sometimes limit it the same way as with legislation itself.

But, having lifetime appointments, shields them from, in theory, any influence from the other 2 branches after appointment. They are free to change over time, can't be removed for it and don't have to campaign to keep their jobs. In theory, they can rule on matters of constitutionality without direct political pressure.

Their views are their views, political or religious or whatever. You aren't going to find anyone who does not bring their own views to the table (or bench). It is the check and balance of being free of influence from the current politicians of the day that is the idea behind the system.

 

Except when the sitting prez takes the members to task, in front of the world, for a ruling.

 

Except that they can tell him to go squirt for doing that with no repercussions.

 

They should have, shouldn't they?
Luckily they showed a lot more class than ol' BO

 

So you're all for corporations having the same rights as citizens while having none of the responsibilities that go along with being a citizen? They can dump 100 million into the coffers of any politician and buy whatever regulation or no rgulation for their industry they feel like eh, and that's OK because it's written in the Constitution. Yeah, I must have missed that part of the Constitution but I suppose it was just an interpretation since corporations didn't even exist in 1776. But on everything else, we'll just stick to whats actually in the Constitution. Sounds like a double standard wouldn't ya say....

 

That wasn't the point of my post, but you knew that didn't you?
The act of BO dressing down the Justices for a decision they rendered was bad form and in bad taste. He should have known better...he acted like a spoiled child who didn't get his way rather than the President of the United States. I guess he was showing how unfit he really is for the position.