Retiring Justice

[Eulux]

For all those not in the USA and not educated to our government, one of our branches of government has an unlimited term (provided that they stay relatively clean). This is the supreme court, which decides if laws are constitutional or not...amongst other things, but it's mainly the former, and the former which I am addressing. One of the justices has announced her intention to retire, for family reasons, though I recall her saying that she didn't want to retire under the bush administration...this could be wrong, but meh. My question is this: How much was she paid off to retire?

[Kakkaraun]

The conspiracy theorist in me wants to think the same thing. I don't know, though.

But the simple fact of the matter is that if Rehnquist (who has been on the death/retirement watch forever, which helped make O'Connor's resignation such a huge surprise) also jumps off during Bush's term, we'll have a court packed with neoconservative cronies. EVERY contentious issue that faces the court (gay rights, abortion, etc, etc) will be knocked down on the conservative side in a matter of a few years. Prepare for dark times.

Oh, and Eulux, if you don't start running AIM again, I will find you and fucking kill you.

[Adrian_Faythe]

Ugh, and if they post a superbly uptight, religious nut, we'll all be fucked.

To quote Lewis Black, "A Democrat blows, and a Republican SUCKS."

Middle-ground, unbiased Justice would be the best course of action. I'm sure we'll get that, given Bush's amazingly fortuitous (and articulately coherent) foresight. :roll:

[Eulux]

heh...I work nights now, so it'd be hard to get in contact on aim...but I'll pm you with a new aim address, cause I forgot my old one's password.

But on topic, I agree that it's a troubling issue...he can't put anyone too conservative though cause of the middle of the road republicans. after all, o'connor was appointed by reagan...and the judge can be conservative as fuck for all I care, just so long as he/she is willing to put aside feelings in the way of upholding the constitution...but y'know, I haven't seen a foot of snow in houston ever.

[Zbot]

If an ultra-conservative judge does get appointed (it's bound to happen, knowing the current administration), that would almost certainly be grounds for the supreme court just supporting Bush's ideas (goodbye constitution anyone?). Please please do not put any Barry Goldwaters or Jerry Falwells in power :(.

[Eulux]

let's just hope the senate comes to it's senses....we are quite possibly staring down the fall of the third branch of government.

[Adrian_Faythe]

Man, I get a really bad feeling about all this. The bullshit war, the crazy assholes taking over the government, the inflated prices and combined drop in the value of the US dollar...Rome, anyone?

After all, hands on the hearts... :wink:

[Armalite]

Hey...no empire lasts forever.



edited to remove drunkenness.

[Eulux]

hmmm...not sure if I fall under that category, but...I might.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Maybe she's just fed upl with the way the government is being run and wants to retire to get out of all that mess - i mean her retirement announcement did come very shortly after the court's recent eminent domain ruling - which was one of the worst in our nation's history (for those of you who don't know, Eminent Domain is that cities have to seize private property, with due compensation, for the public good , which in the past meant making way for freeways, etc.. )But the Supreme court just ruled, 5-4, that a city has the right to seize private property to make way for, drumroll please, PRIVATE PROPERTY. That's right, the Supreme court decided that taking away people's homes to make way for somenew office buildings promotes the public good because it boosts the economy. (which is exactly the situation that got this case to the supreme court). This is like if someone offers you $100 for your car, you say it's not for sale, then the other person says "too bad, here's the money, I'm taking the car anyway... adios." (he's mexican). It is bullshit my friends.

[screwtape]

Yeah Alito is confirmed. good bye to Abortions and flag burning..... But he could always die, godwilling. Damn this is a late post. Sorry

[ComfortablyNumb]

I wouldn't worry about abortion being made illegal, or flag-burning for that matter. Abortion will never be made illegal because, frankly, too many people support its existance (including medical professionals and policemen) to possibly enforce it's being outlawed. Now, whether or not Roe vs. Wade will be overturned is another story. This is one of the poorest rulings in the country's history, not because it makes abortion legal, but because it basically says that there is a CONSTIUTIONAL right to abortion, which simply is not true. Abortion is a states issue pure and simple, the federal government has no business involving themselves in it, regardless of their intentions. So, I think that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned because of the precedent it sets, but I also think that abortion should remain legal -- not because of some made up constitutional right to abortion, but rather a natural, inherent right to it. And for the issue of flag-burning... it's freedom of speech pure and simple, if it were made illegal there would be a hundred cases challenging it the next day, and the day after, and the day after until it is made legal again.