Politics Can Be Brutal

Antonin Scalia

Saturday night, I heard about the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Immediately, a thought came to my mind: How soon would it be before the sides started to jockey for political positioning.

Well, it did not take long. The death of Justice Scalia has major stakes, politically speaking. While the sides balance sympathy for the Scalia family, it was all too inevitable that the sides (liberal and conservative, alike) would begin to battle.

But, honestly, the idea that replacing Justice Scalia should wait until there's a new president, nearly 11 months from now, is ridiculous. Join us in reality, here.

Honestly, though, people need to straight-up chill. The man just passed away and both sides are already fighting about a replacement that has not even be announced. But, in this day of hyper partisanship, should we really be all that surprised?

I was not and am not surprised.

No one should be surprised.

Are U.S. Supreme Court Right Wingers Set To Show True Bias Against President Obama?

Rumors abound that some of the U.S. Supreme Court justices are considering not attending the President's upcoming State of the Union address.

It was a topic of discussion this past weekend on Fox News Sunday as U.S. Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer was interviewed.

Some of the justices apparently have their panties in a bunch because President Barack Obama was critical of one of their decisions.

If these justices are that weak, that they can't take that little bit of criticism, then that truly is disturbing.

BUT, if they are whining and pouting because they are upset with the politics of what President Obama said, then that is pathetic.

Aren't judges/justices supposed to be impartial? Would their protest (should it happen) be indicative of a U.S. Supreme Court that truly is political?

From Crooks and Liars:

During his 2010 State of the Union address, Obama criticized the court's Citizens United decision which said that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited.

"With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said.

"Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’d urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps corrects some of these problems," he added.

While Democratic lawmakers cheered for the president's remarks, Justice Samuel Alito could be seen mouthing the words "not true."

Weeks later, Chief Justice John Roberts said the address had "degenerated to a political pep rally."

"The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering, while the court -- according to the requirements of protocol -- has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling," Roberts said to University of Alabama law students.

It will be interesting to see what whiners like John Roberts, Sam Alito and high-court right wingers do.

Crooks and Liars:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/justice-breyer-very-important-attend-state-u

Diary Of A Mad Rejected Judge … Starring Robert Bork

Robert Bork is still bitter after all of these years and he was at his player-hater best (or worst) in an interview with Newsweek (where he trashed U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor with the same tired Republican talking points). The article is interesting as Bork takes some of her comments out of context and spins them in the worst way possible to demonize her. It’s kind of sad that Bork still seems to be carrying all that anger inside of him after all of these years.

Here is an excerpt from the Bork interview that struck me (even though it does not have much to do with Sotomayor):

My general impression of them is quite good. The justice up there who I most admire is Clarence Thomas. I notice that when he and Scalia differ—it’s not that often, but when they do—I tend to agree with Thomas.

There goes Judge Bork’s credibility. Time to flush the toilet.

Newsweek:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/202874