Bush May Risk Court Deadlock With Unpopular Choice

[Algorem]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aUqcP4X6YAWo&refer=us

May 19 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush would risk a deadlocked U.S. Supreme Court were he to choose someone ``way out of the mainstream'' to fill a possible high court vacancy, a Democratic senator said today as the Senate continued to debate judicial nominations.

``If the president wants to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, he ought to be consulting with the Senate,'' Senator Charles Schumer of New York told a news conference. ``There could well be problems, particularly if he nominates someone way out of the mainstream. It's in his lap, not ours.''

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is suffering from thyroid cancer and may be forced to retire from the Supreme Court after its current term, due to end next month. That could leave a 4-4 deadlock in crucial cases if Bush were to choose someone who might prompt a Senate filibuster, a parliamentary device that permits unlimited debate, Schumer said.

The Senate is in its second day of debate on the president's judicial choices and is moving toward a confrontation over the issue next week. Republicans are threatening to do away with the use of filibusters on judicial choices if Democrats continue to block seven of Bush's nominees to federal appeals courts...

[villager]

1. I'm all for a 4-4 tie for the remainder of junta's stay in office

Why let a stacked court sign off on the destruction of the Constitution?

[snippy]

5. I agree, but the majority of Americans will probably think it is bad.

I think democrats need to keep in mind that confirming a coat hanger republican to replace Rehnquist won't change the balance of the Court. However, if Bush gets to appoint the replacement for any of the liberal or moderate Justices, that would change the balance.

[Frances]

2. Will Rehnquist be like Lee Atwater

and repent on his death bed for all of the terrible decisions he has made? And will God forgive him?

[Hand]

3. No. And no.

So with any luck at all, the son of a bitch will burn in the raging Gehenna for eternity. Bring yer sunscreen, Mr. (Ha!) Justice... :evilgrin:

[asjr]

4. I do not know. Rehnquist, to me, has always thought he is God.

[oneighty]

6. The stripes confirms that

Yes?

180

[LiberallyInclined]

8. I hope that the next guy gets rid of those stupid stripes-

but, likely being scalia- they'll probably stay, and if anything, get tackier- if that's possible.

[PassingFair]

12. Stripes will be...

Ermine!

[PurityOfEssence]

7. Bork or Starr

Either would be a kick in the crotch of the rest of the world, but to the mindset of the garden variety Republican, they--especially the latter--would be just tonic. It's not just about winning, it's about crushing and demoralizing all opposition.

[yellowcanine]

9. David Sentelle is my nightmare pick. He APPOINTED Starr.

Jesse Helms' personal buttboy on the federal bench.

[artr2]

10. It will be Ted Olsen

Another kick in the crotch

[AlGore-08.com]

11. I still think it'll be Gonzales...

They love to appoint wing nut minorities in order to brag that they're the real champions of civil rights...