'Friendly' court uneasy about changes on the bench

[bemildred]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A century ago, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes described Supreme Court deliberations among his colleagues as "nine scorpions in a bottle," fiercely protective of their own agendas and power bases.

The ideological tensions these days have not lessened on a court almost evenly divided along conservative and liberal lines, but the mood may have brightened considerably, with the justices likening their relationships to a family.

"You will be surprised by the high level of collegiality here," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal juror, says in a new C-SPAN documentary on the court. "This term, I think we divided five-to-four in almost one-third of all the cases. One might get a false impression on that degree of disagreement."

But in fact, she and conservative Justice Antonin Scalia are the best of friends, sharing dinners and holiday celebrations together with their families.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/05/scotus.journal.court.change/

[Crabitha]

1. The last 30 years have been a conservative revolution

And that is reflected in the Supreme Court. If Stevens leaves, we have to have a real liberal take his place or this revolution is going to keep soaring.

[ixion]

2. Yep, the "disagreements" are all for show

behind the scenes, they're all career functionaries, and good friends.

And, see, that works very well for them, because they are able to keep their respective suckers, er, I mean bases, fired up without actually have to do anything except maintain the status quo.

[mzteris]

3. I think they're from a different generation

that could separate political beliefs from identity.

That seems to no longer be the case. I admit I am as guilty. I have a very hard time associating with people who seem so narrow-minded, idiotic, and downright evil in their political positions.

People have so totally personalized their political beliefs that it's almost a definition of WHO YOU ARE. I am so surprised when I find that a casual acquaintance I "liked" is a Republican or a fundie or something - and I suppose I shouldn't be. Hell, the majority of my family are Republicans (and I don't interact with them very often at all.

And my daughter, my beautiful smart VERY LIBERAL daughter is engaged to a frickin' Republican! He's a "very nice man" and treats her like gold - and fortunately is a "socially liberal" Republican, but I have a very hard time really accepting him. I don't know how she does it. She says they just "don't talk politics" 'cause when they do, it's a throw down.

My sister-in-law (married to my idiot brother) is a Democrat and they've been married for about 35 years. I asked her how she did it and she said, "simple, I have control of his absentee ballot!" :evilgrin: (He was military and gone ALL the time, lol)

[Doctor_J]

4. Why don't we impeach Slappy for lying at his confirmation hearing

that might jump start some change.