Will Bush Get Third Supreme Court Pick?

[William769]

(Washington) The birthday celebration was subdued but the attention it got was not as Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens turned 86 - making him the oldest judge on the high court and the third eldest in history.

If Stevens has any thought of retiring he isn't showing it. Nevertheless court-watchers are focused on Stevens one of the few remaining "liberal" justices on the court.

Should he retire it would give George W. Bush a third Supreme Court pick and secure a far right majority for a generation.

Stevens was in the majority in 2003 when the court overturned the Texas sodomy law proclaiming that the law had violated the Due Process clause of the Constitution. (story)

Named to the Supreme Court in 1975 by President Ford, Stevens has been labeled a "turncoat" for his liberal positions on gay rights, abortion and other issues. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter joked earlier this year that Stevens should be poisoned.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/04/042206stevens.htm

[terrya]

1. Stevens has been a great friend of us on the Court

God help us all if he retires. I'm betting that he's waiting for a Democratic President (preferably 2008) before he announces his retirement.

[William769]

2. If anything happens to him before 2008

We are screwed!

[AussieDave]

3. He won't retire - but a glimmer of hope would be

if the Dems win the Senate in November. Then Georgie-Porgie could have "up-or-down" votes until Hell freezes over and he'll have to pick a left-leaning replacement.

Then watch the Fundie heads explode..............:o

[bullimiami]

4. who appointed stevens?

He is a REPUBLICAN appointed by FORD.

He is ONLY liberal compared to the fascist zealots he sits with. What he actually is is fair, thoughtful and honest.
Unfortunately the court is full of political Idealogues that give justice a backseat.

[dsc]

5. baldly false

both of Clintons appointees are as liberal as he is.

[bullimiami]

6. Im missing your point here.

Ginsberg and Breyer are pretty liberal but as liberal as Clinton is not really all that liberal.

Clinton is a centrist in my view. He picked decent, honest and thoughtful jurists for the court, rather than cronies.

The 3 remaining members of the felonious 5 have shown they will twist the law to their political and idealogical purposes. They are not fit to be on the court. Roberts and Alito I dont know about yet but they dont have very comforting records.

[dsc]

7. They are as liberal as Stevens

was what I meant. You said Stevens was the only liberal on the court and that isn't true. He is one of three.

[bullimiami]

8. no. actually my point is that stevens is NOT a Liberal.

He is and was a conservative republican.
He is just not an idealogue and he is honest. He makes his decisions based on the law not on personal issues or feelings or to advance an agenda. Unlike some other members of the court who may have not seen any problem finding that bush would have his equal rights infringed if the votes were counted.


I didnt meant to paint the entire court, just the majority.
I respect breyer and ginsburg.