Seriously - how likely is it that we'll see any of these men retire in the next 3 to 7 years?

[Writer]

John Roberts


Clarence Thomas


Antonin Scalia


Samuel Alito


If any do go, begrudgingly, then my bet is on Scalia.

[HughBeaumont]

1. Scalia would rather die on that bench than quit.

He loves the power . . . and the majority . . . too much. Rat pig bastard.

[thereismore]

12. Heart attacks do happen to people who sit. With his weight, I would not be surprised. nt

[SharonRB]

2. Only if something unforeseen happens and one of them becomes seriously ill

[Writer]

4. They'll stay on stubbornly, I'll bet.

Another unknown that I didn't list is Anthony Kennedy, who was appointed by Reagan but is Scalia's age.

[Divine Discontent]

3. Obama will probably appoint for 1 of them if he gets a 2nd term. Just saying by odds.

[Rage Inc.]

16. Agreed

And I'm thinking Thomas. His cholesterol level is nearly 300.

[Hekate]

19. And you know his cholesterol level how? A daily dose of Zocor would take care of that.

[onehandle]

5. Zero.

This guy will go before they do.

http://www.profbob.com/images/0%20Ralph%20Nader%202008%20photo+++.jpg

[rurallib]

6. Wouldn't bother me if the 'swinging' Justice Kennedy retired too

Essentially the court is a 4 - 4 tie with Anthony Kennedy now the one guy who decides most every controversial case.
This is not good.

BTW - I have 11 in the poll on how many words Thomas will utter next year.

[Phx_Dem]

9. I'd love to get rid of him, as long as he's replaced by Obama or

a future Dem President.

[rurallib]

10. exactly. Right now we are just replacing with likes

[Phx_Dem]

11. True, we're not changing the balance but in replacing Stevens, and perhaps Ginsberg in the future,

we're not only ensuring that Republicans are not able to replace them and filt the court further to the right, we're replacing them with much younger jurists who will, hopefully, spend decades on the Court. By replacing the oldest liberal jurists (at their request), we are removing the opportunity for a future Republican President to change the tilt of the court because the oldest jurists, most likely to die or retire, will be Scalia, Thomas and Kennedy. And, hopefully, a Dem will be President when that happens.

So while we aren't moving the court further to the left with their replacements, we are ensuring that they aren't replaced by conservatives.

Now, if Kennedy were to retire during Obama's term . . . . :D . . . that would present an opportunity.

[NYC Liberal]

23. I was just going to say everything you said, heh

Yes it's as important that "we" keep the seats "we" already have, if not more so, as it is to add more by replacing right-wing ones.

[Phx_Dem]

25. ...

:P :D

[Phx_Dem]

7. No way. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

8. Anything is possible.

[thereismore]

15. Yep. I am glad Justice Stevens lasted as long as he did, into a Democratic admin. nt

[craigmatic]

13. They're all too committed to the republican party to quit under a democrat. And the SCOTUS is

supposed to be above party politics. Yeah right the last one of them to be above the ideological conflict before Stephens was Marshall. I personally hope Kennedy quits because he's their weak point who is also one who controls the balance of power.

[JoePhilly]

14. Agree

[CK_John]

17. 3 out of 4 ain't bad. n/t

[Hekate]

18. Knowing the ages of the Justices probably helps in calculating retirement...

GETTING ON IN YEARS
John Paul Stevens, born 1920 -- announced retirement today at age 90
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, born 1933 -- known to be ill but hanging in there for now
Anthony Kennedy, born 1936
Antonin Scalia, born 1936
Stephen Breyer, born 1938 -- Clinton appointee


NOT GOING ANYWHERE
Clarence Thomas, born 1948
Chief Justice John Roberts, born 1955
Sonia Sotomayor, born 1954 -- Obama appointee
Samuel Alito, born 1950


Information culled from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Justices_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

The links list their religious affiliations as well; there is a profound Roman Catholic majority at this point. There are two Jews and only one Protestant. Some further diversity is highly recommended (by me).


AK --RCC
JPS -- PROT
JR --RCC
AC --RCC
CT -- RCC
SA -- RCC
RBG -- J
SB -- J
SM --RCC

[Bitwit1234]

20. Roberts has epilepsy and with that you never know.

He's has been reported to have two attacks since he was installed. Remember the one where he fell down over a wall and skinned himself up...so with that he might be the first to go...Since he is chief justice I would love for it to be him who has to retire. Altho Scalia is the most sneaking dishonest one of all.

[damntexdem]

21. The only retiring they're likely to be doing in the near future ...

will be done at Firestone.

;-)

[Fla Dem]

22. Based on their ages, Stevens, Ginsgurg, and Scalia would be the next to go, but

if they all stay until 90 another vacancy wouldn't come up for 10 years. In that case, it is imperative Obama is reelected in 2012 and a Dem president is elected in 2016.


Stevens..........90
Ginsburg..........77
Scalia.............76
Kennedy.........74
Breyer...........72
Thomas..........62
Alito...............60
Sotomayor.......56
Roberts..........55

[Hansel]

24. I had a premonition when Roberts was confirmed that he...

would not make it much past 55 because he has something wrong with his brain, possibly a tumor or he was going to have a stroke. I was not surprised when he had the seizure, but that still doesn't validate my premonition.

Most of my strongest premonitions end up happening, however some do come with variations. So it could be that the epilepsy is as much as he will have and that can be controlled by medications. I probably saw something subtle in his behavior or speech that made me think he had a tumor. So I might have missed on this one. I wish him no ill will, it was just what came to me.

[HughMoran]

26. Well, anything can happen

People croak all the time...

[rasputin1952]

27. The only one thta even might consider retiring is Thomas...

and that is incredibly unlikely. He would never give up a cushy job , he's so damn lazy, I'd be surprised to find out he didn't crap in the bed an push the turd on the floor. He's also remarkable for his lack of intellect. I once erred by actually reading some of his court decisions...they could have originally been written in crayon.

All four of those clowns will most likely die in office though, there won't be an R friendly Senate or Administration for a long time...:D