Scalia Remarks - Obama Silence is Deafening

[warrprayer]

Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes,” Scalia said during Supreme Court debate in the Shelby County (Alabama) voting rights case earlier this week.


Judging from a brief google search, Obama has not weighed in with a single word in response to Scalia's horrifyingly racist remarks. Someone please point out my error if Obama has addressed this bigots comments. If he hasn't, perhaps someone can explain to me why this disgrace to the Constitution (Scalia) wasn't loudly and thoroughly rebutted by the first African American President.

[randome]

1. He should not give the impression that his only interest is self-interest.

He is smart enough to not pay attention to an idiot's rants.

[warrprayer]

2. It isn't his self interest

it is the interest of every minority voter in America and in the interest of simple human decency. An "idiots rant" is in danger of throwing us back into a modern version of Jim Crow.

[randome]

7. Oh, I know that and agree entirely with you.

But politics being what it is, one needs to be careful not to fall into anyone's trap.

Scalia is proving himself to be unstable. He may actually bring about the opposite result he desires.

[drm604]

3. Maybe he's thinking that it might be best not to anger Scalia right now?

It isn't like anything Obama could say would change the guy's mind, but angering him might make things worse.

[warrprayer]

6. I see your point

but, if King had worried about "angering" bigots like Scalia, where would we be today?

[drm604]

25. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with the course of action

just that it might be what the President is thinking.

I don't think the analogy to King is apt, but let's go with it. Scalia is Bull Connor. He won't be swayed so there's no point wasting time trying to convince him. You have to put your efforts into convincing others on the court so Scalia's opinion doesn't matter.

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Clarence Thomas' silence is even more deafening

I don't think he's said a single word for years as Scalia attacks his race. He just sits there, mute, and takes it.

[warrprayer]

8. yup

[sofa king]

29. They ought to name the handle of a water jug a "Clarence."

'Cause that's what he does: he carries someone else's water while his own family thirsts.

[FSogol]

5. When your opponent is digging his own hole... don't stop him.

[upaloopa]

9. Obama is silent on a whole bunch of things every day.

I'll defer to his judgement on this one over someone else's.

[warrprayer]

12. O.K. I'll grant that

... of course I know obama does not agree with Scalia's frothings. But, is silence the best way to handle it? Civil rights leaders have steam coming out of their ears over this.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Scalia's comment was made during oral argument in the VRA case.

Obama is not likely to comment on proceedings in a case currently before the Supreme Court, nor should he. Separation of powers and all that. Obama taught constitutional law; he knows better than to take issue with a Justice regarding a pending case.

[bluedigger]

11. Do Presidents often engage in public with SC Justices?

I'm guessing probably not, but maybe someone knows some examples?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

16. Lincoln opposed the holding in the Dred Scott decision before and after becoming President.

[warrprayer]

24. thank you n/t

[bluedigger]

27. Not without serious repercussions.

And the difference being that he expressed an opinion on a standing judgment, not one before the Court.

[frazzled]

30. Dred Scott was already decided when Lincoln ran for president

was nominated (partly on his opposition to it), and was in office.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

36. Since he "opposed the holding ... before ... becoming President," that seems to be true.

[frazzled]

44. The point is about the difference between a concluded opinion of the Court and ...

the remarks of a single justice in a case that is still months away from being decided.

Obama of course remarked on the concluded opinion in Citizens United ... quite famously at the State of the Union address where he looked the Republican justices in the eyes and condemned it. That is a very different thing than a sitting president commenting on a remark made by a justice in an ongoing case ... the outcome of which is not yet known.

His administration, through the Justice Department, has indeed commented on the case, via head of the Civil Rights Division, Tom Perez: "“Section 5, regrettably, continues to be very necessary,” Perez said. “Texas is one of a number of examples why its necessary and the law is not over-inclusive.” And of course Solicitor General Donald Virrilli is defending the law at the Court.

But it's not appropriate for a president to get in a food fight over a nasty, racist comment by a justice in an unfinished case.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

47. The post was in response to the question "Do Presidents often engage in public with SC Justices?"

The Supreme Court justices who decided the 1857 Dred Scott decision were still sitting on the Court after Lincoln became President and were certainly capable of making additional decisions.

The post was not made in response to any unarticulated issues which might have been raised in the future by additional posters such as yourself.

[frazzled]

50. But the OP is about Obama failing to respond to Scalia's remark in an ongoing case.

As I said, Obama has engaged with the justices, as a group, on cases already decided.

And I do not know that Lincoln ever called out a specific justice when he was president. He argued against the decision, not individuals and their statements.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. No - see above.

And they should not. A constitutional scholar like Obama knows better than to cross that separation of powers line. He's been known to disagree with previously-decided cases but he would not, and should not, comment on a pending case.

[bluedigger]

21. You made the case I should have.

Didn't see it until after I posted.

[warrprayer]

22. I can't find anything

it's all buried under recent Obama/supreme court stuff. Perhaps someone has this info, I'm sure Presidents have criticized the court before.

[Frustratedlady]

13. Scalia is gigging for a reaction.

He despises Obama, so every chance he can get, he snubs him or worse, insults him.

Obama is kind of like a patient fisherman. When the hook jiggles a little, he watches it carefully but doesn't make his move. When the fish finally gets frustrated enough to move big, Obama sets the hook and the fish ends up dangling at the end of the line.

Don't think Obama isn't planning his payback. He may lull himself to sleep, trying to figure out the bait to get Scalia's attention. One thing about Obama, he is a patient man, but he eventually get that worm on his hook and Scalia will know he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

Scalia's mouth will be his downfall...eventually. As my mother used to say, he's a little too sassy for his britches. I hope I live long enough to see it happen.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Exactly. Scalia is a troll.

He's a bomb-thrower who's looking for a reaction from the administration. If Obama or a spokesman were to comment in any way, Scalia would accuse them of trying to politicize a case before the Court. Under no circumstances should Obama take that bait.

[Cha]

32. That's what Rachel said about Scalia when she was on The Daily Show..

Maddow discussed the irony of the Supreme Court hearing the challenge to the Voting Rights Act on the same day that the Rosa Parks statue was unveiled. She talked about Scalia, and his idea that voting is a racial entitlement. She said, Do you know how that sounds? I think he actually knows how that sounds.” She said that was the neat thing about being there. You realize that he is just a troll. In her view, Scalia trolls the Supreme Court looking for a gasp and a reaction. She said that Sotomayor goes after Scalia, and says things that would embarrass him if he wasn’t a troll.

http://www.politicususa.com/rachel-maddow-calls-supreme-court-justice-antonin-scalia-a-troll.html

[AnotherMcIntosh]

14. You want an explanation? Begin by looking at the community in which he was a community organizer

before the 2008 election. See if the economic conditions in that community got better (with any addition of manufacturing jobs or other jobs), or whether President Obama signed three let's-send-even-more-manufacturing-jobs-to-foreign-countries "free-trade" agreements.

[OldDem2012]

17. What could the President say that would make Scalia appear any worse than he already does? nt.

[southernyankeebelle]

18. Have you have ever heard that "silence is golden". In this case I think the president

shouldn't engage with the bubbler boy. That is exactly what they want Obama to do. I pray the president stays silent. There is a time and place. When it is the right time he will say something, but not now.

[Buzz Clik]

20. You want the Executive Branch to openly interfere with the Judicial? SERIOUSLY?

What a horrible, horrible idea.

The boundaries are clearly drawn. Obama making a comment would be insane.

[warrprayer]

26. the same boundaries

that are drawn between the supreme court and the g.o.p.?

[Buzz Clik]

42. I have no idea what you mean.

[warrprayer]

46. I mean

it seems to be o.k. for the Bush supremes to blatantly rule in favor of conservatives, but anything Democrats and Obama might do is against the rules. It's a stacked deck when a pig like that can make remarks like that and go untouched.

[Buzz Clik]

48. There is no parallel.

One would hope Scalia would be unbiased, but even when his biases are showing, it is not up to Obama to call him him out.

[KharmaTrain]

23. Rachel Nailed It...Fat Tony Is A Troll...

...this began with the introduction of microphones into the court room...Tony is sure to let loose with a soundbite or two designed to piss off those on this side of the sandbox. It's not as though we don't know how he and his buddies Alito, Thomas and Roberts stand on this issue. I'd be more shocked if he had said something to defend its validity.

The Solicitor General is the President's voice at the Supreme Court. Any comments the President would say about these outrageous remarks would only amplify them. My concerns is more what Anthony Kennedy has to say or think on this matter. Also have faith...each day we're one day closer to the end of Tony's reign of terror on the court...

[warrprayer]

28. I can't believe

... I'm in my 50's and it is 2013, and i am still hearing this kind of crap from people entrusted with tremendous power. It makes me despair for the future.

[KharmaTrain]

39. Two Steps Forward...One Shuffle Back...

...with the rise of the far right wing, we've seen the dark underside of American politics...but also its last vestiges. Tony's in his mid 70s...and he represents an agenda that, while popular in some regions, is no longer a viable national one. The demographics are changing and this is part of the lashing out we're seeing from the great unhinged as they seek to get attention. While I've seen big strides in race relations in my near 6 decades on this rock, there's still an undercurrent that is used for political gain. We're still seeing voter suppression from a party that once championed voters rights.

The savings grace is that there's not a president mittens to decide who will fill the next court vacancy...

Cheers...

[SidDithers]

31. You think Obama should be commenting on a case before the courts?...

Sid

[warrprayer]

41. "Sensible Woodchuck is Sensible"

[SidDithers]

58. Ouraged uberliberal is outraged...

Sid

[cthulu2016]

33. Obama is correct to not comment

Presidents generally do not offer commentary on what Justices are up to, and certainly not in what they say in an oral argument.

Obama will probably make some comment on the formal decision, which won't be out for months.

Obama tends to respect the political independence of the judiciary even if Scalia does not.

[cyclezealot]

34. Should Obama continue to ignore, force him to respond..

Doing nothing is too start. Read today's Consortium News by Robert Parry.. our " Neo Confederate Supreme Court.
Shocking . Scalia is just getting cranked up. Besides attacking voting rights, next up is the Commerce Clause.
As Parry infers, soon the South will have won the Civil War.. Anthony Kennedy's comments are only slightly less obnoxious..
. He all but endorsed State's rights and inferred Alabama was being subjugated as a territory.
Let these justices continue , you can kiss "We the People Goodbye, " and welcome back the Articles of Confederation..
. Call for the impeachment of Scalia for his racist comments.. Sign on the petition below asap..
.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/call-impeachment-justice-antonin-scalia-violating-oath-office/JG77rft2

[warrprayer]

40. done n/t

[riqster]

35. Yeah, it's not like the President has anything else to do.

[kenfrequed]

37. Hmm

While I am not always in agreement with the administration (I am way more left of center). I think the media is doing a fairly good job in taking apart Scalia. I am not sure what the benefit of President Obama going after the Chief Justice would be.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

45. There would be no benefit at all - nothing good would come of it.

Fat Tony has tried to set a trap, but Obama is much too smart to walk into it. Scalia thinks he's smarter than everybody else, but he isn't.

[GoCubsGo]

53. Scalia is not Chief Justice.

John Roberts is. That being said, I agree that the President going after Fat Tony would serve no beneficial purpose.

[WilliamPitt]

38. He has to because he's Black?

Um...

[warrprayer]

49. Let me rephrase that

2. It isn't his self interest

it is the interest of every minority voter in America and in the interest of simple human decency. An "idiots rant" is in danger of throwing us back into a modern version of Jim Crow.

[Jackpine Radical]

51. "Please proceed, Mr. Justice." (eom)

[warrprayer]

52. Yeah Obama is right

I just can't believe I'm hearing such racist filth from a supreme court justice

[treestar]

59. ^^^THIS^^^^

When it comes to Tony, Obama's famous comment to Mittwitt is spot on!

[Fresh_Start]

54. Obama's smart not to comment...let Scalia be ripped by others

Obama should just stand on the sidelines and maintain the separation of powers.
The House is responsible for initiating impeachment.

[cali]

55. Oh for reason's sake: He certainly has

It's called the Justice Department, genius.

And that's all he should do. Really piss poor idea for him to make comments about a SCOTUS Justice's comments on a pending case.

[apocalypsehow]

56. You mean to tell me the Gungeon's favorite supreme court justice is also a racist?

How could that be?





Scalia's comments were way over the line, I hope the president addresses them at some point.

[treestar]

57. Why does he have to say anything?

At what times is he required to take on what issues?

Why can't he wait for the decision, too? What the justices say from the bench is not law.