Trump is reportedly talking about Supreme Court justices' health issues, privately predicting he'll

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Business Insider



Peter Jacobs

2h

President Donald Trump has already appointed one Supreme Court justice, and is reportedly telling people he believes he will appoint three more.

Multiple sources told Axios' Jonathan Swan that Trump is openly predicting he'll be able to fill four Supreme Court seats as president.

One of Trump's signature victories as president has been the appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch, who filled a seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. The open seat caused controversy, as Scalia died during Barack Obama's presidency. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell worked to allow the next president to fill the position.

Justice Anthony Kennedy — who is 81 years old — is rumored to be thinking about retirement. Trump, according to Axios, also thinks he'll be able to replace Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, citing their health.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-supreme-court-ginsburg-sotomayor-appointments-kennedy-2017-10

[dalton99a]

1. Democrats must retake the Senate to save the country.

[still_one]

4. That is going to be a very big challenge because of all the Senate seats that we need to defend

verses the republicans

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. I don't even want to think about the consequences should that happen...

this was my biggest fear going into the last election.

[still_one]

2. I recall after the Democratic nominee was nominated here, how some criticized me for saying that

if for nothing else, the SC should be reason enough to vote for the Democratic nominee

[pnwmom]

5. I recall saying that Ginsburg should retire in Obama's first term, since she's already survived

two serious cancers.

I know she's a wonderful judge, but she could have been replaced with another wonderful judge -- or at least with an Elena Kagan.

[still_one]

7. True, but that is not how it works. My point at the time was arguing against those self-identified

progressives here who were not inclined to vote for the Democratic nominee, and they argued that the SC wasn't an important enough issue to persuade them

[pnwmom]

11. There isn't any rule about when people retire. Ginsburg could have retired years ago

and I wish she had. She hasn't accomplished much that another Obama appointee wouldn't have accomplished. But she's likely to be replaced with another Scalito, who will remain in the court for decades.

[still_one]

23. My point was it was Her choice and no one elses. That is what I meant by that is not how it works

[pnwmom]

24. If she had had the country's long term best interests as her main priority,

then she would have retired years ago, when Obama could have replaced her with someone good. Instead, her replacement will probably be someone terrible.

[7962]

37. You were right. She was sure that HRC would be the one to pick her replacement

just like the rest of us thought.

[Purveyor]

8. I've said the same early on in President Obama's second term and was 'sliced, diced and

julienned' on this very forum...

No turning back now...

[SomethingNew]

27. What does "at least with an Elena Kagan" mean?

Kagan is one of the smartest and most capable justices on the court. We'd be doing very well to have another like her. We have had four Democratic appointees in recent years and the top two are undoubtedly Ginsburg and Kagan.

[pnwmom]

32. I like her a lot but there are people here who are convinced Ginsburg is head and shoulders

above everyone else.

I'm not going to take sides on that -- I like them both. I only mentioned Kagan because of all the people who seemed to think Ginsburg was irreplaceable.

[riversedge]

22. And now our worst fears may see daylight. damn

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. Indeed, that pretty much was the deciding factor for me...still can't believe we lost to that moron!

I want to tear out what little hair I have left!!

[Iliyah]

3. Yep, but the way they are going, nope.

[tanyev]

6. What an odious man.

Michelle Obama was right when she said the presidency reveals the man. I never did like Trump, but before he ran for president, days, weeks, months, even years could go by without me thinking one thought about him. Now this fucking moron inhabits nearly all my waking moments.

[lordsummerisle]

9. Here are some appointee possibilities

Anthony Scaramucci
Steve Bannon
Newt Gingrich
Roger Stone
Kellyanne Conway

enjoy...

[tanyev]

12. Hey, Tiffany has a couple weeks of law school under her belt.

That’s overqualified in Trumpworld.

[LenaBaby61]

17. "Hey, Tiffany has a couple weeks of law school under her belt ....

That’s overqualified in Trumpworld."


You probably weren't trying to be funny, but what you said made me laugh, and God knows that laughs are hard to come by when you have a racist, sexual predatory, mentally-declining, ignorant, dangerous, tReasonous fool installed into the White House.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. Isn't he breaking a law or two by talking in this manner about Supreme Court Justices?

[unblock]

13. Nope. Just Donnie ignoring common decency and political decorum

[Baitball Blogger]

14. Mueller can't move fast enough.

It's going to take a lifetime to recover from the damage he has done to this country. And I don't think this country is up to the task. Not when Republicans keep tampering with the election process just to install another Bush or Trump.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. Seriously... what's taking him so long?!?!

[LenaBaby61]

16. Isn't he breaking a law or two by talking in this manner about Supreme Court Justices?

As long as he's got:

The CONgress, the Senate, his small and very deplorable base, FauXXX Noose, enough non-existent Liberal Media types, The Mercer's/Koch's, Citizens United, gerrymandering, voter-suppression, President Obama as the black bogeyman, Hillary & her non-existent email scandal, Benghazi, non-voters, Susan Sarandon/Cornell West types, purity Democrats and the ruskies ALLOWED to interfere in our elections, he's BULLET PROOF.

[onenote]

40. What law would he be breaking?

I can't think of one.

[Doitnow]

15. Why is this whole planet living in constant anxiety because of one miserable being who has

a few miserable followers?

[Iliyah]

18. Notice how the Gopers are rushing

[american_ideals]

19. Stolen Seat Gorsuch? Justice Illegitimate? Is that who he means?

[Pugster]

20. To the people who didn't vote in 2016

How do you feel?

[JoeOtterbein]

21. It sounds to me like he is threatening them.

[onenote]

41. In what way is he threatening them?

He's speculating about one Justice who has been widely reported as thinking about retirement and two justices with health issues. Tasteless -yes. But a threat? Not unless you think dozens of DUers have threatened justice Ginsburg by speculating about her health.

[MFM008]

25. hes not doing shit

he will be lucky to make it to Christmas...........

[Laffy Kat]

28. Well, we didn't think he'd make it this far.

I dunno anymore.

[JI7]

26. Fuck Anyone who didn't Support the Democratic Nominee in 2016 and even before then

this was a clear, black/white issue. that people ignored it to me shows they do not care about how people would be affected by many of the major rulings, especially on civil rights cases.

[Mike Niendorff]

33. 28 USC 1

Seriously : remember this reference --

28 USC 1


THIS is the federal law the defines the number of justices on the Supreme Court. Note that this number is **NOT** defined in the Constitution, it is set by FEDERAL LAW ONLY.

MEANING : IT CAN BE CHANGED -- the same way as any other federal law.

FDR last threatened to appoint additional justices to the court in 1937 -- He was RIGHT, and the mere THREAT of this is why New Deal reforms still exist today.

The right wing has never gotten over this -- and for good reason. The lesson needs to be re-taught, much more forcefully this time.

This is the final recourse against right-wing court-packing. Our generation is going to need to step up.

Make of note of it if you care about your country.


MDN

[Man_Bear_Pig]

39. I don't see either party expanding the court.

If it was that willy nilly carefree simple, the GOP has surely thought of it as well; and I haven't heard Trump talk about expanding the court while the iron is hot.

Besides, all that would lead to, in his day and age's political climate, is each party expanding it when they are in power to get the decisions they want. Once we end up with a 30 justice SCOTUS, the sections will be meaningless.

[Turbineguy]

34. Vulture.

[no_hypocrisy]

35. That's why the Senate HAS TO FLIP.

What I'm wondering is if/when the Senate is a democratic majority whether the rules would return to allowing the minority party to block a vote (filibuster). Certainly not while Trump is in the WH, but if Dems would both in the Senate and WH, would the rule ever be reinstated. Personally I don't see it happening.

[Fullduplexxx]

36. Just one of the many reasons all dems should have voted for the party nom

[7962]

38. Whats wrong with Sotomayors health? I haven't heard anything.

And she's young, for the court.

[johnnylol]

42. sotomayors health ?

she has been a type 1 diabetic since she was 7 years old... anyone with a chronic and serious medical condition their are no guarantees...you will be around a year later...especially as you get even older...

[7962]

44. oh wow. Had no idea. My dad was lucky enough to make it to 82 with it.

but as you said, np guarantees

[Bernardo de La Paz]

43. No more judicial confirmations. This is the last year of the tRump Presidency. . . . nt

[Demsrule86]

45. Not if we take back the Senate you won't asshat...you will get a visit from Chuck

who will inform you that you will not get your pick...just like Obama.

[yurbud]

47. I would hope Schumer would do that. Democrats don't have a good track record of playing hardball

[Demsrule86]

49. They will after what the GOP did...I think the Dems have done a great job since January.

They are doing what they can.

[yurbud]

46. What's wrong with Sotomayor's health?

[onenote]

48. Type 1 Diabetes.