Why in the hell did Sandra O'Connor retire now? She's betrayed

[texpatriot2004]

the country. What is her problem? Why would she do this during a time like this? I just don't get it. I don't understand. What on Earth could she be thinking? What good could possibly come from this decision of hers? I am so angry with her. If it is about her own retirement I think she's extremely selfish not to put the interests of the country before her own. What about the notion of service? Does anyone here have a good reason to explain why she chose to do this now?


After posting this, several people have mentioned her husband's health issue which I didn't know about. Still, I feel basically the same way. It is a lifetime appointment to serve your country. I AM sorry to hear of her husband's illness though.

[hobbit709]

1. She betrayed the country

in Dec, 2000 when she voted to steal the election

[Lindacooks]

15. Yup, you're right. She is a traitor.

Not surprised she would cut and run now.

[Bridget Burke]

2. Why did she help GW Bush become President?

Let her have a leisurely retirement to consider her lifetime achievements. And other things.

[lutherj]

16. She once said she would only retire during a republican administration

I think she and the other conservative justices who orchestrated the 2000 election coup did it to ensure that they would be replaced by right-wing ideologues.

[Selatius]

3. I don't think anyone has that answer

The only reason I could come up with is that she doesn't want to die in her seat but in a bed instead. That's how I'd like to go out, anyway. Besides, wasn't she a Reagan appointee?

[gatorboy]

4. I was under the impression it was over her husband.

Apparently the man has Alzheimer's disease and needs more care now. She was originally retiring to spend more time with him.

[converted_democrat]

5. Her husband has Alzheimer's, and she left to spend her time with him.n/t

[expatriot]

6. I got flamed for sharing similar sentiments this summer when she announced

her retirement. I also got flamed here at home from my wife. She said that I expected everyone to be martyr for the cause when she is just a tired old lady who wants to take a breath and hold hands with her dying husband in a quiet place.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Should she work until she dies? Anyone that works past 60 is

on borrowed time. Let her enjoy her life as she sees fit.

[NYCGirl]

8. Her husband has Alzheimer's and she wants to spend time looking after him.

They've been married for more than 50 years.

[Arkansas Granny]

9. Give the woman a break. Regardless what you think of her

politics, she has been on the Supreme Court for 24 years, she is 75 years old and her husband is ill with Alzheimer's.

And you think she's selfish and you feel betrayed? Get a grip.

[texpatriot2004]

11. You get a grip. I didn't know about the husband's health issue.

I think your tone is tacky.

[expatriot]

21. both of you get a grip... I am about to give you both an underdog!

wheeeeee!!!!!! **gives underdog** (fyi - swingset terminology)

on edit: that was my one crazy moment allotted to everyone in their last post before departing to their job.

[texpatriot2004]

23. Thanks for the laugh Expatriot. I don't know what that is but you

made me smile.

[Arkansas Granny]

27. Now you gotta tell us what an "underdog" is. I don't know that term.

[politicat]

29. She's she's gone off to work, an underdog is when you push someone on

a swing by running through the arc of the swing, rather than staying in place and pushing as the person in the swing pendulum's back and forth.

Come out to the playground and I'll show you, if you'll push me after a bit! :silly:

[Arkansas Granny]

30. I remember doing that as a kid, but I didn't know it had a name.

Can't come to the playground right now. Thanks anyway.

[Arkansas Granny]

26. I'm sorry you thought I sounded tacky. I was actually incredulous

that anyone could accuse someone of being selfish for retiring at the age of 75.

[serryjw]

19. Agree on both counts

She has served her country....sometimes better than others. She is not young, wants time with her dying husband and wants to reap the rewards of decades of service. If you expect here to stay, you are asking too much. WE had our chance in 2004...WE BLEW IT!(flame away)

[wryter2000]

10. How long would you stay at your job...

...if the person you loved had a limited time left to be lucid? :shrug:

[dghll]

12. she's republican. nt

[charlie]

13. Actually, she wanted to retire before 2000

but friends noted she'd wanted to retire while a Republican was in office. So then Florida 2000 happens and she... doesn't retire. 2004 rolls up, last chance to be certain a Republican appoints her successor, and she doesn't retire. 2005, she announces she's stepping down. Twinge of conscience for the Florida travesty? Regret for the utter disaster of Dubya? Maybe, just maaaaybe...

[stubertmcfly]

14. My understanding....

...is that her husband is very ill. So before you judge the judge, I recommend you chill out? Service? She has served her country. There is no rule that these people have to stay on forever.

[Kolesar]

17. Did she owe it to you to stay on the court?

What is so untimely about her retirement? I don't know what you are getting at here.

[LisaL]

18. She is old. Old people retire. It's rather simple.

[TaleWgnDg]

20. It goes BEYOND your own frustration at Justice O'Connor . . .

.
It goes beyond your own frustration at Justice O'Connor . . . We all have similar feelings of frustration.

However, put yourself into O'Connor's shoes for just a moment.

Here she is having sat on SCOTUS for how many years? And more recently being the sole voice against implementation of many horrific social programs across the nation. She's getting older by the day. Her husband is gravely ill w/ Alzheimer's Disease. It's advancing. She's seeing him slipping away. It's torture.

All this time, she's u/ the real belief that if if she leaves the bench now, all her work in voting for social causes may go down the tube in Bush's appointment in her place.

Which do you do? Retire to take care of the few fleeting moments left in your husband's life until he slips into irrational and life-threatening dementia and dies? Or do you remain on the bench being torn with your home life and/versus your duty as Associate Justice on SCOTUS? And, can she continue to fulfill her duty to SCOTUS while being mentally torn with her home life? Does it rise to ethical duties for her to retire from SCOTUS?

No, the ball is no longer in O'Connor's court. She has fulfilled her duty to public service. And she now wants to do her duty to her married life, to her husband. It just may be that she is doing our country a service to retire, she may be too torn apart to continue to fulfill her ethical obligations on SCOTUS.

Don't blame O'Connor; instead, blame George Walker Bush who recently "found Jesus" and flipped from being pro-Roe to anti-Roe. As well as using that political hypocrisy to obtain the White House. Blame due where blame is due.




_____________________
edited to add: btw, do you really believe that George Walker Bush would not recommend an abortion to one of his own kids if necessary? Or to his nieces, if necessary? His wife is pro-choice. His mother is pro-choice. He grew up in a New England Brahmin environment of old time Republican Party where pro-choice began, and remains. Think about it. It's political, and it's hypocrisy. And, it got him into the White House.
.

[texpatriot2004]

25. Your last big red point is a good one. n/t

[EST]

22. This is a joke, right?

[NVMojo]

24. neocons are nervous, they have to stack the deck in their own favor

in case of impeachment or other things like indictments ....

[wurzel]

28. O'Connor betrayed the country when she voted to put Bush in office!

I don't understand why people think she is so wonderful!

[Skidmore]

31. There's plenty of betrayal to go around--at all levels of

government. Not spread thin either--but deep and wide. The whole govt sold this nation out.

[T Town Jake]

32. She was appointed by RONALD WILSON REAGAN fer...

...cryin' out loud. She's a lifelong Republican. Why anyone would think that she wasn't going to choose a time to retire when a Republican president was in office--so that they could fill her seat with another Republican--mystifies me.