"We don't want a Souter and others"

[question everything]

who were confirmed as Conservatives and then drifted left... complain the Wrong Side.

So I wonder whether we have ever had cases of judges who were appointed as liberals and who then drifted to the right..

Personally, I would be surprised if there are. When intelligent, educated people - like judges and journalist - have a chance to see people living real life, and if they are honest, they are bound to ask questions about the ties between a government body and its citizens. They have to judge the morality of "market forces" where one has to sink or swim, where one has to pull oneself by the boot strings and where society can just shrug when it is faced with the poor and the sick, children and elderly and simple folks who lack killer instinct.

But, I don't know. Do we have examples of liberal judges who drifted to the right?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. I don't know, but to be quite honest, I wouldn't expect it.

Simply because upholding the Constitution tends to be a liberal practice by nature. Liberals don't limit rights, and the function of the court is to ensure the Legislative Branch doesn't overstep its bounds in that role.

[jackbourassa]

2. Byron White

Was appointed by JFK and was the second person to vote against Roe v Wade in 73 (Rehnquist being the other). Had a good record on civil rights though.

[question everything]

3. Thanks. Interesting

I sometimes wonder whether, by today's criteria, we would consider JFK a liberal.

If you watched "the Sixties" on PBS last week, there was a comment on how even RFK changed his positions - on capital punishment, I think - compared to his days as AG. I also think that he started with Nixon on some committee.

And, I think that JFK was almost forced to take a stand on civil rights where events started to boil. Am not sure.

Welcome to DU

:toast:

[BloodyWilliam]

4. By today's criteria, NIXON would be a liberal.

I mean, he formed OSHA. He was a total dick but I'd honestly rather have his corpse in the oval office than Bush.

[AndyTiedye]

5. Nixon Wanted to NUKE Vietnam

You must have heard about Nixon's "secret plan" to end the Vietnam war.

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[deadparrot]

6. RFK's daughter's godfather is Joe McCarthy...

he was a raging anti-communist in his early days.