If bush picks the next Supreme Court - Be AFRAID

[liberal N proud]

Be VERY AFRAID:
The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20041025&s=pollitt

<snip>By an amazing stroke of luck, there have been no vacancies on the Court in Bush's first term. Still, the current Court has been sitting for ten years, and the only Justice under 65 is Clarence Thomas. How much longer can God--who is obviously not a Republican--keep these spry oldsters going? Justice Stevens, the liberal stalwart, is 84! The next President will probably get one, two or even three nominations, and Bush has said he wants more Justices in the Scalia/Thomas mold. Depending on who leaves, the balance of forces may not change right away. But even if Bush merely trades a worn-out reactionary like the 80-year-old Rehnquist for a fresh young one, he's locking up a seat for the right wing on the nation's top Court--for what, the next thirty years? Don't rely on Senate Dems to hold out for a "moderate" appointment--especially if Bush plays the ethnic card and nominates a Hispanic. I can hear it now: How can we deny Torquemada the American dream?
<snip>
Right-wing legal activist Clint Bolick has said, "This election could be a twofer--we win the White House and the Supreme Court." Let's make it a twofer for civil liberties, civil rights--and counting every vote.

* * *

David Soares is running for district attorney of Albany County, New York, on a platform of opposition to the ultra-severe Rockefeller Drug Laws (read Katrina vanden Heuvel's "Editor's Cut" about Soares). Having come from way behind to win the Democratic primary over the incumbent, Paul Clyne, a machine politician and strong supporter of those laws, Soares now faces two well-funded opponents: Clyne, now running with the Independence Party, and Roger Cusick, a Republican. Soares has the grassroots, the Working Families Party and reason on his side. But he desperately needs donations too. If he wins, we can start to turn around the vicious and failed "war on drugs," which has filled our prisons with nonviolent drug offenders. Send checks: Friends of David Soares, Box 301, Delmar, NY 12054.

[livinbella]

1. That thought makes me VERY VERY afraid!

And ill.

[leftynyc]

2. As far as I'm concerned, this is THE ISSUE!!!

The thought of another (and up to 4) more Scalia's on the court makes my blood run cold.

I think the only reason O'Connor did not retire during *'s term is because she was embarassed about the * vs. Gore decision and didn't want it to be her legacy.

[nickinSTL]

4. I've thought that, too

O'Connor has been pretty moderate, particularly since Bush took office (that I've noticed, I didn't follow SC stuff much at all prior)

I think she's aware of how reactionary the court would become if the balance tilts due to a Bush appointment.

I'd heard, around 2000, that O'Connor wasn't in good health, and if true, I can't think of another reason for her to have stayed this long.

[nickinSTL]

3. AFRAID? I'm TERRIFIED.

Under a Bush Supreme Court, the only right we'll have left is to own guns. And I suspect that will be eventually limited to supporters of the regime.

[PsN2Wind]

5. O'Connor is supposed to have said

that she wanted to retire but was waiting until after the election so Clinton would not appoint her successor. I think that she and maybe Rehnquist have put off their retirements so Bush can't appoint their replacements. Maybe there is a bit of conscience under those black robes and they realize they have screwed the country they took an oath to serve. I am hopeful that if this election ends up in the SCOTUS that we might see a different outcome.

[Q3JR4]

7. If that's the case then

one would think that any recount that goes to the court (like in 2000) will be decided by the court in favor of Kerry.

[PsN2Wind]

8. We can hope

N/T

[Rambis]

6. It will be our demise!

There is nothing more to say.