Roberts: Scene at State of Union `very troubling'

[usregimechange]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Obama's State of the Union address was "very troubling" and the annual speech has "degenerated to a political pep rally."

Obama chided the court, with the justices seated before him in their black robes, for its decision on a campaign finance case.

Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question, Roberts said anyone was free to criticize the court, and some have an obligation to do so because of their positions.

"So I have no problems with that," he said. "On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum.

"The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court - according the requirements of protocol - has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_ROBERTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Dear Chief Justice,

Your decision in Citizens United was the equivalent to a political pep rally and the salient point is that SCOTUS is not suppose to be involved in politics, that is the job of the other branches.

[Arkana]

1. Awww, is da widdle Chief Justice mad cause the President called him on the carpet?

Here, let me play you a song on the world's smallest violin: :nopity:

[roguevalley]

25. he needs to pull the corn cob out of his big fat ass. When I hear

someone use 'troubling' I want to find them and hit them with a shovel. You know this man is constipated holding in all that rage, the poor little lady. WAAAA!

[Guilded Lilly]

2. Chief Justice...

YOU are troubling.
Some people, including the POTUS think you really screwed up. Some people can criticize you without it being a political pep rally. And if I recall, you didn't sit there expressionless did you? You failed to live up to your own requirement of protocol. SO what have you degenerated into?

[usregimechange]

4. That was his Twin Scalito

[Guilded Lilly]

16. ah, I stand corrected! Mea culpa :)

Alito, Scalia...Roberts...they all seem identical (grin) after a while!

[bemildred]

3. Troubling to whom John?

It didn't bother me any.

[xchrom]

5. I'm bothered every time I think of your Lying ass

On the supreme court.

[marmar]

6. Activist Corporate Fascist Justices are very troubling.....

[liberalhistorian]

26. LOL, true enough.

Too bad the Tireless Champion of the Overprivileged Overdog will never see it that way or look down from his ivory tower long enough at those of us who do. Warren Burger, Earl Warren and William Brennan, among others, are likely spinning to beat sixty in their graves at this point.

[liquid diamond]

30. Concise and poignant.

[NYC_SKP]

7. Then he should retire, post-haste. n/t

[Odin2005]

8. Go eat shit and die you Fascist scumbag.

[rosesaylavee]

9. Chief Justice...

You have sold our country to the highest bidder with that decision. Frankly, I think decorum left when the SCOTUS set Bush up on his throne. I hope and pray we can prevent the country from being any more effected by your and your kinds 'work' to undermine our democracy.

[Overseas]

10. I'm sure it was disturbing to an activist pro-corporate judge like Roberts. //nt

[girl gone mad]

11. Fuck him.

Wasn't he the one mouthing dissent during Obama's address? A total breech of protocol. Now he has the nerve to complain?

[bigtree]

12. White House Responds

“What is troubling is that this decision opened the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections, drowning out the voices of average Americans,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

That’s why Obama “spoke out to condemn the decision and is working with Congress on a legislative response,” Gibbs said.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-09/obama-spokesman-defends-court-criticism-after-roberts-remarks.html

[usregimechange]

14. Thanks for posting, perfect response

[annabanana]

13. What did you WANT to do Roberts? Jump up & flip the Congress

the bird?

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. I can so picture him in a white sheet instead of a black robe,

and pointy hood.

[troubledamerican]

19. + 1

[Canuckistanian]

17. Wow, a few seconds of accountability and he protests

The USSC is NOT elected, reports to NOBODY and their decisions are FINAL.

So when they make a mistake or an intentional ruling that ultimately harms people, what recourse is there?

Seems to me that sitting stoically while someone makes a (no-consequence) criticism is eminently fair.

[keopeli]

18. What if the shoe was on the other foot? Would you be so quick to judge?

What if Bush* had scolded a split court that upheld Roe v Wade or overturned the DMA while Roberts was CJ? Would he say how inappropriate the comment was? Somehow I doubt it.

I haven't heard any criticism from the four justices who voted against Citizens United. What do they have to say?

When you're a partisan judge, you tend to pick political sides, as Roberts is doing. Neutral judges (aka good judges) ignore the politics from both sides and do their job of upholding established law and precedent.

The SOTU speech has been a political tool long before Obama was a household name.

[Hestia]

21. Refresh my memory, but didn't Bush do exactly that, say 2003 or so? Or was his evil minion

sending out that meme on RW radio and TV? I forget the exact details...anyone?

[graywarrior]

20. He stands in line with the rest of the fucks that are ruining this country

[ashling]

22. "pep rally?" Well, maybe, but

I wouldn't get all seized up about it. :shrug:


"The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court - according the requirements of protocol - has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."

Actually, Mr. Roberts, you don't HAVE to be there ... you are free to leave - Really, leave!

[bridgit]

23. No where near as troubling as the 'product' of this SCOTUS

[BrklynLiberal]

24. What a total ass....but asses seem to be in the majority on the SCOTUS these days.

[Greyhound]

27. K&R

[budkin]

28. What's very troubling is the fact that he ever got onto the SCOTUS

[Hannah Bell]

29. roberts should study some history, the hypocrite.

[WVRICK13]

31. We Knew What Roberts Represented

and he was still approved. One Nation Under Total Control.

[indepat]

32. Herr Roberts: the state of the union is very troubling in view of a heinously felonious decision

by a particular felonious five. :P

[SoxFan]

33. Forty years of right-wing blather about "activist judges"

...and not a peep.

But The Scary Black Man says something and it's a freakin' Constitutional crisis?

[GeorgeGist]

34. Dear Chief Jester,

tough shit.

[live love laugh]

35. Who sat expressionless? Alito couldn't contain himself. nt