Harry Reid Slams Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy

[cal04]

Harry Reid Slams Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy For Campaign Finance Decision
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/harry-reid-slams-supreme_n_493532.html

The president and his aides aren't the only Democrats throwing unusually sharp and public jabs at the conservative members of the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was "so disappointed" with the Court's swing vote -- Justice Anthony M. Kennedy -- for enabling the court's rightward, corporatist tilt. As for Chief Justice John Roberts, the majority leader castigated him as being out of touch and completely detached from political reality.

"Do you think John Roberts knows or cares how people get elected?" he said, referring to the role the chief justice played in crafting the court's Citizens United decision.

(snip)
"I think we've had enough of them," he said. "I think what we need are people on that bench who have been legislators, people who are lawyers, people who are academics. You look at our Supreme Court and all these people, all they know is working with people in black robes. We have got to change that."

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. Well, gee that's nice.

Now what about the SENATE's rightward, corporatist tilt, Harry? :grr:

[MineralMan]

3. Credit where credit is due, please.

Taking on SCOTUS sounds pretty creditworthy to me right now.

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. Don't get me wrong, the SCOTUS sucks rancid dog balls

But if Harry called out the right wing corporatists in the "Democratic Majority" of the Senate, we would have passed a REAL health care reform bill by now, which would have ensured Democratic rule for decades regardless of how much money the corporations threw at Repukes (thanks to the Opie Roberts court)

It's the hypocrisy of calling out the court for something he should be fighting in his own workplace, and refuses to do so.

[laughingliberal]

10. True. But he was up against the right wing corporatists in the Senate and the White House

I think Harry would have been better off not having the job of leader cause it forced him to work with everyone to try to get votes. He's not great but he's more liberal than most would believe.

[paulsby]

2. riiiiiiiiiiiight

because academics are more in touch with reality, political or otherwise?

clearly, reid hasn't learned much about academia.

judges should be in touch with common sense, case law, the constitution, and have the ability to apply the law.

[JackRiddler]

4. Depends what you mean by academics...

Corporate think-tank intellectual mercenaries, no.

As a group, real academics at the university are far more in touch with the reality of the world they study than, as groups, the career politicians, banksters, corporate overlords, generals, billionaires, lobbyists, spook masters and over-paid pundits who run the sorry show.

[laughingliberal]

11. +1 nt

[paulsby]

12. i would disagree completely

as to "real academics" grasp on "political reality" (reid's words) or real world reality, so to speak.

a judge needs to apply cases to case law and the constitution

the idea that academics are the people we should be looking for to do this is imo silly

[JackRiddler]

15. I would tend to rank judges a bit higher than the other groups I mentioned.

But the Supreme Court could stand to have a poet or an artist or a great novelist, I do declare.

[Phlem]

5. Just more political theater

I think we all know both sides are really working together to distract the public. Maybe from the shadow elite, rich people who buy legislation, whomever it is or they are, that are actually running the country. Why do you think we keep heading the direction we've been on since Reagan (and maybe before) no matter which side is running the country.
They're just pawns, bought and paid for.
-p

[Double T]

7. SCOTUS lifetime appointments creates power. Power creates corruption.

Term limits desperately need to be applied to the SCOTUS; many are out of touch and bow to the corporate vermin.

[DebbieCDC]

8. Shoulda thought of that BEFORE he was confirmed Harry

you asshole

[Blue Owl]

9. yawn

:boring:

Wake me up when Harry actually does something.

[Phlem]

14. When he's not up for re-election

and doing shitty in his state.

-p

[cally]

13. K&R