[45Auto]

Everything would be just peachy if the bastards would stick to original intent.

[andyk]

Breyer defended using overseas legal opinions as a guide only, adding, "It has hit a political nerve."

You POS, Breyer. Getting a little defensive, eh?

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Sorry judgey-poo, but you don't get to rule the world and be above criticism too. Not yet anyway. Stop usurping power and you will stop being criticized.

[MadIvan]

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said Tuesday that rulings on difficult subjects like gay rights and the death penalty have left courts vulnerable to political attacks that are threatening judicial independence. Breyer urged lawyers to help educate people about court responsibility to be an independent decision-maker.

He isn't a decision maker. It is his job to interpret the Constitution, not to divine new meanings out of what he presumes is the spirit of its text.

And why do I know this and he doesn't...

Regards, Ivan

[NoClones]

these jerk-boes are supposed to the judiciary of the USA not some euro-wheenie, commie version of utopia!

when will they get a clue that they are supposed to be 'judging' according to the law and not whomever just gave them or their party the largest chunk of change!

[meema]

bttt...this should be interesting!
Need to read later (printed it out).

[PAMadMax]

Breyer can go straight to h**l. No one in this entire country is above criticism. NO ONE!

[Indy Pendance]

"threatening judicial independence"

Alrighty then......

[Johnstone]

SOLUTION: Interpret the constitution. Don't set policy, make law, or be guided by emotion.

[MileHi]

btt

[Lost Highway]

Well let's just delcare criticism of the Supreme Court unconstitutional.

[cotton1706]

This is crap. If the people can see that judges reach a reasonable conclusion from case law, legislation, or the Constitution, they will not object and will accept it.

However, if they see a political ruling from a judge, there will be protests. We are a free people and will not be ruled by oligarchs.

[Williams]

Justice Breyer is quite correct that judges need to make independent, unbiased decisions. But then again he hardly can ask that the public just not give a damn no matter what the court decides. If it's the applicability of a certain statute to hog slapping in Alabama, maybe no big deal. But when the judges start deciding the Constitution outlaws the death penalty, guarantees legal abortions, permits cities to take private property for developers, and should be interpreted via the foreign law of other countries - watch out. Independent is one thing, addle brained is another.

[stocksthatgoup]

If the creeping creeps would read the constitution and apply the principles therein, they wouldn't be attacked politically.

[Prince Charles]

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said Tuesday that rulings on difficult subjects like gay rights and the death penalty have left courts vulnerable to political attacks that are threatening judicial independence. Breyer urged lawyers to help educate people about court responsibility to be an independent decision-maker.

If certain Supremes want to act like politicians (or, still worse, use foreign law to interpret the US constitution) then they should lose their lifetime appointments and get elected like every other political hack in black robes.

[FormerACLUmember]

Dear Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer:

Just a friendly word. Go fornicate yourself, you lying hypocrite, deceitful, grandiose, Constitution defiling, judicial tyrant.

[dead]

"Pay no attention to the man behind the gavel!!"

[Regulator]

If Mr. Breyer didn't involve himself in politics by making nakedly political decisions, and even asserting his right to do so (which doesn't exist), then he would not face political opposition.

Don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen...

[airborne]

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said Tuesday that rulings on difficult subjects like gay rights and the death penalty have left courts vulnerable to political attacks that are threatening judicial independence.

Threatening judicial activism! That's what Breyer is worried about.

[Spok]

When judges abandoned the rule of law for the rule of personal politics, they doomed the independence of the judiciary. Nixon has been accused of abusing his power as chief executive, but he was only one president. The Supreme Court has institutionalized the practice.