Rush Limbaugh confused on Supreme Court balance. Still will be 5-4, same as before. Not 6-3.

[motife]

Rush said several times last week that confirming Alito changes the balance of the court from 5-4 to 6-3.

Alito is replacing Sandra Day O'Connor one of the 5-4 majority. The balance is not changing.

We can only hope Stevens and/or Ginsberg retire in the next 2 and 1/2 years. I would not be surprised though that as partisan as they are, they will not.

Here are the ages of the current court, including Alito, how long they've served, and who appointed them :

Liberals :

John Paul Stevens, appointed by Gerald Ford, court term began 12/19/1975. Born Chicago, IL 4/20/1920. Confirmed by 99-0 vote. Probably most liberal member of the court. Particularly bitter opinion in Bush v. Gore. Aged 85. Has been on the court 30 years.

David Souter, appointed by George H.W. Bush, court term began 10/9/1990. Born Melrose, MA 9/17/1939. Confirmed by 90-9 vote. MOST disappointing choice for Republicans. Aged 66. Has been on the court 15 years.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, appointed by Clinton, court term began 8/10/1993. Born Brooklyn, NY 3/15/1933. Confirmed by 97-3 vote. Aged 72. Has been on the court 12 years.

Stephen Breyer, appointed by Clinton, court term began 8/2/1994. Born San Francisco, CA 8/15/1938. Confirmed by 87-9 vote. Aged 67. Has been on the court 11 years.

Conservatives :

Antonin Scalia, appointed by Reagan, court term began 9/26/1986. Born Trenton, NJ 3/11/1936. Without question the best Supreme Court Justice, among the best ever. Has started a multi-generational movement in law not unlike Reagan has in the GOP. One of Reagan's great legacies to the nation. Confirmed by 98-0 vote. Aged 69. Has been on the court 19 years.

Anthony Kennedy, appointed by Reagan, court term began 2/11/1988. Born Sacramento, CA 7/23/1936. Could have had Robert Bork who along with Scalia and Rehnquist would have made a epic court. Kennedy has been by and large a conservative vote, although not 100% reliable. Confirmed by 97-0 vote. Aged 69. Has been on the court 17 years.

Clarence Thomas, appointed by G.H.W. Bush, court term began 10/23/1991. Born near Savannah, GA 6/23/1948. Taciturn, but rock solid for the right. Confirmed by razor thin 52-48 vote. Aged 57. Has been on the court 14 years.

John Roberts, appointed by G.W. Bush, court term began 9/29/2005. Born Buffalo, NY 1/27/1955. Confirmed by 78-22 vote. Aged (next week) 51 years. Chief Justice.

Samuel Alito, appointed by G.W. Bush. Born, like Scalia, Trenton, NJ 4/1/1950. Appears like Roberts to be an excellent choice for the right and youthful for a justice. Aged 55.

[al baby]

maybe he is useing again

[T'wit]

I heard him predict that Bush will have one more appointment to make, and THAT -- not Alito -- will change the balance. Any other listeners recall it this way?

[zzen01]

I think that Chief Justice Roberts will administer the US Supreme Court far more activly and more US Constitutionally than either Berger of Rehnquist did.

[Kimmers]

Thank you for this info

[Brilliant]

Maybe he said it backwards.

[motife]

By the way, Roberts and Alito are the first vacancies since Stephen Breyer, 11 years ago. That was a long time for the court to be unchanged.

[Sooth2222]

Was: 4 1/2-to-4 1/2

Now: 5-to-4

[daler]

I wasn't able to hear his show today, so I don't know exactly what he said.

But I'm guessing his rationale is that O'Connor (on the big issues) might just as well be a liberal.

And, as usual, I think he'd be right.

[saveliberty]

6-3 on Roe.

[The Old Hoosier]

I think we're actually going from a 3-6 court to a 4-5 court. Could that be what he meant?

[georgiarat]

Please note only one of the justices were born in a RED state. Think we should start pushing for balance!

[Sometimes A River]

I had no idea that ACLU lawyer RBG was so old.

[saveliberty]

It will be 5-4 on Roe once Alito is confirmed

[Mr. Mojo]

Roberts replacing Rehnquist was essentially a wash, although it wouldn't surprise me if the new Chief Justice turned out to be less conservative than his predecessor. Alito replacing O'Connor is definitely an improvement, but the overall balance of the court hasn't changed much. Replacing Stevens or Ginsburg with a conservative would do the trick.

[johniegrad]

Right on. That's the issue.

[conservative physics]

o'conner often votes with the 4 libs to make a 5-4 liberal majority, that's what rush was refering too.

[rdb3]

Clarence Thomas, appointed by G.H.W. Bush, court term began 10/23/1991. Born near Savannah, GA 6/23/1948. Taciturn, but rock solid for the right. Confirmed by razor thin 52-48 vote. Aged 57. Has been on the court 14 years.

Why "taciturn"?

This is a ch__ch. What's missing?

[wardaddy]

useing

whatever that is, it sounds bad