O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5255712 ^

[TexasAg1996]

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor showed Thursday that she's not absent from judicial issues. During a speech in Washington, she said Republican leaders' attacks on the courts threaten the constitutional freedoms of Americans.

So now the Supreme Court can't be criticized. I hate judges...

[joe fonebone]

Stop Whining!!!!!!!!!! Stupid liberal b*tch........

[dirtboy]

During a speech in Washington, she said Republican leaders' attacks on the courts threaten the constitutional freedoms of Americans.

Constitutional freedoms such as those threatened by Kelo? Loved your dissent in that, O'Connor, but it was the liberal block that sandbagged the Fifth on that one - so I'm not sure how Republican attacks factored into that one.

First Amendment? Weren't you one of the ones who voted to uphold McCain-Feingold, O'Connor?

Tenth Amendment - didn't you sandbag Texas on that one, Sandy baby, by voting down their power to regulate sodomy?

Sorry, but your lectures on the Constitution ring hollow - undermined by your very own voting record.

[jude24]

She's 100% right. A lot of the accusations, rhetoric, and proposals directed against judges have been over-the-top.

[babyface00]

Republican leaders' attacks on the courts threaten the constitutional freedoms of Americans

Yes. How dare the people (directly or through their elected representatives) criticize the courts. Freedom can only be preserved through unquestioning deference and obedience to nine ex-lawyers.

I hope I don't need to mention the above is sarcasm

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Stick with the United States Constitution and you won't have anything to worry about Sandra. Dig up some reference to European law and expect to be criticized.

[Mr. Brightside]

We can criticize Congress, the IRS, the White House, the bureaucracy... but not the Supreme Court?

Does she think she is a god or what?

[Mr. Brightside]

But no criticism for the Democrats filibustering judges for no reason?

[oldbrowser]

I'd like to see the context of that comment. What Republican leaders is she talking about and what kind of attacks ?

[dead]

Breyer tried the same song and dance. Criticizing their poor performance somehow destroys all that is America.

They can both kiss my free citizen ass.

[Piranha]

Does everyone here really want to believe an indirect quotation (therefore the reporter's interpretation) of her statements from NPR, of all places?

Why don't we all take a deep breath and see if this story shows up in more credible media?

[lugsoul]

There is a lot of class being displayed on this thread.

[308MBR]

One more to go, if you can catch her between naps.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Well, we now know how neutral her judicial politics were, of course they never affected some of her stupid decisions. S/

[BunnySlippers]

I would love to see O'Connor's exact quote. Paraphrasing by Nina Totenberg is not that reliable.

[Tzimisce]

Attack on courts???????

The people have a right to criticise their government. The people have a right to try to change their government if they don't like what it's doing.

It's fundmental to our system - sorry if our Constitution offends you. Scary to think that this person is a judge....

[P-Marlowe]

Good Riddance!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

During a speech in Washington, she said Republican leaders' attacks on the courts threaten the constitutional freedoms of Americans.

Huh.

A former Supreme Court Justice who doesn't understand the concepts of free speech and balance-of-powers.

Who'd have thunk it?

[Dr. Thorne]

"Hey, loosen up, Sandy baby!"

[TonyXL]

She warned against politicians exerting influence over the court.

You mean like socialist dictator FDR packing the court?

[jude24]

This thread is a perfect illustration of the problem.

Disagree with Justice O'Connor, or any other Supreme Court justice, or even all nine if you like. That's not the problem. J. O'Connor's complaint was the rhetoric and the personal attacks, like Tom DeLay's complaint that the Supreme Court was a bunch of judicial activists when they slavishly applied the Schaivo statute as written, or the Senator who said that the judges were opening themselves up for assasination by their rulings. Those kinds of remarks are irresponsible and unjustifiable.