Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Rumor About John Paul Stevens (possible impending retirement from U.S. Supreme Court)
Human Events ^ | November 4, 2006 | Sean Rushton

Posted on 11/04/2006 5:00:12 PM PST by Clintonfatigued

For weeks, commentators have speculated that significant numbers of conservatives, alienated by over-spending, the Iraq War, and other perceived GOP disappointments, will stay home on Election Day, giving one or both Houses of Congress to Democrats. But for those who care about reforming the Supreme Court, sitting this one out may soon look like a mistake of historic proportions.

For the past several weeks, there has been a rumor circulating among high-level officials in Washington, D.C., that a member of the U.S. Supreme Court has received grave medical news and will announce his or her retirement by year’s end. While such rumors are not unusual in the nation’s capital, this one comes from credible sources. Additionally, a less credible but still noteworthy post last week at the liberal Democratic Underground blog says, “Send your good vibes to Justice Stevens. I just got off the phone with a friend of his family and right now he is very ill and at 86 years old that is not good.”

Normally, this news might be too ghoulish to repeat publicly. Nevertheless, with the election just days away, it is news that should be considered. It points out what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the 20-year movement to recast the court with a constitutionalist majority. It would be a cruel twist indeed for conservatives to “teach Republicans a lesson” next Tuesday, only to be taught a lesson themselves within months when new Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.) leads a Democratic majority against the most important Supreme Court nominee in decades. Conservatives whose mantra is “no more Souters” should bear in mind Robert Bork’s fate after the Senate changed from Republican to Democratic hands in 1986.

(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: scotus
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-119 last
To: Clintonfatigued

Thanks for the ping.

Yes, Conservatives must get off the butts and go to the polls. Keep Congress Republican even if we are not crazy about them (as I am not crazy about many). At least it will give Conservatives some time to figure out what to do next, before Democrats have a chance turn us into mindless dhimmi socialists.


101 posted on 11/05/2006 12:23:24 PM PST by Bokababe ( http://www.savekosovo.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: apillar
The liberal project cannot easily tolerate the loss of John Paul Stevens' seat, or those of Ginsberg, Breyer or Souter. I expect that one of Reid's first moves as Majority Leader would be to make sure that the Judiciary Committee Democrats are absolutely committed to voting down any Bush appointee to one of the four liberal seats. They will see nothing but upside in keeping appointments alive as an electoral issue in 2008, and 30 years of downside in letting put on a movement conservative in his early 50s. The willingness of the Nelsons, Landrieu, Lieberman, and any of the (allegedly) socially moderate Class of 2006 Democrats who might get elected on Tuesday to confirm will become irrelevant, because none of them will be on Judiciary and no nominee reaches the floor without a majority on Judiciary.
102 posted on 11/05/2006 12:35:43 PM PST by only1percent
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: imahawk

If Bush is able to give the nation a Constitutionalist Supreme Court, he will have achieved greatness even though his record on other issues (domestic spending, immigration) is far from ideal.


103 posted on 11/05/2006 12:41:04 PM PST by Clintonfatigued (Nihilism is at the heart of Islamic culture)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

To: romanesq

Does anyone know if Janice Rogers Brown is Catholic? That would be yet another reason for the moonbats to go ballistic and say things which would hopefully wake up the remaining Catholics clinging to the DemocRAT party line.


104 posted on 11/05/2006 12:42:44 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman

Don't know but I think we were all enjoying it more in jest. If posts are accurate she is not interested in the war no matter her religious affiliation.

But we all wish her a healthy and long successful career.


105 posted on 11/05/2006 1:29:43 PM PST by romanesq
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: staytrue

same, Janice Robert Brown for SCOTUS!!!!!!!
We need well known and consistant anti-government libertarian on the highest court


106 posted on 11/05/2006 2:04:14 PM PST by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: romanesq

I really hope that she will reconsider. When I saw her on the C-Span hearings, I thought she was dynamite. She doesn't appear to me as a lady who would shrink from a fight. She is bright as well as polite-- far more polite than those committee scumbags deserve.


107 posted on 11/05/2006 6:55:52 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

This is the 3rd source I have read about Stevens retiring because of ill health. And he is 86 years of age.

Yep, conservatives better get to the polls and vote for Republicans, so we can take back our courts.


108 posted on 11/05/2006 6:56:33 PM PST by Sun (If we lose the Senate, the Dems will have control of the judiciary committee. Vote on Nov. 7)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

To me, second only to the WOT, this is the most important reason to vote.


109 posted on 11/05/2006 6:58:25 PM PST by zbigreddogz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: only1percent
I expect that one of Reid's first moves as Majority Leader would be to make sure that the Judiciary Committee Democrats are absolutely committed to voting down any Bush appointee to one of the four liberal seats.

Well, why not? It worked so well for them politically in 2000. And 2002. And 2004... /sarc

Seriously, you're right - they will try to stonewall any nomination, but not because they feel it is a political winner. They know full well that, as long as W sticks to his guns and does not flinch in nominating (and standing behind) a strict constructionist, it is a political loser for them.

However, the SC is their last toehold in keeping baby murder legal, so they will try everything - and I do mean everything - to forestall the inevitable.

110 posted on 11/05/2006 7:24:24 PM PST by Ogie Oglethorpe (2nd Amendment - the reboot button on the U.S. Constitution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: zendari
How would he have known about the future Reagan administration?

You speculate. Let's say that the current President Bush has to deal with a rabidly Rat Senate after this election, heaven forbid. Stevens croaks, he has to make an appointment. He tries a solid conservative, gets batted down. So---he finds a moderate, but a much older one, hoping that maybe in five or ten years his party gets control of the Senate again.

Hopefully, future Republican Presidents will have learned from Ford's mistake and act accordingly.

111 posted on 11/06/2006 12:10:21 AM PST by hunter112 (Total victory at home and in the Middle East!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
If we hold the Senate, I'm gonna go to D.C. and drop banana peels all over around the SCOTUS....cause I like slapstick....really, I do!
112 posted on 11/06/2006 12:16:18 AM PST by Uriah_lost (We've got enough youth, how about a "fountain of smart")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: hunter112

Yeah, that is what I would do if I were the President. Let's hope Karl Rove advise him on that, shall Democrats control the Senate. (Actually, I doubt that they will actually take over, but it will probably be a de facto Democratic Senate with 49 Senators plus a few RINOs that we can't seem to shake)


113 posted on 11/06/2006 12:26:04 AM PST by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

In that case, I expect Stevens and Ginsburg to hold on for two years, even if it takes life support. They would clearly take it as a sign that a Rat president were in the very near future, if the Rats control the Senate.


114 posted on 11/06/2006 1:44:37 AM PST by hunter112 (Total victory at home and in the Middle East!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: romanesq

Expect any day now Scalia to suggest her vote be yanked for sleeping during arguments.


He would NEVER do that. They have the closest relationship on the court. They went to Africa together and all. Never will happen. Scalia "loves" her. They just disagree on politics.


115 posted on 11/06/2006 1:47:28 AM PST by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

Ditto..


116 posted on 11/06/2006 4:45:46 AM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

I've heard this rumor before. He is so very old and hasn't retired yet. I bet he's determined to stay in that chair until they scrape him out...


117 posted on 11/06/2006 4:54:59 AM PST by slaymakerpowertape
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GraniteStateConservative

She looks great in black indeed. "Associate Justice Janice Rogers Brown" sounds wonderful too. She had the title before (California SC); she deserves it again.


118 posted on 11/06/2006 5:05:36 AM PST by jimfree (Freep and ye shall find.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Uriah_lost

Ginzburg stepping on a banana peel--it's an appealing thought.


119 posted on 11/06/2006 8:21:27 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-119 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson