Posted on 02/13/2013 6:59:48 AM PST by SeekAndFind
I'm sure it's happened before, but I can't recall any previous State of the Union speech where justices refused to attend based on disagreements with the president.
From Politico:
"The conservative wing of the U.S. Supreme Court was absent from President Obama's Tuesday State of the Union address.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia declined to join their six other colleagues at the prime time address to Congress.
During Obama's 2010 address, Alito was seen whispering the words "not true" during Obama's speech. Obama used his address to blast the court for their 2010 Citizens United case which altered the rules on corporate and union funding of elections.
In the aftermath of that speech, Alito complained that the justices were expected to sit in the House chamber "like the proverbial potted plant" and that it was now an awkward experience."
If I were a justice of the Supreme Court, I certainly would resent being used as a prop in a president's theatrical presentation. But, at bottom, the justices are a part of one of three co-equal branches of government. In that sense, attending the State of the Union is both a question of tradition, and a symbol of the majesty of the Constitution.
They should have been there.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The American Thinker didn't even bother to find out. They are just too busy finding fault with conservatives.
I can't blame Justice Thomas for not going either. Obama has directly criticized him.
And Scalia probably didn't want to get sick.
But the liberals, the one “moderate”, and the one who’s being blackmailed of course all attended.
Thanks for the history.
It even makes this story sillier. Just another excuse to criticize conservatives.
Oops — yes Alito’s mother died, but he hasn’t been there for three years now, indeed because it’s shabby politics:
As for Alito’s reasons for not attending, he said at an October 2010 event in New York that the State of the Union speeches have “become very political events and it’s very awkward for the justices,” who are not expected to show any response to any politically charged rhetoric.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-obama-speech-court-idUSBRE91C04020130213
Touchy.
As compared to the evolving (to ‘world standard’ living document interpretation) justices.
Nope, not biased at all.
He did talk to Roberts. I wonder what he said to him? Something about that Orly Taitz Supreme Court conference thing that’s happening, I believe, on February 15?
I guess Obama gave Roberts the message, both of them smiling all the while.
That’s when I decided I didn’t care to watch anymore. I was hoping that Scalia would show up wearing that Renaissance hat he wore at the inauguration.
If you’re so stuck up as to be upset when someone posts to you then you might want to leave FR as that’s the entire point of this site.
They should have been there.
Horse manure.
The author should do a little homework and research the history of the "state of the union". Only in the past few decades has it become the red-carpet media circus it is today. Heck, at one time presidents had their "state of the union" written down and hand-delivered to congress. "Tradition"? What "tradition" is this author talking about? And what on earth does the Constitution have to do with the African communist, Ubama?
Good for those justices.
Observant.
Cal Thomas? There's a name I haven't seen in awhile...
If he's now making moronic comments like that, I wish he'd fade away for good.
They should have been there.
BS. The State of Union Speech has nothing to do with the Constitution. For over a hundred years the President just sent a written address that was read before the House chamber. The Constitution only says that the President need to report "from time to time" on issues he considers important. It's a silly, worthless tradition.
Bingo. The SOTU message has degenerated to just another reality tv event.
...Starring President Camacho.
Succinct.
That is where we part company. In my opinion, the occupier of the White House corrupts everything he comes near. All decent individuals should keep as much distance as possible beween them and him.
Accurate.
“...Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia declined to join their six other colleagues...”
It would appear that the Good Justices Alito, Thomas, and Scalia, did, in fact, perform the Time-Honored American Tradition of presenting a Giant Middle Finger to his Royal One-ness...
From a Grateful Nation, thank you, Justices Alito, Thomas, and Scalia.
Always.
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