Justice Kennedy Announces Retirement

[Abdul Alhazred]

Kavanaugh.

Clerked for Kennedy and supposedly has Kennedy's endorsement (showing that like Scalia/Kagan, the judiciary isn't as deranged as the rest of Washington).

NYT op-ed today from a very non-right-wing person pointing out that Kavanaugh is brilliant and has shown that he changes his mind reasonably.




Turn on the TV or Internet though and "OMG, MUH ABORTION!"

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Over by DU:

Goodby Birth Control. Kavanaugh Is Catholic. Catholics Prohibit Any Form Of BC
https://www.democraticunderground.com/? ... d=10849903

Because yet another Papist on the bench == theocracy.

IIRC, isn't Sotomayor RC? I mean a real one who goes to church and stuff?

[Grammatron]

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

How many people has Trump appointed that are "old Trump crony"?

[sparks]

No. She's technically brown, so ... no soul. Will not pass go, will not collect 100 bucks. She is, however, eligible for food stamps and free government cheese.

[gnome]

True enough--is there a comment that strikes you as questionable? Happy to look closer, this was just a quick impression.

I find that when it comes to law terms like "liberal" and "conservative" don't mean what people seem to think they mean.

Part of the reason I put "liberal" in quotes.

[gnome]

Kavanaugh.

Clerked for Kennedy and supposedly has Kennedy's endorsement (showing that like Scalia/Kagan, the judiciary isn't as deranged as the rest of Washington).

NYT op-ed today from a very non-right-wing person pointing out that Kavanaugh is brilliant and has shown that he changes his mind reasonably.




Turn on the TV or Internet though and "OMG, MUH ABORTION!"

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

I called this--don't know if it was here... but I suggested that Kennedy was persuaded to retire at this time with the promise of being able to help pick his successor. I would have asked for that if I were in his shoes. If they didn't want to play ball, he could say, "Fine, see how you do after November."

[Doctor X]

It is quite clear that Justices try to time their retirement based on who will determine their replacement.

--J.D.

[Doctor X]

Meanwhile, Popehat issues its Papal Bull on Kavanaugh and Free Speech

--J.D.

[ed]

[Anaxagoras]

[Skeeve]

Should have been "Weekend at Ruthie's"
...did they have to staple the wig to her head?

[Abdul Alhazred]

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

How many people has Trump appointed that are "old Trump crony"?

Hard to say, but the Dem Party line is "all of them".

[RCC: Act II]

... in favor of some restrictions for abortion ...

That is why.

Which illustrates why I think specific legislation would be better that just relying on the penumbras of the constitution.

After all, they do it with (other) civil rights legislation all the time.

The "restrictions" are fair enough under Roe, the issue is when those "restrictions" are done in bad faith. The flavor of the month is using "the health of the mother" as a pretense to ram through all sorts of bullshit that make it far more difficult, if not impossible to have a procedure that is as safe as if not safer than any minor medical procedure done under far less restriction. Getting wisdom teeth removed or a colonoscopy is more dangerous.

That's where the action is now. States trying to close abortion clinics and then making people jump through hoops under time pressure, using the "health of the mother" as a pretext.

You don't have to overturn Roe to make Roe a nullity. That is done by not at all questioning states that use this bad faith approach.

[RCC: Act II]

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

How many people has Trump appointed that are "old Trump crony"?

Hard to say, but the Dem Party line is "all of them".

Maybe close, at least as to inside the administration. At this point would someone not a Trump crony want a job that deals with Trump as a boss? That's the problem with someone who constantly micromanages people with criticism, threats, and bizarre demands; their hires are limited to the types of people who will put up with that shit.

Fedbot #2 isn't anyone's crony. He's just another wannabe Scalia clone, and the only open question is how often he deviates from his (IMO unworkable and absurd especially at the SCOTUS level) theories of jurisprudence.

[Grammatron]

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

How many people has Trump appointed that are "old Trump crony"?

Hard to say, but the Dem Party line is "all of them".

I didn't realize your reply was Dem Party line.

[Abdul Alhazred]

So basically Kennedy's hand picked successor and not some old Trump crony.

How many people has Trump appointed that are "old Trump crony"?

Hard to say, but the Dem Party line is "all of them".

I didn't realize your reply was Dem Party line.

My answer is I don't know for sure.

[Grammatron]

My answer is I don't know for sure.

IMO there are very few and they are all advisers and such. Actual department appointments seemed to be politicians far from his circle of cronies. For example, I don't think Sessions nor Mattis are Trump cronies.

[Nyarlathotep]

This maybe could have gone on the Shitpost thread, but either way it amused me.

I know the poster of this one (kinda) and I am STILL not sure whether the picture choice was intentional or accidental

[ed]

... in favor of some restrictions for abortion ...

That is why.

Which illustrates why I think specific legislation would be better that just relying on the penumbras of the constitution.

After all, they do it with (other) civil rights legislation all the time.

The "restrictions" are fair enough under Roe, the issue is when those "restrictions" are done in bad faith. The flavor of the month is using "the health of the mother" as a pretense to ram through all sorts of bullshit that make it far more difficult, if not impossible to have a procedure that is as safe as if not safer than any minor medical procedure done under far less restriction. Getting wisdom teeth removed or a colonoscopy is more dangerous.

That's where the action is now. States trying to close abortion clinics and then making people jump through hoops under time pressure, using the "health of the mother" as a pretext.

You don't have to overturn Roe to make Roe a nullity. That is done by not at all questioning states that use this bad faith approach.

If elected officials pass laws to restrict abortion and they get reelected and the voters let that organization stand, isn't that the way things are supposed to work?

[Doctor X]

Interesting article from The Atlantic.

--J.D.