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Why are Republicans so awful at picking Supreme Court justices?
Washington Post ^ | 07/02/2012 | Marc A. Thiessen

Posted on 07/02/2012 1:11:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s decision to side with the court’s liberal bloc and uphold Obamacare raises an important question for conservatives: Why are Republicans so awful at picking Supreme Court justices? Democrats have been virtually flawless in appointing reliable liberals to the court. Yet Republicans, more often than not, appoint justices who vote with the other side on critical decisions.

Just compare the records over the last three decades. Democrats have appointed four justices — Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen G. Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. All have been consistent liberals on the bench. Republicans, by contrast, have picked seven justices. Of Ronald Reagan’s three appointees (Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia and Anthony M. Kennedy) only Scalia has been a consistent conservative.

George H.W. Bush appointed one solid conservative (Clarence Thomas) and one disastrous liberal (David Souter). With George W. Bush’s appointments of Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Roberts, conservatives thought finally they had broken the mold and put two rock-ribbed conservatives on the bench — until last week, that is, when Roberts broke with the conservatives and cast the deciding vote to uphold the largest expansion of federal power in decades.

So Democrats are four-for-four — a perfect record. Republicans are not even batting .500.

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


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: republicans; scotus; supremecourt
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To: SeekAndFind

Because conservatives aren’t nominating true, deep conservatives but moderates who swing left.


21 posted on 07/02/2012 1:27:32 PM PDT by tbw2
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To: SeekAndFind

A big part of the problem is when the Democrats nominate a justice who is in the one tenth of one percent of the far left, the Republicans just roll over and play dead.


22 posted on 07/02/2012 1:28:38 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: SeekAndFind

We probably are going to have at least three, maybe 4 justices retire in the next four years; Ginsburg, Scalia, Kennedy, or Breyer.


23 posted on 07/02/2012 1:31:52 PM PDT by Perdogg
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To: SeekAndFind

Roberts made some good votes before the Arizona and ObamaCare votes. I think he was on the right side but somebody got to him and got to him a big way.

I don’t know if he was trying to save the “standing” of the SCOTUS or if he was blackmailed, but, until the last second, he was on the right side of the ObamaCare legislation.

Now, of course, he need to change his name to Taney. Basicly he has just made us all slaves to the Federal government (more so than we were).

Wanna give up and leave? Exit tax... hand it ALL over...


24 posted on 07/02/2012 1:33:03 PM PDT by Little Ray (FOR the best Conservative in the Primary; AGAINST Obama in the General.)
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To: longtermmemmory
perhaps we should not have all these USSC judges from the same school.

And there are far too many Harvard grads and other Ivy Leaguers throughout our federal government. The Ivy League has in many ways become a cesspool of political correctness, affirmative action and general anti-Americanism.

25 posted on 07/02/2012 1:33:09 PM PDT by Will88
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To: SeekAndFind

RINOs run things. The picks are not mistakes, they go as intended.


26 posted on 07/02/2012 1:34:30 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Little Ray
Roberts made some good votes before the Arizona and ObamaCare votes.

I wonder how many of his good votes were in the majority on major cases, and how many were in the minority where Kennedy cast the deciding vote with the leftist on the court? But on Obamacare, Roberts had to be the deciding vote with the leftists.

It's a well known trick to cast a vote to maintain a supposed ideological tilt as long as one's real preferred outcome is assured. Some congressmen and senators do it often. The Blue Dog Dims did that often until their votes were absolutely necessary for the liberal cause.

27 posted on 07/02/2012 1:42:40 PM PDT by Will88
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To: SeekAndFind

Republicans try to placate the Left in the Senate by picking “conservative” justices that can pass muster as not being TOO conservative. Liberal presidents on the other hand pick the most liberal justices they can find because they know the Republican Senators like Dick Lugar will do the advice and consent thing and then vote for anybody the president chooses whether they agree with the nominees views.


28 posted on 07/02/2012 1:45:04 PM PDT by redangus
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To: SeekAndFind

It is because we expect our Supreme Court justices to THINK. We expect them to look at the case in front of them and interpret it in the context of an existing Constitution.

Liberals expect their judges to vote on the basis of liberal dogma.

It IS that simple.


29 posted on 07/02/2012 1:45:17 PM PDT by rlmorel ("The safest road to Hell is the gradual one." Screwtape (C.S. Lewis))
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To: SeekAndFind

The left mainstream media is very adept at turning a conservative. We pick conservatives who are unprincipled enough to allow themselves to be turned, who may (or may not) have been true conservatives, but then they allow themselves to fall prey to the sirens call of good media reports, engratiating themselves to those who will write the history boooks, to those who seek to enlarge their images among the movers and shakers of society, to become their darlings....and in the process abrogating their duty to the public and making it evident they have forfeited their self respect and principles. What a legacy. What a crying shame. A planned destruction of this republic, and Roberts was handed to keys to keep faith with the Constitution and the blood and treasure which was given to give us for the price of their lives, fortune, and sacred honor. Where is Roberts honor? Where is his fidelity to that document men fought and died for? I guess we know how Roberts answers Patrick Henrys question....I life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchaced at the price of chains and slavery? What is it that they wish? What is it that they have? Forbid it-Almighty God! Well Roberts has answered that question....He sits save and secure in his black dress far from tumult and danger, enjoying the fruits of the labors of others and he offers up a sacrifice of those very providers, their freedoms and the chains of enslavement of those posterity. Liberty or Chains...... Well, Roberts delivers chains for all but the oligarchy. Roberts breaks faith with his own word. I know men who do deals with a handshake. I would not deal with Roberts under any cirucumstance. He hoped for reconstituting the perception of the court in the eye of the public. He had done exactly the opposit. Where will you go to redress your grievances...the court? Heaven forbid. The cout is ruled over by a Kangaroo. This great guiding document had been assaulted and raped by a smiling Jack who slithered his way to the courts’ most esteemed seat. His is relegated to the will of Dante.


30 posted on 07/02/2012 1:46:40 PM PDT by Texas Songwriter (Ia)
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To: SeekAndFind

I actually thought Harriet Miers would have been better, but people here attacked her and I don’t recall why. It might have been something in her past that triggered the fanatical anti-immigration folks here, who have killled many a good candidate and opened the door to the Obama vote-getting amnesties. But that’s another matter altogether.

After that, Bush picked somebody he knew would be safe...a good manager with solid credentials but at the same time “moderate.”. And moderate is a gateway drug. They always go on to be raving liberals.

That said, I’m not sure Roberts was really being liberal here. Frankly, his whole opinion is so full of contradictions and irrationalities that it’s hard to say what he was being.


31 posted on 07/02/2012 1:54:46 PM PDT by livius
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To: SeekAndFind

Naah. The ones doing the selecting - for the most part - are RINOs.

They KNOW exactly what they are shovelling at us.
Roberts is a shovelful of “compassionate” conservatism.

I guess letting hordes of illegals across our borders or spending millions in American dollars and thousands of American lives trying to bring Democracy to a Mulsim Hellhole like Iraq or Afghanistan, is also.

Muchas Gracias Senior Presidente!! Viva Jorge El Segundo!!


32 posted on 07/02/2012 1:55:33 PM PDT by ZULU (See: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=D9vQt6IXXaM&hd)
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To: SeekAndFind
Yet Republicans, more often than not, appoint justices who vote with the other side on critical decisions.

Why do we insist on believing that Republican necessarily equals conservative?

33 posted on 07/02/2012 1:56:34 PM PDT by Sons of Union Vets (No taxation without representation!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Republican presidents pick justices that reflect their political philosophies.

Roberts’ decision perfectly reflect Bush’s statist phgilosophy.


34 posted on 07/02/2012 2:02:14 PM PDT by DManA
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To: SeekAndFind

Because ultimately they are not much different than democrats. That want to expand the power of the federal government and goose step all over the citizens.


35 posted on 07/02/2012 2:03:29 PM PDT by formosa (Formosa)
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To: Perdogg

Nah. The Justices won’t do that. MAYBE 2 but probably just one. Now so many are so old one may die, but Justices have an unwritten rule they all abide and that is not to mass retire.


36 posted on 07/02/2012 2:05:28 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: livius

Miers had ZERO judicial experience. She was a total unknown.

Bush tried to sell her by saying she was good people, trust me.

Yea, sure George.


37 posted on 07/02/2012 2:06:44 PM PDT by DManA
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To: All; longtermmemmory
Nine of nine went to

Harvard Law

Yale Law


38 posted on 07/02/2012 2:15:30 PM PDT by newzjunkey
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To: SeekAndFind

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a second party to oppose the Big Government party?


39 posted on 07/02/2012 2:15:30 PM PDT by Standing Wolf
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To: SeekAndFind
Simple

Republicans do not control the process by which Supreme Court Justices are selected.

RINO's control the process.

Until we "fix" that, expect more of the same.

40 posted on 07/02/2012 2:15:53 PM PDT by sjmjax (Politicans are like bananas - they start out green, turn yellow, then rot.)
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