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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 ...
These unpleasant moments could be avoided if duels to settle matters of honor were still in vogue.
Obama is defying court rulings left and right.
Co-equal?
Ha!
I’m glad they chose not to attend.
Thank goodness,the gay ones showed up!
It looked like Bonehead was not happy he had to sit through that mess too. I wonder if he had straight vodka in that water glass.
Oh yeah. I remember that, when Alito mouthed “not true”. And he was right but when the first lie gets out of the box, there’s no getting it back. Especially if hussein said it. Typical radical left wing extremist demokkkrat tactics. I didn’t watch last night, but I hear that hussein is going to order the climate to behave with an EO if congress won’t work with him.
Citizens United=EVIL.
Unions=rainbows, skittles, AZ ice tea, unicorns and fairy dust and everything is wonderful.
I think it was Mark Twain that said a lie can get half way around the world before the truth can put it’s pants on.
Our Hipster Dufus president inspires no one...Only the lazy, no work, I want it all for nothing idiots are listening...The rest of us have had it up to here with his $hit!
If you would be so kind as to post that stuff to someone else and leave me out of it, I would appreciate it.
I’m here to respond to the thread’s point.
That’s all.
I thought it was customary for one member of each branch not to attend.
So this year three members of the SupremeCourt decided not to go. Why should they? Obama uses his speeches to castigate them.
There are a lot more things to worry about rather than who goes to hear the ramblings of this President. I bet most Americans didn’t watch.
I disagree with the author. I don’t think Justices Scalia, Thomas, and Alito had an obligation to attend based on tradition or symbolism.
When the President of the United States of America regularly behaves as a dictator and tyrant who circumvents the United States Congress and the United States Constitution, it is incumbent upon those whose duty it is to uphold the Supreme Law of this land to stand upon their absence from the State of the Union Address as an act of symbolism.
Barack Obama does not respect the majesty of the United States Constitution. Justices Scalia, Thomas, and Alito should not pretend otherwise.
“They should have been there.”
IMHO These two comments contradict each other. Who wants to be a captive audience and have obama ridicule and embarrass you in public AGAIN.......I don't blame em, I would have been absent also.
RE: Why should they? Obama uses his speeches to castigate them.
I was half expecting Obama to praise the SCOTUS for not stopping Obamacare (in fact, I was half expecting him to point towards John Roberts in the process ).
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The lilly livered Rick Moran still thinks Obama is fair.
Enough said.
He did the same thing to Paul Ryan too. That’s why what Ben Carson did was so sweet.
***********************
Thank God for these three. I didn't watch it. Even a brief glimpse on TV of bho or his wife is nauseating to me.
SCOOP
Alito’s mother died, that’s why he wasn’t there. FWIW.
“That’s why what Ben Carson did was so sweet.”
Cal Thomas said Ben Carson was rude to do it at the breakfast meeting and he should have used another venue.
I completely disagree. The press would never have covered what Ben Carson had said if it had been some other venue without the President being there. The press won’t do it’s job, so it’s up to individuals to do it for them.
Ben Carson is the MAN! Wish some of our politicians were as brave.
For what it’s worth.......
And it made two scholars, Todd C. Peppers of Roanoke College and Micheal W. Giles of Emory University, undertake heroic work to assemble a mountain of data for a study on trends in this area based on videos, photographs and newspaper articles.
They found that justices’ attendance had been falling. From 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson moved the address from the afternoon to the evening, through 1980, the attendance rate was 84 percent. Over the next two decades, the number dropped to 53 percent. Since 2000, the rate has fallen to 32 percent.
In three of those years, only Justice Stephen G. Breyer attended. In 2000, when Justice Breyer stayed home with the flu, no justice was present.
end snip
No, they shouldn't have been there, not after the shabby way that Obama and his flying monkeys have been treating the Court.
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.
The Justices didn’t need to be there. Nothing in the Constitution requires their presence and it’s good for them to remind The One that he is not ominpotent and all-controlling.
Condolences and prayers up to Justice Alito.
Never easy to lose people you love.
Exactly.
Didn’t (couldn’t watch), but the one pic I’ve seen looks like Bonehead had a disgusted look on his face - from 0’s fibs and drivel. Not sure about the Wodka ;)
bttt
Mu condolences to Justice Alito on the passing of his mother.
Now, having said that, even if his mother were alive and healthy, I doubt if he would attend.
Alito has not been attending the SOTU for sometime and for good reason.
See here:
http://news.msn.com/politics/alito-again-absent-from-obamas-state-of-the-union-speech
and here:
This should, I doubt it will, but should be the start of a cascade of events. The zenith will be members of congress walking out (not as a stunt, like the rats do from time to time, but with no intention of returning). It will culminate in either peaceful secession, or war.
I'm with you.
Darn that PMS. It’s a killah! LOL!
And who could blame them for not attending....after Barry chastized them the last time....as if they were naughty little kids that had misbehaved....when all they did was uphold the frigging LAW.
Too bad there are only three now that have integrity. I’m sure Barry is working on that pesky little problem of those three dissenters as we speak.
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