Supreme Court to begin new term short-handed as its ideological balance hinges on fall vote

Washington Post ^ | October 1, 2016 | By Robert Barnes

[SMGFan]

The Supreme Court’s new term begins Monday with the focus not on the court’s docket but on the court itself and a future that will be defined by the presidential election. For the first time in decades, there will be only eight justices, not nine, to begin the new term. Also absent are the kind of big-ticket cases — involving immigration reform, affirmative action, abortion, same-sex marriage and the Affordable Care Act — that in recent years have catapulted the Supreme Court to the fore of American civic life. Instead, the short-handed court has assembled a docket of more-modest cases — albeit ones that touch on contemporary controversies such as the role of race in criminal justice and politics, free speech and perhaps the treatment of transgender students.

[SMGFan]

McConnell did something right, to protect his power?

[Don Corleone]

We cannot sit on the edge of a teeter-totter to oblivion forever. Vote Trump to save the SCOTUS!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

VOTE like your CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS depend on it; because they DO!

[DoodleDawg]

You really think that the Democrats will allow a Trump Supreme Court nominee come to a vote?

[Yulee]

“Instead, the short-handed court has assembled a docket of more-modest cases — albeit ones that touch on contemporary controversies such as the role of race in criminal justice and politics, free speech and perhaps the treatment of transgender students.”

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Ideological Balance?

1. There should be no ideological balance. All Justices should be strict Constitutionalists. The shift started with FDR and his expansion of the Court to support his socialist agenda.

2. The cases chosen probably are those that a left leaning Federal judge last ruled on favoring the left. The decision will to be let the previous court's ruling stand, because of the split court.

3. Once there is a tie, the Dems will continually yell that its anarchy, and Obama should be allowed to appoint a Progressive to the Supreme Court.

[Paladin2]

Where did Roberts spend the Summer?

[DanZ]

We cannot sit on the edge of a teeter-totter to oblivion forever. Vote Trump to save the SCOTUS!

what in the world makes you think that The Donald will appoint SMALL - LIMITED FEDERAL G'mtn Constitution abiding people when the previous RINOs, even Ronaldus Magnus have given us MAJOR Communist style BIG G'ment dictatorship lovers such as

Nixon -William Rehnquist 1972 2005 (-)

Ford -John Paul Stevens 1975 2010 (-)

Reagan -Sandra Day O'Connor 1981 2006 (-)

Reagan -Antonin Scalia 2016 1986 (+)

Reagan -Anthony Kennedy 1988 present (-)

Bush I -David Souter 1990 2009 (-)

Bush I -Clarence Thomas 1991 present (+)

Clinto -Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1993 present (-)

Clinto -Stephen Breyer 1994 present (-)

Bush II -John G. Roberts 2005 present (-)

Bush II -Samuel Alito 2006 present (+)

Obama -Sonia Sotomayor 2009 present (-)

Obama -Elena Kagan 2010 present (-)