The Senate confirmed John Roberts 78-22 today as the 17th chief justice of the United States. Here's how your senator voted. Here are the sixteen courts that preceeded the Roberts Court. Only two nominees for chief justice failed to receive confirmation. At 50, John Roberts may preside over a court that outlasts all previous courts. Today's vote, though a fait accompli, has historic and present-day importance. Forty-two men have served as president. Only seventeen have served as chief justice. And of those seventeen men, John Roberts inherits the court that is the most likely to inject itself into political questions traditionally answered by voters or their representatives.
Pardon my ignorance in this matter, but shouldn't it be a pre-requisite that the Chief Justice at least should have to be on the court in the first place?
Sort of an on the job training, if you will?
Is this unprecedented?
No. Most in the 20th century at least, came from outside the High Court. Taney, in the 19th, did as well.
Now for the good stuff: bring on Janice Rogers Brown.
Just kidding. Bush doesn't have the conviction or the fortitude to nominate her; I doubt he will even nominate Owen or Luttig.
Thanks.
Yes, it's sad but true. The Republicans, Bush in particular, lack the testicular fortitude to nominate someone that we could depend on. They're scared to act like winners!
Problem is, if the Republicans who are currently in power don't have the scrotum to take control, there are plenty of hungry Democrats that will.
Sad to say I think that's where we're going. Ronald Reagan should have taught classes on what Republicans should do.
Don't make em' like they used to.
Homer and ASDF, maybe it isn't a matter of courage but conviction. I mean why think that Bush or the power structure of the GOP dislikes the status quo? They could just be liberals is all I am saying.
I don't know which it is but either way it keeps me from being a Republican.
Unfortunately, it's clear that if it walks like a duck......in other words, even though they tout Republican values, they act more like liberal democrats.
So Brian, you might be right: it's not their adherence to conviction that seems to be the problem, it's more likely that they are in fact more liberal and their values democrat.
Either way, I feel extremely let down and am getting pretty tired of all of these cretins increasingly looking like they are made from the same cookie cutter.
