Justice Scalia Dead at 79

[Obscure_Trash]

May be language in comments: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/13/politics/sup...lia-dies-at-79/

 

In case you missed it when it was trending, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, aged 79; conservative; and longest serving member of the current bench, was found dead after saying he did not feel well one night. No investigation pending.

 

Obama plans to nominate a new Justice, saying there is plenty of time for a nomination to happen. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid agrees a new justice needs appointed right away. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell disagrees, saying a new nomination should be the duty of the new president.

 

Republicans have sworn to block any nomination Obama puts forth. Petitions and campaigns have already begun to stop this action and allow Obama to nominate a new justice in the coming months.

 

Let the political storm begin.

[Obscure_Trash]

While I understand that Scalia's family is having a hard time right now, Scalia was a political figure in a very powerful position in the USA. His political decisions and opinions are ones that harmed many of us, including myself. For those unfamiliar, here are some of his quotes. He was an outspoken racist and homophobe.

 

I am glad that he is finally off the bench, although my thoughts are with his family.

 

I hope that Obama will be able to name a replacement but there is very real chance that Republicans will staunchly block him, and his nominations, no matter how middle-ground, will fail. In that case, although I already hoped that, considering the two party system only, Sanders will win and be able to name the new nomination. The majority of Supreme Court justices for the past 40 years or so are Repub noms. I am anxious to get to see a Democrat-nominated majority.

[Vhale]

The real problem with blocking it (to me) is it will only serve to erode the public's trust in the court as it makes it blatantly clear it's not as neutral as it's meant to be. More, short term gain for long term losses. But I do know more people expressing an interest in voting in the primary over it. Though usually due to Trump's involvement, one way or the other.

[birdzgoboom]

The subject is touchy, so I will put in my opinion and leave it:

 

I do not want to see the Supreme Court pushed in any one direction (mostly Democratic or mostly Republican), as that creates a fairly obvious tilt in one party's favour over the other.

Courts should be kept in the middle, and they should be kept free of politics. Of course, that's pretty much impossible because both sides are always wanting to get a one-up on one another.

 

I can see why the right is worried about Obama's potential nominee. I can see why the left is worried about what the right will do. It's a depressing situation because power grabs can be made by both sides, and I expect it to happen.

 

Justice is supposed to be blind. But... I don't know. Politics seem to just run everything anymore.

Hopefully the person that will take Scalia's place is a neutral party. There needs to be neutrality in the court... not bias and politics.

 

Either way, my heart goes out to the late Justice Scalia's family. It's sad to hear that he passed so suddenly.

[Gruff]

A potentially hot button topic.

 

I do feel that Obama should be allowed to appoint the supreme court justice, as he is the sitting president with nearly eleven months before the next president is sworn in next January. That is way too long to wait.

 

I do think though he would do better to nominate a more central, middle to the road, slightly left leaning candidate than one with a more extreme liberal view. It would be a lot easier to get through congress with a lot less gridlock. But since it is an election year, I fully expect the worst.

 

For the moment, I am on the fence leaning to not too impressed with the last two appointees Justice Kagan or Sotomeyer. It is a crap-shoot in a way. Souter was nominated by Bush I. You never really know how the justice will be until they have been actually appointed and see how they vote/interpret.

 

 

[6Sigma]

I hope that Obama will be able to name a replacement but there is very real chance that Republicans will staunchly block him, and his nominations, no matter how middle-ground, will fail.

 

Obama should not go with a moderate. He should pick Loretta Lynch! There's a good chance that the Republicans will nominate The Donald. He has a low chance of winning a general election, so the Republicans will have no leverage. However, there is a significant chance Roboto is nominated. Roboto probably has an advantage in a general election unfortunately.

 

His political decisions and opinions are ones that harmed many of us, including myself. For those unfamiliar, here are some of his quotes. He was an outspoken racist and homophobe.

 

It's annoying that the press is lionizing him. Scalia was an enormous hypocrite. That's his legacy.

 

In that case, although I already hoped that, considering the two party system only, Sanders will win and be able to name the new nomination. The majority of Supreme Court justices for the past 40 years or so are Repub noms. I am anxious to get to see a Democrat-nominated majority.

 

While Sanders is a better candidate than Broom Hilda, he might not do as well in the general election (despite polls currently suggesting he beats the Republicans more than Broom Hilda). Also, Bloomberg is hinting on an Independent run if it looks like Sanders vs. The Donald. That will spoil the election, and it'll be a shame because it'll likely mean Republicans have a lock on the SC for decades more. The spoiler effect can easily be negated by changing the voting process to range voting, but nobody advocates for a change. It's annoying.