Chief Rehnquist is Dead.

[The_Dark]

Thoughts?

crap... can someone fix my spelling of the topic?

[paradox]

yup, i just heard that.

guess it was bound to happen sooner or later...

[Msterbeau]

Rehnquist - (sp)

Oh... this should make things interesting. :doh

[paradox]

in what fashion?

[The_Dark]

He was 80 and in poor health.... most likely the cancer that has been killing him for a year.

[Msterbeau]

In every sense of the word. Two freakin Supreme Court judges to replace at the same time?????

They've already restricted access to the confirmation hearings for Roberts. Umm.. why? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?

[paradox]

no clue. i try to stay clear of silly things like that.

theres so much more to life than trying to figure out how best to screw yer fellow man.

[SomeDanGuy]

Ohhhhhhhh shit. Another justice to be appointed :-/

Looks like Pat Robertson got what he prayed for. Apparently he has provisional smiting authority for god.

[Amerist]

Thoughts?

crap... can someone fix my spelling of the topic?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard earlier today. That's very, very bad.

Oh, and on the spelling -- not like I could spell it at all myself, and I knew instantly who it was referring to when I saw the topic. (I am annoyed we cannot edit our own bloody topics once set, oh how I know that pain.) Don't sweat it.

[Homicidalheathen]

I am sure whoever takes his place, I won't like.

[The_Dark]

It's a little early to be passing judgement on a replacement.. noone has even been nominated yet.

[phee]

I am sure whoever takes his place, I won't like.

I have to agree with dark on this one... while the chances are it will be someone very Bush camp like... it is far too easy to tell.

[Msterbeau]

I have to agree with dark on this one... while the chances are it will be someone very Bush camp like... it is far too easy to tell.

True. For the first time in his presidency, he admitted an error. (Fuck-ups with aid to Katrina victims.) His administration might be on a roll.

And I might have a bridge to sell... :whistling

[Shade Everdark]

I think I've had my exception on appointees by idiots.

I can all but guarantee I won't much care for who Bush appoints.

[The_Dark]

Well, according to the news this morning.. Bush elevated Robert's nomination to Chief Justice... that buys him time to pick someone else for the "lesser" seat.

[SomeDanGuy]

Well, according to the news this morning.. Bush elevated Robert's nomination to Chief Justice... that buys him time to pick someone else for the "lesser" seat.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is that normal? I know a lot of people expected it, but it seems weird to have someone go straight to chief justice before even serving on the court at all

[The_Dark]

Yeah, that’s normal.

The following were Chief Justice without ever having been an associate justice:

Warren E. Burger

Earl Warren (by Recess appointment no less)

Fred M. Vinson

Charles E. Hughes

William Howard Taft (He was also President of the United States from 1908-1911)

Melville Fuller

Morrison Waite

Salmon Chase

Roger Taney (He was nominated as an Associate Justice but was not confirmed, which is odd, because when he was nominated for Chief Justice he was...)

John Marshall (another odd one... he was also Secretary of State at the same time)

Oliver Ellsworth

John Jay (he was the first one)

btw.. thats almost all of them.

[Msterbeau]

Yeah, that’s normal.

The following were Chief Justice without ever having been an associate justice:

Warren E. Burger

Earl Warren (by Recess appointment no less)

Fred M. Vinson

Charles E. Hughes

William Howard Taft (He was also President of the United States from 1908-1911)

Melville Fuller

Morrison Waite

Salmon Chase

Roger Taney (He was nominated as an Associate Justice but was not confirmed, which is odd, because when he was nominated for Chief Justice he was...)

John Marshall (another odd one... he was also Secretary of State at the same time)

Oliver Ellsworth

John Jay (he was the first one)

btw.. thats almost all of them.

That does seem odd. You'd think they would elvate an associate justice to the position so they have someone there with some years of experience on the court first. *shrugs*

[The_Dark]

What is really odd, is that you two don't know how your country works. There has only been 3 Chief Justices that were Associate Justices first... Those were the odd balls.

[Shade Everdark]

Yeah, heaven forbid the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ever have had any experience on the Supreme Court.

How stupid are we for expecting that?

[The_Dark]

Noone said anyone was stupid. Frankly I'm shocked that people I normally think of as being knowledgable of our government are ignorant of its mechanics.

[Paint it Black]

Yeah, heaven forbid the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ever have had any experience on the Supreme Court.

How stupid are we for expecting that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Being experienced on the Supreme Court is not really an issue. It is being experienced in Constitutional law which is important.

It makes sense poitically for the President to put his choice into the position of Chief Justice and is totally within his powers as the Chief Executive.