President Obama may appoint 3 to 4 Supreme Court judges...

[rogerballard]

Curious to know what names the DU community might throw out there for all of us to share.........?

[Eric J in MN]

1. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI).

Someone who works for the ACLU or "The Center for Constitutional Rights" could also make a good Justice.

[rogerballard]

3. Thank you

This is our time, this is our moment, lets make the best of it.

[JDPriestly]

2. Someone that John Edwards would recommend.

John Edwards might not be able to get past the Senate, but I would like to see Obama ask John Edwards to suggest a young plaintiff's attorney whose stance on abortion is not publicly or generally known and appoint him. I would like to see a Supreme Court justice who understands law regarding products liability litigation, consumer rights and employee rights.

[rogerballard]

5. Excellent

All important ! Considering our "mandate", love that word, any who, are we not so sure that Mr. Edwards might pass the senate?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. No idea!

But I just want to say how very relieved I am that it will be Obama who makes these decisions!

He will shape the Court for many years.

What a relief!

[rogerballard]

10. Peggy, truly a relief

I am very curious to know what other people have thought on DU about the appointments, I (we) don't know for certain that President Obama will appoint 3 to 4 but we never know, even two would be nice!

[Renegade08]

22. Could you imagine McCain and Palin picking Supreme Court justices?

What a disaster that would be. With McCain, given the piss-poor judgment he showed during the campaign, he might end up picking people like that idiot who keeps filing lawsuits claiming that Obama is not a US citizen. That would be a maverick thing to do! Or, more realistically, he'd appoint people based on whether they were his "soulmates" or not.

And if Palin were president -- what a horrifying thought. She'd appoint people like her high school classmate from Wasilla and current Alaska attorney general; or wingnuts like Michelle Bachmann, Bill Kristol, or Reverend Hagee.

The only thing that would prevent those two from destroying the Court is the fact that the dems control the senate and would vote down their stupid picks.

[rogerballard]

26. I am and we are so sick of .....

I cant even type her name, there was a reason for President Obama's landslide, that name being one of them. Scary indeed.

[TahitiNut]

6. Jonathan Turley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Turley

Unfortunately, anyone with his degree of media exposure is unlikely to be confirmed. But that includes just about everyone DU would discuss.

Among the lesser known candidates, I like Mari Matsuda. She has a remarkable track record.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Matsuda

[rogerballard]

11. Thanks for the link.........

lots of info there.

[rogerballard]

44. love constitutional law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Matsuda

[Flubadubya]

46. How do you feel about this TahitiNut?

"Turley, in his capacity as a constitutional scholar, testified in favor of the Clinton impeachment."

I remember this was his argument at the time and it really pissed me off. I never did understand how he rationalized it from a constitutional perspective. I was (and still am) convinced that his support of it was never "constitutional" at all but, rather, political. It caused me to lose respect for him as a "constitutional scholar".

He has certainly been on the right track about BushCo and their ravaging of the Constitution, but I still am mystified at his support for Clinton's impeachment. :shrug:

[TahitiNut]

48. I dislike the attitude that impeachment is some terrible, terrible thing to be avoided at all cost.

As a matter of principle, I'm in favor of more impeachments. Justices of the Supreme Court and so on. We don't have enough impeachments and more are warranted, imho. While I certainly view the right wing persecution/inquisition of Clinton as wretched hubris and irresponsible partisan behavior, I'm also not particularly a big fan of Clinton's presidency.

Indeed, however, Clinton WAS impeached. He wasn't removed. If he were, Gore would have become President. I don't personally think that would have been all bad.

The "sky is falling" treatment of impeachment disserves government accountability, imho. I sure as Hell think Smirk and Sneer deserve it ... all the way to imprisonment. The idea that its some big tragedy is ridiculous, imho.

[TlalocW]

7. Wapner... definitely Wapner... yeah, definitely

TlalocW

[TexasObserver]

8. He could get five.

Stevens
Kennedy
Ginsberg
Breyer
Souter

[Renegade08]

12. He could get six. Scalia is 72. He'll be 80 by the end of Obama's 2nd term.

[rogerballard]

13. Love that.......

ok another question, who will be our nominee after President Obama's second term :) ????

[dorkulon]

19. It's my bet Scalia will hold out, the bastard.

He'll do whatever he can to stay alive until there's another Republican in the WH. He's too stubborn to die.

[backscatter712]

21. Scalia's the one I'd like to see replaced with a liberal justice.

Stevens, Ginsberg, Breyer and Souter are the liberals - when Obama replaces them, he just maintains the status quo. Kennedy's the swing judge, and I wouldn't mind replacing him with someone more on our side.

But Scalia - if he retires or otherwise gives up his seat, replacing him with someone who understands and RESPECTS the Constitution would definitely be helpful. It's possible that Clarence Thomas could also be replaced, though he could just as likely stay on for all of Obama's presidency. Alito and Roberts, unfortunately are going to be there a while...

[Renegade08]

25. Unfortunately, Thomas is a young 60 and is stubborn as a mule.

[Paladin]

47. Yeah, But What Would He Do Without Fat Tony To Copy Off Of? (n/t)

[TexasObserver]

36. Yes, but I think he could actually get five his first term. Six would be great.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. I hope hope hope that he gets to replace at least one of the RWers..

[Donald Ian Rankin]

14. Not likely, sadly.

Conceivably he might manage one if he lasts eight years, but even if he does it's more probable that all he'll get to do is replace liberals with liberals.

[Staph]

15. I think that Scalia may be replaced in the next eight years.

He is 72 years old, and in the few public appearances I have seen of him, he looks like he has a short fuse and high blood pressure. Dealing with a Democratic Congress and White House just might send him over the edge!

[rogerballard]

18. how about the next 4 years.....?

instead of eight, I like the sound of that, I saw the last interview that 60 minutes did and of course left a very bad taste in my mouth.

[Benhurst]

37. O Happy Day!

[rogerballard]

43. You got that right!

Oh happy day

[Renegade08]

16. Larry Lessig would be a very interesting choice.

Cass Sunstein is also a possibility, but he wouldn't be one of my top choices.

He's probably going to pick a Latino for the Court as well.

I'd like to see a state supreme court justice picked as well. Way too many former federal appellate court judges on the Court right now (at least seven, I believe. All of them except Stevens and Souter).

[kurt_cagle]

28. I'd second Lessig

He has the technical chops as well as the code background, something that the SCOTUS desperately needs, he's relatively young, and he's well respected as a civil libertarian as well as one of the preeminent legal authorities on contemporary patent law.

[Renegade08]

33. Yes, he's someone with the right politics, legal smarts, and on the cutting edge of

legal, political, and technological issues. Were he to be appointed, he'd be the first truly 21st century justices. Alito and Roberts, not so much. They're more like the late century justices who ruled that blacks could never become American citizens and helped to dismantle reconstruction, usher in racial segregation, and protect the interests of robber barons.

[Eryemil]

17. I usually look at qualifications and nothing else

But in this case age is a factor for me. Younger justices please.

[dorkulon]

20. Definitely.

It's a waiting game.

[rogerballard]

23. How old are you?

I am 49, 50 next year, this is a very important decision on President Obama's part, we definitely need some sort of balance for these appointments and yes I agree younger would be better.

[Eryemil]

31. You mean me? I am 19yo

And sadly not qualified for the position. Hahaha

[rogerballard]

35. Yes you, and you have a voice and it needs to be heard

19, 49, 79. No matter, we all need to be heard.

[ColbertWatcher]

24. I say Erwin Chemerinsky, another DUer else suggested ...

... Jennifer Granholm (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7871894&mesg_id=7871894).

[Renegade08]

27. Chemerinsky's too old. Otherwise, he'd be a solid pick.

Well, he's not as old as I thought. He's 55 years old. He seems a lot older to me, though. Still, I'd rather Obama go for people in their 40s.

[ColbertWatcher]

51. True, plus also Chemerinsky is a prof, so he can teach the next generation! n/t

[rogerballard]

30. I was born and raised in Michigan

now living in Colorado, I have heard good and bad about Jennifer, from what I have seen and heard, she wouldn't be a bad choice, mind you I don't know the political climate of Michigan but I know that my birthplace needs help... she might have a place somewhere in President Obama's cabinet.

[cali]

29. Likely Obama choices: Harold Kuh, Sonia Sotomayor, Cass Sunstein.

[rogerballard]

32. constitutional law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein

[rogerballard]

34. A possiblility?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor

[rogerballard]

38. more kuh koh?

http://www.law.yale.edu/faculty/HKoh.htm

[happychatter]

39. what would it take to impeach one of those RW youngsters?

has it ever happened?

I think 2000 was reason enough to impeach the fucking LOT of them

[rogerballard]

41. lets start with the smirking chimp

http://www.dubyaspeak.com/

[Whoa20]

40. we need a Latino

on the court, as we have the chance to be the first party to appoint one, before the GOP does. I know Clinton appointed a good many, so Obama will have a choice selection to work with. I predict Stevens will leave, and if Obama gets a second term, by the end of it, perhaps Scalia and Kennedy will be gone. I also get the feeling Ginsburg may leave, she's kind of older

[rogerballard]

42. I (we ) dont have a problem with that, at least I dont, who would it be...

???? Names I need names , LOL please

[SoCalDem]

45. The ABA should be asked to submit 10 names every year

with a detailed report on each, and the appointees should be chosen from that list..

[mondo joe]

49. Feingold is my #1 choice. NT

[rogerballard]

50. Restoring the Rule of Law

http://feingold.senate.gov/



Restoring the Rule of Law

"As Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I held a hearing on Tuesday, September 16, on "Restoring the Rule of Law." During the hearing, we heard testimony from legal and historical experts on what steps the next president and the next Congress must take to repair the damage done by the Bush Administration to the rule of law.

In addition to the testimony of the witnesses at the hearing, I solicited responses from a host of other law professors, historians, advocates and other experts to offer a blueprint to the next president and Congress for what must be done, starting in January 2009, to reverse the previous administration’s abuses."

[donheld]

52. Judith Sheindlin