Fortunately, by that time they won't have the votes to sustain a filibuster.

MacEnvy: Fortunately, by that time they won't have the votes to sustain a filibuster.

Can the Democrats pass a cloture vote now that they have Specter, or do they have to wait for Franken to be seated to get enough votes?

Sgt Otter: MacEnvy: Fortunately, by that time they won't have the votes to sustain a filibuster.

Can the Democrats pass a cloture vote now that they have Specter, or do they have to wait for Franken to be seated to get enough votes?

The count is 59 with Specter, so they need Franken.

There is no guarantee that Specter would vote for cloture. Or that the Republicans will maintain perfect party discipline either, for that matter.

BuckTurgidson: There is no guarantee that Specter would vote for cloture. Or that the Republicans will maintain perfect party discipline either, for that matter.

Yes. It would be really, really unusual for not a single Republican to support; Obama would have to pick someone incredibly divisive, which is not really his style.

MacEnvy: Fortunately, by that time they won't have the votes to sustain a filibuster.

And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

Not Souter!

Souter retiring would be a total shock. Ginsburg and/or Stevens? Not so much.

KaponoFor3: Souter retiring would be a total shock.

This. And as for Stevens he'll leave the bench when he's good and dead.

WhyteRaven74: KaponoFor3: Souter retiring would be a total shock.

This. And as for Stevens he'll leave the bench when he's good and dead.

I have a feeling Ginsburg is gonna be the same way.

/she totally rocks

tudorgurl: I have a feeling Ginsburg is gonna be the same way.

I do as well.

tudorgurl: /she totally rocks

She's a great basketball coach, according to Fry's girlfriend.

wee: And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

ABSOLUTELY! Cloture is a check on an obstructionist minority trying to impose it's partisan bitterness the nation.

WhyteRaven74: KaponoFor3: Souter retiring would be a total shock.

This. And as for Stevens he'll leave the bench when he's good and dead.

Not sure about that. He might just be going for the record of longest SCOTUS term before stepping down. That'd be within Obama's term of office, btw.

TheOther: wee: And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

ABSOLUTELY! Cloture is a check on an obstructionist minority trying to impose it's partisan bitterness the nation.

it accidentally the nation?

wee: And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

Not when the people who act as the check are batshiat insane and intent on doing what they want, no matter what the nation says, and no matter how destructive their ideas are.

UNC_Samurai: TheOther: wee: And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

ABSOLUTELY! Cloture is a check on an obstructionist minority trying to impose it's partisan bitterness the nation.

it accidentally the nation?

...not only did I fark that up, I don't know which is correct: 'on the nation' or 'upon the nation'?...and should it be 'check on' or 'check upon'??

Time to stop typing; start drinking.

if i had to guess, i would think the dems will pick up even more senate seats in 2010 and filibusters will become highly unlikely.

unless the republicans manage to somehow get above their recent 21% self-identified numbers...

Justice David Souter plans to retire from Supreme Court, NBC News reports

Hmm. Interesting.

If this is true, he must have been just waiting for Obama to take office.

/I can't recall if it was Souter or Breyer that seriously considered retiring due to Bush v. Gore.
//I think it was Souter.

Heh, we know why now.

Big O gets his first pick at Supreme Court.


...oh, I can't wait for this.

Anyone know what's going on with the school strip search case they're hearing? Haven't been following it.

To bad he cant take Scalia with him.

Obdicut: It would be really, really unusual for not a single Republican to support

What are you basing that on?

You can't go by the actions of past Congresses. The Senate Republicans of THIS Congress have shown no interest in tradition or comity. They're just interested in obstruction.

Neeek: /I can't recall if it was Souter or Breyer that seriously considered retiring due to Bush v. Gore.

It certainly seems more Souter's style than Breyer's. Glad neither chose to go, though.

sgilman: To bad he cant take Scalia with him.

Or Thomas.

wee: And that's a very scary thing. Checks and balances are good.

That's not what checks and balances means.

eraser8: The Senate Republicans of THIS Congress have shown no interest in tradition or comity. They're just interested in obstruction.

George Voinovich. Olympia Snowe. Susan Collins.

eraser8: You can't go by the actions of past Congresses. The Senate Republicans of THIS Congress have shown no interest in tradition or comity. They're just interested in obstruction.

Well, you could base it on the actions of the previous Congress, seeing as how all of the current GOP Senators are holdovers from it.

Of course, that Congress broke the record for most filibusters in a session of Congress. Before it was half over. So...yeah.

I nominate Rachel Maddow.

Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?

bubbaprog: George Voinovich. Olympia Snowe. Susan Collins.

Are you talking about the same Voinovich who routinely votes against cloture? And the same Snowe and Collins who generally vote against cloture?

TheOther: Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?

Judge Joe Brown and Judge Mathis. The guy from Moral Court too.

Neeek: Well, you could base it on the actions of the previous Congress, seeing as how all of the current GOP Senators are holdovers from it.

Even then, the past Congress didn't have a Democratic president to deal with. So there was actually less incentive for them to filibuster as they had a reliable veto waiting at the end of the legislative process.

Supreme.......and has been to court


/bam

This can not bode well for America, or the Constitution.

Lets see the picks and then see if theres any obstruction or moderates for that matter.

That Souter is such a cutey, in a Droopy Dawg sort of way. I just want to pinch his cheeks and waggle his ears and snuggle him in a supreme snuggy.

\was that wrong? Should I not have said that?

TheOther: Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?

It's hard to say. The federal judiciary has so many Reagan/Bush/Bush appointees that finding Dems on an Circuit Court is actually hard. On the other hand, Erwin Chemerinsky could be an awesome choice.

Giltric: This can not bode well for America, or the Constitution.

Lets see the picks and then see if theres any obstruction or moderates for that matter.

What are you on about? I sincerely hope this is just the first of several picks Obama gets for the SC.

100 days seems to be a reasonable amount of time to determine a Presidents character.

I hope this knocks the H1N1 out of the headlines.

NPR is running this:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103694193
Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire

by Nina Totenberg

NPR.org, April 30, 2009 · NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.

Anyone remember when Souter told Bush senior to mind his own business after he said something about how he hoped the court would rule in an abortion case? Was almost 20 years ago, but still sticks fresh in mind as something awesome.

Ex Parte Gilligan: NPR is running this

The cable news networks have confirmed it as well.

TheOther: Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?

Harriet Miers is available, I hear.

Kagan is probably the top pick. If she is, I don't foresee too much resistance. Orrin Hatch would likely back her nomination.

attackingpencil: Harriet Miers is available, I hear.

So is Sarah Palin.

TheOther: Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?


Supreme Court Justice William Jefferson Clinton.

attackingpencil: TheOther: Who are the leading possibilities for Souter's seat?

Harriet Miers is available, I hear.

To do what? Fix me a sammich? Cause that sure has my support!

It would be nice if Kennedy would resign. Then Obama could pick a solid non-idiot for the swing vote.

Ah, I can't wait till supreme court nomination time when all the republican's talk about the necessity of the filibuster for judicial nominees and all the democrats talk about how unconscionable it is for any nominee to have to pass any type of litmus test.

Out of curiosity does that make me a realist or a cynic? Because there is no chance in hell that that doesn't happen.

(Oh for the record all you checks and balances people, checks and balances are supposed to apply to the branches of government checking and balancing one another, not political parties balancing one another.)