Fox News Poll Says Supreme Court Justices Should Be Good Judges? Duh
By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
This falls into the "duh" category. Fox News is only the latest organization to release a poll showing many Americans believe judicial experience should be the most important factor in choosing the next Supreme Court Justice, outweighing race, gender, or any other factor, including the candidate's position on issues:
The latest FOX News poll shows nearly half of voters nationwide—45 percent—think judicial experience should be the "single most important factor" in picking the next justice. Five percent say being a woman should be the single most important factor, 4 percent say being a minority and 4 percent say being a homosexual. About 1 in 10 people (12 percent) think sharing President Obama's views on key issues should be the single most important quality.
But American public opinion begs several questions on this point. First, there are plenty of experienced jurists of all genders, colors, sexual preferences, and so on. So lack of experience is not a barrier to picking someone who also brings some sort of diversity to the table. It may have been a barrier two decades ago, but not now.
Also, if Americans think presidents don't take a nominee's political views into account, they must be vacationing here and living on another planet.
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Tags: Supreme Court | polls | Fox News
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Reader Comments
"this coffee may be hot"....duh
Between our Government and what we now call the public news, duh is a great description. To hear our Favorite JR Senator stand up and declare "his" nominee will do anything besides uphold Constitutional law and in particular that he would not concern himself with "judicial experience" exemplifies this point.
At least FOX is reminding EVERYBODY what being a "judge" is supposed to be.
Wish Mr Obama had a clue!
Supreme Court Judges Selection
Ms. Erbe
"Duh" would seem to just about cover your thought process regarding this most serious matter. No offense intended.
The Constitution, (you remember that pesky little piece of paper that keeps getting in the way of creative liberal thought), prohibits all of the litmus tests that you favor. A candidates "position on political issues" is especially inappropriate as a selection criteria.
All Americans, both left and right depend on the Supreme Court to give opinions based on Constitutional mandate, not on the Justices personally held political "position on issues". Whenever the people lose their faith in the courts integrity, and begin to believe cases will be decided on the Justices "political position" and not on the law, Anarchy will invaribly result. Positions on issues" change but the Constitution is the one constant that people on all points of the political compass have every right to believe in.
I hope that Most Americans could not care less about the gender, race or what rings their bell in bed concerning their judges. I personally discount those that do use such litmus tests as being idiots with way too much time on their hands.
However, I do demand that those selected know,understand and
use our Constitution as the legal yardstick for making their judicial decisions.
Sadly, in the past, far too many of their decisions have been rendered that were the product of bias, at both ends of the political spectrum, and were not the product of thoughtful legal construction. However if we base court selection upon anything other than the candidates legal philosophy and track record we are building more bias into the system, not purging it out.
Anyway, thats my story and I'm sticking to it.
W.M.F.
Really
I am not sure what is worse....
A) You get paid for this
B) I am reading and responding
BO will put in another Liberal judge and we will be in the same ol mess b/c the good ol boy network is still in place.
The only CHANGE I see is the stuff leaving my pockets.
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