bush nominates supreme court judge with no previous judicial experience

[Ephemeral]

Without going into a diatribe about the current nomination and/or current administration….
There have been well over 45 nominations for the Supreme Court who were not previously judges. Anyone can be nominated, although it is probably best if the person has an understanding of law. Many great people in the past have made strong arguments about nominating non-judges, guys like Alexander Hamilton in the late 1700’s.

You people don’t agree that it might be a good thing to have some diversity on the Supreme Court?


Now going into the discussion about the current nomination and/or current administration, I see and hear plenty of bitching but I see no other suggestions or ideas to make things better. Stepping back and considering all things, this administration isn’t my favorite. But they have also presided over two of the largest disasters in recent history and that is hard in anyone’s book.
These people are all politicians, republicans AND democrats. Neither party has a monopoly on lying, cheating and stealing. They all develop holier-than-thou public servant attitudes. Look at Clinton, he was getting sucked off in the White House and lying to his family and everyone else about that. Hell, I voted for Richard Nixon for God’s sake. And don’t get me started about the Kennedy’s. One of the better administrations this country has had was run by a Hollywood actor.

Instead of simply bitching about the nomination or the current administration, what ideas do you guys have for making things better?

[Ephemeral]

Jesus Christ, when even Michelle Maulkin and Andrew Sullivan are talking shit, something is seriously wrong.

Actually...that makes me kind of suspicious. Like it is a trick, or something.

The sad fact is that this is politics. Many in the Rep. party wanted someone who is much more to the 'right' than the current nomination. Now they are pissed that Bush has recommended a more moderate person than they wanted.

[Sarien]

One of the better administrations this country has had was run by a Hollywood actor.

Assuming you mean Reagan, yeah better if you started out well off. If you were like my family, the 80's held little better than grinding poverty.

The sad fact is that this is politics. Many in the Rep. party wanted someone who is much more to the 'right' than the current nomination. Now they are pissed that Bush has recommended a more moderate person than they wanted.

No, they wanted a more openly "right" candidate. They're complaining because she has no real record, is an unknown. Meanwhile Bush, Cheney, et al, are all saying "Just trust us, you'll be happy with her." Which should be enough to make anybody nervous. Especially anybody that you know, believes in Women's Rights, etc.

[just]

But they have also presided over two of the largest disasters in recent history and that is hard in anyone’s book.

oh you mean Iraq & Afghanistan?

or by disasters, are you referring to "9/11"? lol.

[Krusnik]

Iraq, and Afganistan are not disasters..... He's referring to September 11, and Hurricane Katrina. He's changed the USA into big fat wad of conservatism.

[genocidal]

Eph's post was pretty accurate.

No previous judicial experience is irrelevant. As Eph said, many people with no previous judicial experience have been appointed to the Supreme Court. Hell, Franklin D. Roosevelt even appointed one (maybe two) without previous experience and I think we can all agree Roosevelt did a pretty good job as president (to say the least).

This woman is a lawyer, so it's not like Bush appointed some useless secretary he fucked one time and is making her Supreme Court justice so she won't leak it to the public (entirely possible though). She was the first female president of the Texas Bar Association and has been involved in government in many levels. I wouldn't say she is unqualified at all.

We'll have to see how the nomination pans out but I'm sure she'll pass with no real problem. Some top democrats seem to like her and Bush's base probably won't stray too far from him. From what I've read thus far she seems pretty good.

[Jerome Scuggs]

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORIST ATTACKS
Attack on America: Controlled Chaos for Global Dehumanization!
Resources -- Articles Sited by Alex Jones During His Broadcasts Regarding the Terrorist Attacks on the US
RECENT REVELATIONS AND THE ONGOING WHITEWASH

W199-EYE AND OTHER REVELATIONS ON THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S QUASHING OF FBI AGENTS' PROBES OF TERRORIST/AL-QAEDA OPERATIONS
THE HEGELIAN DIALECTIC (PROBLEM, REACTION, SOLUTION)

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: CLINTON
THE BUSH-BIN LADEN LINK

BUSH AND THE CARLYLE GROUP
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
SCHIPPERS

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
FAA, CIA, FBI

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: UK

ISRAELI PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
BIN LADEN-CIA TIES

PAST PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

US GOVT. TRAINING OF TERRORISTS

RUSSIAN PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
LETTING THE TALIBAN GO


BUSH THWARTS FBI PROBES

FEMA IN PLACE
BEFORE THE ATTACKS
LETTING THE
TERRORISTS GO

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE -- CIA, FAA, FBI IGNORED WARNINGS
MASS CONDITIONING AND THE POLICE STATE

PRIOR TO 9-11 THE US WAS PREPARING FOR WAR WITH AFGHANISTAN
THE US GOVT/ANTHRAX ATTACKS CONNECTION

THE COVER-UP BEGINS!


POST 9-11
SECURITY BLUNDERS
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND GENERAL--ANTHRAX

REP MCKINNEY: BUSH HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
THE OKC-MIDDLE EASTERN CONNECTION

BIN LADEN GETS AWAY -- AGAIN AND AGAIN

LINKS
SURGE IN TRADING PRIOR TO THE 9-11 ATTACKS

ONGOING QUESTIONABLE TIES
RELATED/PERTINENT INTERVIEWS ON THE ALEX JONES SHOW
ALEX JONES PRESENTS 911: THE ROAD TO TYRANNY -- WATCH IT NOW
W199-EYE AND OTHER REVELATIONS ON THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S QUASHING OF FBI AGENTS' PROBES OF TERRORIST/AL-QAEDA OPERATIONS

Click Here for an Image of a Portion of W199-eye, from Greg Palast's Book

Here Are More Mainstream Articles Covering Bush and W199-eye Running Defense for the Bin Ladens

Description of W199-eye from the BBC:
"Newsnight has obtained evidence that the FBI was on the trail of other members of the] Bin Laden family for links to terrorist organization before and after September 11th.

This document is marked "Secret". Case ID - 199-Eye W.F. 213 589. 199 is FBI code for case type. 9 would be murder. 65 would be espionage. 199 means national security. W.F. indicates Washington field office special agents were investigating ABC - because of it's relationship with the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, AMY - a suspected terrorist organisation. ABL is Abdullah Bin Laden, president and treasurer of WAMY."

Source: Has Someone Been Sitting on the FBI? BBC Newsnight Greg Palast Transcript -- BBC

FBI Lawyer: Bureau Official 'Deliberately' Thwarted Investigation
The now-infamous memo written by FBI veteran Colleen Rowley, the FBI's chief lawyer in the Minneapolis field office, to her boss, FBI Director Robert Mueller, reveals that bureau officials may have engaged in a massive cover-up to hide their malfeasance and negligence that apparently led to the events of Sept. 11.

Coleen Rowley's Memo to FBI Director Robert Mueller
An edited version of the agent's 13-page letter

FBI chiefs so lax agents felt they were spies
FBI officials in Washington not only stymied an investigation into flight school student Zacarias Moussaoui before September 11, but also tried to stop field agents linking the suspected 20th hijacker to the terrorist attacks after they occurred
Key Lawmaker: Probe of FBI Warrant Will Look at 'Racial Profiling' Concerns
A top congressman said Sunday he will examine whether concern the FBI would appear to be using "racial profiling" led it to remove key details from a search warrant request whose rejection kept the FBI from learning more about a terrorism suspect before Sept. 11.
RECENT REVELATIONS AND THE ONGOING WHITEWASH

Canada had hint of trouble pre-Sept. 11
Both Canadian and foreign intelligence services had heard vague warnings before Sept. 11 that some kind of attack was coming

FAA Warned of Bin Laden in 1998
The Federal Aviation Administration told airlines more than three years ago to be on a "high degree of alertness" against possible hijackings by followers of Osama bin Laden

MISSED MESSAGES
Why the government didn't know what it knew.
GOVT. PRIOR KNOWLEDGE -- CLINTON

Mr Clinton's half-hearted plans to pursue bin Laden were mocked by special forces operatives as "going Hollywood"
his threats to the Taliban that military force would be used were never followed by action.

US Equipped Terror Sponsors
Clinton exported NSA-ducking phone, high-tech encryption devices to Syria

Was Clinton pro-Taliban?
Congressman charges Afghan extremists were coddled, oversight efforts 'belittled'

Sunday Times of London: Clinton Missed Three Chances to Seize Bin Laden
Clinton turned down at least three offers involving foreign governments to help to seize Osama Bin Laden after he was identified as a terrorist who was threatening America, according to sources in Washington and the Middle East

MAG: SUDAN TRIED TO GIVE CLINTON ADMIN FILES ON BIN LADEN
Vanity Fair has obtained letters and memorandums that document approaches made by Sudanese intelligence officials and other emissaries to members of the Clinton administration to share information about many of the 22 terrorists on the government's most-wanted list, including: Osama bin Laden.

Resentful West Spurned Sudan's Key Terror Files
"Security chiefs on both sides of the Atlantic repeatedly turned down the chance to acquire a vast intelligence database on Osama bin Laden and more than 200 leading members of his al-Qaeda terrorist network in the years leading up to the 11 September attacks..."

In '96, Sudan Offered to Arrest bin Laden
IHT

How the U.S. Missed a Chance to Get Bin Laden
Thanks, But No Thanks

Sept. 11 may taint Clinton's "legacy"
Experts are debating whether to judge him as a leader occupied with domestic concerns, or condemn him for not taking action.

Clinton White House axed terror-fund probe
The Clinton administration shut down a 1995 investigation of Islamic charities, concerned that a public probe would expose Saudi Arabia's suspected ties to a global money-laundering operation that raised millions for anti-Israel terrorists

Clinton Failed to Act Decisively on Terrorism Warnings
Clinton hesitated and failed to act, always finding a reason why some other concern was more important

Clinton Let Bin Laden Slip Away and Metastasize
Sudan offered up the terrorist and data on his network. The then-president and his advisors didn't respond

Filipino police uncover 1995 leads to Sept. 11 plot
Recent arrests are providing new clues linking Al Qaeda to other bombing plots.

Operation Bojinka's bombshell
Americans apparently didn't take the foiled plot seriously enough

Bust and Boom
Six years before the September 11 attacks, Philippine police took down an al Qaeda cell that had been plotting, among other things, to fly explosives-laden planes into the Pentagon

U.S. Knew of Suicide Hijack Threat in 1995

[DoTheFandango]

This woman is a lawyer, so it's not like Bush appointed some useless secretary ...

She's still a cronie to Bush. She will do whats the best for the Party, not the best for the country. Something was said by an offical at the White House about her "doing what she's told". It is also said that many conservative Republicans are faking being overwhelmed by her "Liberalism" to show that she's obviously not TOO Conservative, thus giving Senators no reason to vote against her.

It's a sad day in our country. It's a sad day for Justice as we know it.

[Facetious]

most all of the people that had been justices before without previous judicial experience had been senators, governors, or held some other form of public office, so that you could figure out what they stood for. i believe its quite rare that someone that was just a lawyer gets elected to the supreme court. clearly, if youre a steadfast republican youre going to support this, and if you are a democrat, youre against it. i was just asking the moderates what they thought. asking "what would you do better" isnt really relevant. there are a million things i would do better if i had the life experience to be the president, which, at age 21, i certainly dont have. just because i am not capable of being the president right now doesnt mean i cant recognize at least some mistakes, however. at least to me, its clear that the president appointed someone to the supreme court not to be impartial and fair, but only to support his agenda. he couldnt get someone who had a voting record of being as conservative as he wanted in there, so he sacrificed having a justice with experience just to get someone that supports his backwards religious agenda.

[Theif of Time]

(Did Jerome just pull a tone?)

[pv=nrt]

gwb Will Put Us Into The Dark Ages Again With This Nomination. Oh Noes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cops]

I really thought he was going to pick someone more liberal, well atleast it's not another fat white male it's an ugly white female.

[Ephemeral]

most all of the people that had been justices before without previous judicial experience had been senators, governors, or held some other form of public office, so that you could figure out what they stood for. i believe its quite rare that someone that was just a lawyer gets elected to the supreme court. clearly, if youre a steadfast republican youre going to support this, and if you are a democrat, youre against it. i was just asking the moderates what they thought. asking "what would you do better" isnt really relevant. there are a million things i would do better if i had the life experience to be the president, which, at age 21, i certainly dont have. just because i am not capable of being the president right now doesnt mean i cant recognize at least some mistakes, however. at least to me, its clear that the president appointed someone to the supreme court not to be impartial and fair, but only to support his agenda. he couldnt get someone who had a voting record of being as conservative as he wanted in there, so he sacrificed having a justice with experience just to get someone that supports his backwards religious agenda.

Lost me with the 'I don't have the experience to doing things better but I know what is wrong'.

I was not saying that no one should say anything without the experience to be president. My opinion is that if a thread is simply going to trash talk a topic without consideration of all sides of an argument than it should be moved to Trash Talk.

As to the topic, my original post meant that the context should include ideas/suggestions on better nominations and/or historical support of this being a bad nomination.

Selecting a ‘friend’ for this kind of nomination has been done many times in the past. Johnson nominated a close personal friend who later left the court under very negative terms (one of the few Supreme Court judges who left under these kinds of conditions). History now looks back as this nomination as one of the worst. Truman nominated and placed 3 judges under similar conditions and most historians feel that these 3 judges as some of the worst.

My point is that Democrat administrations have done the exact kinds of things as the current one. They are all politicians, they all pretty much do the same things and neither party should be throwing stones at the other one. Same goes for us, lets not make this a Trash Talk thread by simply regurgitating emotional anit-Bush/Republican sound bites. Let's discuss ideas and perspectives that we all might learn from.

[genocidal]

Face: the ridiculous dichotomy between Democrat and Republican support you're playing off of ("if you're a Democrat you hate her and if you're a Republican you like her") is the exact type of black and white thinking that makes politicians bad. I mean, obviously some Democrats like this lady because the Senate minority leader, Harrey Reid, has already stated that he likes this nomination. If you were to say the Democrats are just in on this too then it would obviously be complete bullshit because this is the time when Democrats thrive on being counter to Bush's agenda - given his lacking popularity in the polls.

She's still a cronie to Bush. She will do whats the best for the Party, not the best for the country. Something was said by an offical at the White House about her "doing what she's told". It is also said that many conservative Republicans are faking being overwhelmed by her "Liberalism" to show that she's obviously not TOO Conservative, thus giving Senators no reason to vote against her.

It's a sad day in our country. It's a sad day for Justice as we know it.

Look, like Eph has said, cronyism isn't always bad. And, every President from every party does it. How do you think they pick their cabinets? The reason they pick people like that is because they know them and they are sure of their good judgment. If I were President I wouldn't pick some random fuckass just because he was a judge on some Federal Court - I would pick people who I knew would do a good job.

All that shit you said about her "doing what she's told" is complete bullshit in a world where she's a Supreme Court Justice FOR LIFE. She would have no reason to do what she was told once appointed and that's why Justices are appointed like that. You children just whine and moan because you think everything Bush does is bad.

By the way, conservatives are not "faking" their disapproval of this woman - they know she is the swing vote on many decisive issues and are afraid she'll vote against their wishes on issues like abortion, death penalty, and gay rights. I don't know where you got that but you guys are starting to sound like Tone with your stupid conservative conspiracy theories.

[Drastwing]

I can't read this whole thread before class but...

10 of the last 34 appointments to the supreme court had no previous "judicial" experience. Ronald Reagan, when elected governor of California, held no previous elected office. The quality of character is what leads men (and women) to greatness, not their education, prestige, and elitism.

President Bush knows the quality of Ms. Miers' character. If her character and judicial philosophy are indeed how he perceives them, and barring a Senatorial filibuster, we will have a wonderful associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court

EDIT: Okay I did have some time. Good posts Eph, Geno