From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V6 #240 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Thursday, November 4 2004 Volume 06 : Number 240 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] America ["Sandra J. Smith" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 23:42:27 -0800 From: "Sandra J. Smith" Subject: Re: [RS] America As a lawyer and a democrat, I'm very afraid of what this might mean for the United States Supreme Court. A few weeks ago, on his 80th birthday,Chief Justice Rehnquist announced that he has no plans to retire any time soon. But that was before he went into the hospital for a tracheotomy for thyroid cancer. Of course, Chief Justice Rehnquist is already on the far right, so if Bush gets to replace him, he'll probably do so with another person who holds the same views - only someone very, very young (for any of you who don't already know this, the justices on the Supreme Court have life tenure). Now, replacing Chief Justice Rehnquist with a cookie-cutter image of himself will cause no immediate change in the make-up of the Supreme Court; it will only mean that he or she will have one seat on the court for the next 40 or so years. Right now, the Supreme Court is almost evenly divided, although it tends to lean slightly (5:4 vote) to the right. Replacing Chief Justice Rehnquist won't change that. But Justice Stevens, one of the few democrats on the Supreme Court, is now 84 years old - he's the oldest justice on the court right now. Right now, by all accounts, he's in excellent health. But we're talking about four more years. For those of us who believe strongly in the separation of powers, and who think that the Supreme Court can serve this country better when it's almost evenly balanced, let's all say a prayer for the continued good health of Justice Stevens. (And, if you're willing to join me, for all of the current justices of the Supreme Court, because I respect that branch of the government so highly.) Sandy At 12:28 AM -0500 11/4/04, B Gallagher wrote: >I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said: >"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." > >Indeed he did. Benjamin Franklin, another of my favorite Americans. >Thanks Sandra. > >Hey everyone, I may be one of the big kidders on this loved list. But, in >all seriousness... > >It's not just that W really won - this time. He again has the House AND the >Senate. Big Time. And he's so lame duck. Let's hope there remains some >balance of Power and Humility. Humanity. ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V6 #240 ***********************************