Buffman

Supreme Court Judges can be removed from office by "Impeachment."

However, partisan politics makes that likelihood very slim indeed in the case of a Supreme Court Justice. IMHO, it would require public pressure, of an unprecedented nature, on the elected members of both Houses. On the other hand, we have recently been exposed to just how effective partisan politics can be when organized and led by religious zealots who believe that they should control everyone's sex lives. Had the effort to impeach President Clinton been led by members of his own party because of his exposed lies to the American public, I suspect he would have resigned rather than undergo the impeachment process.


<a href="http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/side/impeach.html" target="_blank">http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/side/impeach.html</a>

<a href="http://www.mnc.net/norway/warren.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mnc.net/norway/warren.htm</a>

(Extract)
The year after he became chief justice, Warren wrote for a unanimous court in banning segregation in the nation's schools in the landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The "Warren Court" proceeded to issue a stream of decisions broadening civil rights.

As a result of the Warren Court's bent, the leader of that court became a target of the right in the early to mid 1960s. Although Warren had been a vocal anti-Communist as governor, he was now denounced by Robert Welch, head of the John Birch Society, as a knowing member of the Communist conspiracy. "Impeach Earl Warren" bumper stickers were affixed to the rears of automobiles across the nation. At one massive and televised anti-Communist rally in Los Angeles, a speaker shouted that impeachment was too good for Warren — that he should be hanged.

In public statements, politicians opposed to the chief justice were brutal. Alabama Gov. George Wallace snorted that Warren "doesn't have enough brains to try a chicken thief in my home county." U.S. Sen. James O. Eastland, D-Miss., charged that the Warren Court's majority has in some of its decisions "upheld the position advocated by the Communist Party."

While the far-right was most vocal in assailing Warren, grumblings concerning the Warren's Court's "expansionist" utterances and "judicial legislation" were heard from those who were clearly outside the "lunatic fringe." In his memoirs, former President Richard Nixon reflected that the Warren Court "had been unprecedentedly politically active." He added: "Like many political moderate conservatives, I felt that some Supreme Court justices were too often using their own interpretations of the law to remake American society according to their own social, political and ideological precepts."
(End extract)

Conservative bigots, racists, and many overly zealous religionists have never gotten over many of those decisions and why their ultimate goal is a far right, conservative, Supreme Court that will overturn earlier court decisions. (i.e.: Roe v Wade; School Prayer; etc.)

galiel

I fully agree. I expect the great majority of people of faith in this country to oppose the extremists. Unfortunately, zealots are not particularly swayed by popular opinion. McCarthy was ultimately rendered impotent, and the republic survived; the lives he destroyed and the enmity and suspicion he instilled and the harm he caused to our body politic still echo among us.

That is my fear: not that the theocrats and the ultra-hawks will actually overthrow the government and install martial law, but that in the process of trying, they will damage the wall of separation, further divide and polarize our nation, and create a permanent change in what Americans consider an acceptable tradeoff between security and liberty.

[ November 08, 2002: Message edited by: galiel ]</p>

Seeker630

Pascal's Wafer:

"I'll consider moving to Europe, but while there's a chance I want to stay and help bring America back to reality."

Just for the hell of it, I've been looking into Canadian citizenship. I live alone so I don't have any family to worry about moving, and I'm retired so I don't have to worry about any job problems in moving tnere. In addition, my family is an easy drive from Windsor in the Detroit area and lower Michigan. I also might have a special in: My father was a Canadian, even though I was born in Detroit. He was 5 years old when he came here and never renounced his Canadian citizenship. I may be elligible for a fast track to dual citizenship because of that.

Just nice to know there are options for me...........

openeyes

Since I couldn't afford to be down like I was when Reagan was re-elected (besides his politics, wasn't it clear to people that something was wrong upstairs?), I've been trying to be optimistic concerning the elections--the pendulum will swing back, please tell me it will! Reading the Strib (newspaper of the Twin Cities) about our newly elected officials didn't help. Our senator-elect Coleman invokes the lord or god at every opportunity. (BTW, his "unconventional" marriage was kept low-keyed--his 40 year old wife lives in California trying to make it as a model/actress. She's good looking, but someone should sit down and have a reality check with her.) An article about our governor-elect and his wife who's a judge (that's why we heard little about her during the election) stated they don't talk about much when they're home (to reassure us that there'd be no conflict of interest?) but they prayed a lot together (oh, that's reassuring!) Since both "elects" stated they were senator/governor of all of Minnesota, not just the people who elected them (uh-huh), I plan to write both of them reminding them there are many non-believers are citizens too. Not that I think it'll do much good, but it'll make me feel better.

Don't think I can move any further north.

Toto

if you are a premium subscriber to <a href="http://www.salon.com" target="_blank">Salon online</a>, there is a piece by Garrison Keillor on Coleman.

<a href="http://www.salon.com/politics/feature/2002/11/07/minnesota/index.html" target="_blank">Empty victory for a hollow man: How Norm Coleman sold his soul for a Senate seat.</a>

It said that Coleman's family situation was "interesting" but everyone ignored it, especially the Republicans who have made their peace with hypocricy. But he didn't give any juicy details, alas. (Care to fill us in?)

He was also nicer to Jesse Ventura than I've ever heard him.

atheist_in_foxhole

From what I've heard, Coleman is a notorious adulterer. It's not really any of our business, but he ran as a "family values" candidate with the full support of the xian right (even though he's a hellbound Jew) so I would love to see him exposed.

And if you think Mr. Coleman's private life is interesting, just wait until senator-elect Graham (R-SC) is outed.

Radorth

I feel the same way.

Rad

Radorth

At least the Supreme court and a few freedom-loving skeptics think it's OK to form private clubs and take an oath to God, and it's still OK for Christians to pray together on public property.

There's hope.

Cheer up tdekeyser!

Rad

atheist_in_foxhole

Radorth, why do xians always feel compelled to make death threats and harassing phone calls against atheists and other non-xians who dare to speak up against xianity? It happens every time someone wants to start an atheist club at school, it happenened to those Jewish kids in Alabama, it happened to Mike Newdow when he won his case against the pledge, it happens to scientists who fight against creationism, and it's currently happening to that atheist eagle scout.

I'm not saying that you participate in or condone this kind of conduct, but I'm just curious if you might have any ideas about why so many of your fellow xians do.

[ November 09, 2002: Message edited by: atheist_in_foxhole ]</p>

Radorth

They can't read.

And of course, as long as you define a Christian as anybody who says so, we will have this problem.

I have a question for you. How come you question everything a Christian says except "I am a Christian."? In fact some of you appear to believe nothing Hitler said except "I am a Christian."

Rad