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Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died

By Jeralyn, Section Judiciary
Posted on Sat Sep 03, 2005 at 08:06:39 PM EST
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Breaking from CNN, Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died.

The last time there were double vacancies at the Supreme Court was 1971. Nixon appointed Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist to fill them.

Update: David Corn on Justice Rehnquist

< The Misery | Musical chairs, anyone? >

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    • Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    Oh boy, here we go - two nominations in two months, and Roberts hasn't even been confirmed yet. And the Chief Justice... watch out, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#2)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    Yeah I've been expecting this around now, what with the prognosis rate for anaplastic cancer. We better get it up and impeach Bush before he screws this country even more.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#3)
    by The Heretik on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    Now we will find out what the Democrats can do. Curious whether Sandra Day O'Connor will be in play for the Chief Justice spot. With Bush in the weakest position of his presidency, maybe chances are better for keeping the country from heading back to the nineteenth century than I thought a month ago. Thanks for the links.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#4)
    by Aaron on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    I give Chief Justice William Rehnquist credit, surely he knew his days were numbered, but he refused to retire choosing instead to die in office. I think this makes a statement. I can remember back when Justice Rehnquist was the most conservative member of the court. He was well to the right of Chief Justice Warren Berger, once considered a conservative. But these days Justice Rehnquist viewed as a moderate by some, and an outright liberal by many. As stated in the recent Harper's article "Fighting for the Supreme Court," the center has become the left, the right is now the center, and the left no longer exists. At this point there's nothing to stop Bush from appointing an ultraconservative to the Supreme Court. If push comes to shove, Congress will simply change the filibuster rules in order to clear the way for such a persons confirmation. Then of course the fundamentalists will begin dismantling the Constitution as we know it today. There is much more to worry about than just Row vs. Wade, Miranda, privacy protections and what's left of affirmative action. Environmental protections like the Endangered Species Act could be declared unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment's Taking Clause. Sex discrimination could become a reality in America once again, especially in the national government. The 14th amendment could be reinterpreted to apply only to the states thereby allowing segregation in the Armed Forces as well as in public schools. Many of conservatives, white and Black alike unfortunately, would like to do away with all protections regarding segregation. Seminal landmark cases like Brown vs. the Board of Education could be up for re-examination and even reinterpretation. Under the fundamentalist interpretation there is no "right to vote". So we could see a return to poll taxes with exemptions for those who own property. The Bill of Rights could be viewed as only applicable to the national government, and not to the states. States could be permitted to establish official churches, as Clarence Thomas has already argued. While all of these things seem unlikely, and almost unthinkable for most right minded people, the fact is that a strongly conservative court could re-examine all of these issues and there's little or nothing that the people of this country could do to prevent it. In fact given the current conservative movement it seems likely that many of these ideas would find a great deal of political support.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#5)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    Hard to believe Bush can find someone any further to the right than Rehnquist. But he'll do it.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Breaking from CNN, Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died.
    And strangely enough, my eyes remain dry. Go figure.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#7)
    by Paralegal on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    In true Bush form, I imagine he's consdiering FEMA's Mike Brown...especially since he's done such a bang-up job this past week.

    Re: Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:14 PM EST
    It's a fairly extreme punishment for voting Bush into office from the bench -- but Rehnquist, and Chief Justice, fell that much farther, betraying his country, until the cancer in his soul spread to his betrayed truth-telling organ. Letters to the departed Justice can be addressed to: Bill Rehnquist, deceased c/o The Demon Moloch Lake of Screaming Fire Special Punishments Division Endless Wailing & Moaning, Hell 00000

    Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died | 8 comments (8 topical)