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Would You Support this Amendment?

Would you support an Amendment that makes Supreme Court justices elected?

  • Yes, they should be elected by the PEOPLE.

    Votes: 3 6.4%
  • Yes, but they should be elected by CONGRESS

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, by the PEOPLE and they should be subject to TERM LIMITS.

    Votes: 1 2.1%
  • Yes, by the CONGRESS and they should be subject to TERM LIMITS

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • No, the current system is fine.

    Votes: 41 87.2%

  • Total voters
    47

RJApple

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Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?
 
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Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?4

I would absolutely not support this. Our Supreme Court justices aren't perfect, something I think everyone can agree with. But the last thing I want is to have them elected by the people, or by proxy through congress. Judges should be unconcerned with popular opinion and the law should not change on the people's whims.
 
No way should we have elected SCOTUS justices

 
NO! This has been raised before.

Elected officials are beholden to the electorate. As already demonstrated in differing States, (just look at any where pro-life or anti-gay rights issues come before them) elected judges pander to those who have the power to re-elect them.

Appointed judges are immune to politics once appointed. They can rule on the merits of the case rather than worry about getting re-elected.
 
Since people have a greater life expectancy, I support the current system with a term limit, maybe 20 years.
 
The current system needs to change. Purely partisan appointments by the president for life-long term appointments to the highest court in the land needs to stop. The branch of government that is to hold the government accountable is chosen by the government and has 0 accountability to the people.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

So Loving v Virginia was decided incorrectly?
 
Judges of any kind should not be elected.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

I am happy with them being nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate - BUT - I would be very much in favor of a constitutional amendment that made it mandatory that judges at all levels and the state and federal Supreme Court would be limited to strict interpretation of the letter and intent of the existing law within the letter and intent of the Constitution and could make no ruling extraneous to the existing law. And where the Constitution and/or the law is silent, then so is the court.

When unelected justices are given power to make law or interpret it as they think it should be, we have an oligarchy and no longer have a government of the people and by the people as the Constitution intended.
 
I am happy with them being nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate - BUT - I would be very much in favor of a constitutional amendment that made it mandatory that judges at all levels and the state and federal Supreme Court would be limited to strict interpretation of the letter and intent of the existing law within the letter and intent of the Constitution and could make no ruling extraneous to the existing law. And where the Constitution and/or the law is silent, then so is the court.

When unelected justices are given power to make law or interpret it as they think it should be, we have an oligarchy and no longer have a government of the people and by the people as the Constitution intended.

No. Because we don't live in the 1700s or 1800s.
 
The supreme court has been out of control from the beginning. I honestly think the entire thing needs to be thrown out and replaced.
 
No. Because we don't live in the 1700s or 1800s.

How does that sentence even make sense? The law is the law, not whatever you want it to be. If the words on the paper can mean whatever we want them to mean then we might as well not have a Constitution at all.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

That's a terrible idea. Democracy tends to the left, so we need as little of it as possible.
 
The supreme court has been out of control from the beginning. I honestly think the entire thing needs to be thrown out and replaced.

With what?
 
The supreme court has been out of control from the beginning. I honestly think the entire thing needs to be thrown out and replaced.

But it could be fixed by limiting judges and justices at all levels to strict interpretation of the existing letter and intent of the law instead of allowing them to put their own interpretation and spin on it and even rewrite it to be what they think it should be. The Constitution intended the government to be of and by the people, and therefore only the people's elected representatives were given authority to write and pass laws. To allow the court or the President to do that turns the Constitution on its head just as it does when the federal government exceeds the authority the Constitution was intended to limit.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

Electing judges is a stupid concept. Do you want judges to make decisions based on whether they'll get them re-elected? It's fundamentally wrong- I know, I know, back in the day Americans elected judges and you've carried the tradition forward but it's a really dumb way to get judges. I mean, it's like electing militia officers..., oh, wait a minute...
 
I am happy with them being nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate - BUT - I would be very much in favor of a constitutional amendment that made it mandatory that judges at all levels and the state and federal Supreme Court would be limited to strict interpretation of the letter and intent of the existing law within the letter and intent of the Constitution and could make no ruling extraneous to the existing law. And where the Constitution and/or the law is silent, then so is the court.

Not how our system of checks and balances under separation of powers works. In our country federal and state courts are able to review and declare the constitutionality of legislation brought before a court with jurisdiction. (A Massachusetts law cannot be reviewed by a court in Maine, although any Massachusetts State Court and a Federal Court in the 1st Judicial District can). This was established as U.S. doctrine in Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803).

When unelected justices are given power to make law or interpret it as they think it should be, we have an oligarchy and no longer have a government of the people and by the people as the Constitution intended.

Actually that defines a society under either a common law legal system, or a separation of powers system like ours. For example: The U.K. has a common law system allowing courts to make law through legal decisions, but Parliament also makes law through statutes. On the other hand an oligarchy would be a government directly run by a small cabal or family. If it exists here in the USA it would be the 60 American Billionaires who own our Congress.
 
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I vote "no" on elected judges. I think appointed judges that are approved by state legislatures are probably better vetted and qualified than most elected judges ...and I also like the idea of a mandatory retirement age of 75 instead of term limits.
 
The supreme court has been out of control from the beginning. I honestly think the entire thing needs to be thrown out and replaced.

Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

Just when the Democrats get up to bat you Republicans want to change venue.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

Oh good god no. Though I'm open to being persuaded that we should expand the number of justices on the court (say from nine to twelve) in order to increase the ideological diversity therein.
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?
Personally, I'm of the opinion that no judges, anywhere, should be elected.

Unless somehow you can set up an election system for judges that:
Does not allow them to accept any campaign donations, to eliminate that conflict of interest. Public funding of campaign necessary, likely.
Does not allow them to campaign except in carefully structured and restricted ways, to eliminate conflict of interest involved in trying to convince people to vote for you (an extreme example would be "I'll rule your way if you help me get elected".)
And somehow prevents or greatly mitigates any other conflicts of interest, while at the same time allowing the election of the best judges for the position...
 
Would you support an Amendment to the US Constitution that makes Supreme Court justices elected officials, rather than appointed ones? Should they be elected directly by the people, or by Congress? Please, post the reasoning behind your answer.

Personally, I can see two sides of this argument. On one hand, the Court has not done too well with its powers of interpretation recently, as is exemplified by the same-sex marriage ruling, in which they decided that marriage laws were not up to the states, despite the fact that marriage is not even mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, as many recent appointees don't seem to understand how to properly interpret our nation's foundational document, perhaps We The People should take over and elect the justices. However, given that popular sentiment is moving ever-further to the left, there is a strong chance that such a measure would only make the situation worse. And, besides, do we need to subject the population to yet another type of election season? ;) Perhaps this problem might be avoided by having them elected by the Congress?

You're not the first person to suggest this. You definitely won't be the last. Funny thing about this type of suggestion is that it only shows up when SCOTUS makes a ruling that someone doesn't agree with and they invariably use it as an example of why they think this should be a possibility worth considering.

I don't always agree with SCOTUS rulings. And I've got a feeling that I'm going to hate em even more if a pro-gun control judge gets put on the SCOTUS bench. But I will NEVER support electing SCOTUS judges. That puts every ruling that they make as a popularity contest that will inevitably make it to where Mob Rules. No thank you.

As an aside regarding your example. Marriage has been considered a fundamental right of the people for far longer than SSM was even thought of and it has several court decisions upholding that it is a fundamental Right. Like any other Right the states may infringe on that right to a certain degree. But they cannot ban it outright to a certain group of people unless they can show a valid substantial reason to do so. And before you use the slippery slope fallacy regarding pedophiles and marrying animals....Pedophilia harms children and animals cannot give consent. Both of those are valid reasons to deny those types of marriages and will never be enacted. SSM hurts no one and there is adult consent.
 
Just when the Democrats get up to bat you Republicans want to change venue.

Oh just stop the partisan claptrap. Pretty much everyone in this thread is disagreeing with the OP, including those that consider themselves conservative/republican. Hell, even Paleocon is disagreeing with the OP and agreeing with everyone else. That alone should tell you something.
 
You might as well abolish the judiciary and merge it with the legislative if you're going to subject it to the same whimsy of popular vote. Isn't bad enough that we have jury justice?
 
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