Gunning for Hillary - The Critical Role NRA Members Played

[Tom Servo]

However, Ginsberg may retire after this year and filling HER seat with a constitutionalist IS a net gain for us. Also possible age outs are Thomas (no gain), Breyer (gain), and Kennedy (gain).

I see Ginsburg and Breyer holding on for dear life. Nothing short of catastrophic health problems will cause their retirement.

Kennedy, however, is a possibility. Apparently, he's made quiet noises about it, and he admires Gorsuch. The appointment may make him more confident in retiring, in which case we get a second pro-gun Justice.

Of course, the issue is more complex than that. David Souter was advertised as a "slam dunk" to President Bush. Many expected him to side with us, but he dissented in both Heller and McDonald.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Ironic how strenuously NOW and Planned Parenthood protested Souter as being the end of abortion in the U.S. and then he becomes the critical fifth vote in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. A good lesson there for all of us when listening to the dire protestations of various lobbying groups.

However, unlike Bush, Trump doesn't have to work with a Democratic Senate, though this Senate is probably still less conservative than the Democratic Senate that confirmed Souter.

I know there has been speculation that having Thomas Hardiman present when Gorsuch's nomination was announced was meant to be a signal to Kennedy about who his replacement might be if he retires now (Hardiman clerked for Kennedy IIRC).

I agree with Tom that neither Breyer nor Ginsburg are going to retire voluntarily; but Breyer is 79 and Ginsburg is 83. They may not get to pick when they leave the Court.

 

[SHR970]

I see Ginsburg and Breyer holding on for dear life. Nothing short of catastrophic health problems will cause their retirement.

Ginsberg recently put it out there that she will serve out this year and consider next year. She knows time is running short and she has exhibited difficulty staying awake. She might just hang it up so she can enjoy a little personal time while she still has her mental faculties.

As to the others.. they are likely to age out. Whether they do it on their feet or not is up to them. But those I listed are all up there in years and dementia is as much a possibility for any of them as is not waking up.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

David Souter was advertised as a "slam dunk" to President Bush. Many expected him to side with us, but he dissented in both Heller and McDonald.

He also voted with the majority (which is to say, wrong) in Kelo.

 

[Tom Servo]

He also voted with the majority (which is to say, wrong) in Kelo.

That's my point: we can't predict how they'll vote once they're on the bench. Even Gorsuch and Hardiman could waffle when it comes to a case involving the NFA or "assault weapons." By no means should folks assume we're in the clear just because we may seem to have a majority on the bench.

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

It is because of the vagaries of justices, that I think the issues should be handled legislatively as I said before. If there is a progun majority in the Congress and a willingness to go to nuclear mat (doubt it from the cowards we elect), the noxious state restrictions could be abolished under the Federal Government protecting the BOR.

But that won't happen - we are more concerned with walls, health care, the place to crap, tax reduction, recreational weed, planned parenthood and the like - as compared to strengthening on the basic rights of the Constitution.

Strengthening rights is fundamental to the Republic - the rest of the items mentioned above are trivial as compared to the BOR.

Waiting for the magic pantheon of Ivy league graduates to acknowledge that an ordinary Jill or Joe can have a 17 round mag in the a Glock or a 30 round AR (if you can even have an AR) is a losing bet.