RIP Sandra Day O'Connor

File under "didnt realize they were still alive until they died"

 

Yeah, I also thought she had already died. Whoops. RIP.

 

Regardless of ideology, she was the last Justice that did not come solely from the legal pipeline of being an appellate judge. She had actually been a legislator in Arizona and had far more practical experience in drafting legislation and political compromise. That perspective is sorely missed.

It used to be pretty common among Supreme Court justices but is now considered unavailable because it leaves too much ammunition for confirmation battles. But it is certainly a perspective that would be helpful.

 

She should have had regrets. Gore wouldn’t have invaded afganistan or Iraq and the world would be better off.

 

Respect.

 

She did frequently say, "I'll outlast the reprobate, Shane MacGowan, if it's the last thing I do!"

 

She was an unhinged partisan (who dabbled in election fraud conspiracy), and she basically stuck the first knife in Roe with Casey. That she came off as a relative moderate is an illustration of how right-wing the court has been for like 40 years.

 

I am not defending some of the decisions others criticize, but she was fighting a rear guard action against even more extremism. In Bush v. Gore, the five Justice majority was based on equal protection, which was ludicrous. But there was a concurring opinion with three votes that wanted to go even further and apply the independent legislature doctrine, which she thought was nonsense. Thank God that did not become a precedent

 

Basically, the whole right-wing legal movement has been marinating in doctrines which are ludicrous. They live in an insular closed intellectual society, so they sometimes don't appreciate the potential real world impacts of some of their BS theories. We're dealing with the unitary executive now and we also may see the end of the administrative state. All ridiculous stuff, but all stuff that has been brewing for decades under purchased faux scholarship

 

Literally saw yesterday that she was alive and was surprised. I was googling something irt the Kissinger thread.

Did I alert the universe? @RIP, I need answers!

 

Yes, things do change ... in 1991 it was still possible to be a partisan Republican and not have the same position on abortion as the Taliban. GHWB & Barbara were Planned Parenthood donors at one time.

 

Yeah, you caught me slippin.

 

Was having this discussion the other day.
Dick Van Dyke is my leader in the clubhouse, followed by Mel Brooks

 

I guess this beats the opposite, like in the case of Kissinger where people actively talk about how not dead you are being a bad thing.

 

I'm fully aware of her history and what a wonderful person and jurist she was. She herself has been quoted as saying she regretted her vote in that Gore/Bush case. That was my point. Hardly myopic or cynical.