Take MSNBC Poll: "Should Supreme Court Justices Be Appointed To Life Terms?"

[Dinger]

http://www.newsvine.com/_question/2009/05/01/2760952-should-supreme-court-justices-be-appointed-to-serve-life-terms

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Yes

The alternative would allow Presidents to rearrange the Court to their liking (Bush, anyone? Hello?) Judges would be forced to kowtow to the Executive Branch and issue ruling in accord with current policy regardless of the law, thus destroying the last vestige of checks and balances in the federal government.

[jobycom]

2. They aren't now. They serve on "good behavior."

There is enough leeway to remove them if there is a problem.

[depakid]

11. Fact is, only 8 were ever impeached in the 20th Century

despite the fact that there have been an exponetially greater number of problems.

Not really a very good remedy for poor conduct on the bench.

[jobycom]

15. The option is there, whether it is used often or not. nt

[depakid]

17. Trouble is that it's a political remedy

for what ought to be looked to as objective judicial conduct.

[jobycom]

19. You'll never get politics out of politics.

Term limits just give politicians more chances to affect the Court. Making it easier to remove a Justice does, too. Any flaw in the open-ended terms for SCOTUS Justices is outweighed by the certainty of abuse of any system putting politicians in greater control of them.

As far as "objective judicial conduct," I'd love to see more of it, and would welcome any system that could actively promote it. I just think we've got about the best chance at it with the current system, unless we had some way for Justices to be appointed by independent legal scholars. Even then, someone would have to choose the legal scholars, so the plan would probably backfire.

[depakid]

20. You surely won't

and you make excellent points.

State Bar disciplinary committees haven't exactly proven to be paragons of objective virue.

Nor are retirement ages always "for the best."

Justice Michael Kirby of the High Court of Australia stepped down at age 70- and yet, even among opponents, he is known- even honored for his integrity and contributions to new members of the Bar- and to society.

Should he have to have retired?

I guess my thoughts on that are that there comes a time (and it might have to be set arbitrarily) -when it's best to pass the torch along.

[Skink]

3. If Obama gets to appoint them then yeah.

[Phx_Dem]

5. lol

[high density]

4. Depends on who is doing the appointing NM

:)

[ecstatic]

6. Yes. We can discuss switching that policy next time a repub is in

office. But let's cancel all of that talk for now. Hopefully, Pres. Obama will be responsible for choosing 4 of the 7 justices :)

[old mark]

7. I don't remember seeing this question when the 'publicans were in office

I bet they start talking about term limits again, too.

Cry a little more GOP - I love to hear it.

mark

[WinkyDink]

9. Exactly. Next up: Should Presidents have only 4-years max?

[old mark]

10. But only Democrat presidents.......nt

[tritsofme]

14. Funny, I remember hearing this question pretty much every time there is a SCOTUS vacancy.

A few of the first articles I found from Google:

From 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/05/AR2005080501999_2.html
http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007012
http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007012

From 1990
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/05/opinion/l-supreme-court-shouldn-t-be-lifetime-job-101090.html

I always do remember however, partisans claiming there are ulterior motives to the discussion of term limits for judges, but only when they are in power...

[Political Heretic]

8. Yes, with appropriate options for removal if they abuse their position.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Since the Constitution specifically provides for life terms,

I'm not sure what the point of this poll is.

[bigwillq]

13. I voted for fixed terms.

I also favor term limits for all politicans...like six, six-year terms for Senators and 15 two-year terms for House members, something to that extent. I am not in favor for career politicians.

[KittyWampus]

16. Absolutely not. It is reprehensible that anyone would say yes at this point. The objective

in life term was to insure that they couldn't be ousted for political reasons in a day when people didn't live as long as we do now.

[Undercurrent]

18. Not sure why the question is even asked

just follow the Constitution. Apparently most people either don't know that, or they don't understand what is required to change the Constitution.