Who Should Obama nominate for SCOTUS?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/17/5-possible-obama-supreme-court-picks-that-could-make-republicans-squirm/

the first two are quite interesting.

What does anyone think about all the privacy invasion that has happened on the Obama / Lynch term?  The Apple controversy is the most recent example.  

I'd go with a moderate choice who has already been overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate. The Republicans will look worse to people in the middle if they refuse to give a hearing to someone like Srinivasan, who was confirmed 97-0 in 2013, than if they refuse to give a hearing to a more liberal choice who they can't paint as unacceptable to 40% of the country for whatever reason. 

That said, if they block the moderate choice anyway, go on ahead and use a recess appointment to really piss them off. But no sitting Democratic senators, please. 

Orrin Hatch???  No thanks.

First on the list

Jane Kelly — US Court of Appeals for
the Eighth Circuit

Any nominee is going to have to go
through the Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Chuck Grassley
(R-IA). And no nominee is going to make Grassley happier than Jane
Kelly, a career public defender from Iowa whose nomination for the
federal bench Grassley championed, leading to a unanimous
confirmation in 2013. She was also, coincidentally, a Harvard Law
School classmate of Barack Obama's, graduating with him in 1991.

Her record as a defense attorney might
spark some objections from law-and-order-oriented conservatives in
the Senate, but it's hard to argue she lacks empathy for victims of
crime. In 2004, while jogging, she was tackled and beaten by a male
stranger, requiring months of recovery before returning to her
practice.

None of this guarantees she will be
confirmed. But if Kelly is not confirmable, it's hard to imagine
anyone is.

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/13/10987836/obama-supreme-court-shortlist

Kelly would be the third female nominated by Obama. That itself would be an interesting statement.

I hope Loretta Lynch gets it.  We (my boss and I) worked with her way back in the day when she was an AUSA in Brooklyn.  So down to earth, friendly, intelligent, fair and capable.  There wasn't anyone (except the crooks) who could say a cross word about her.  I've been so pleased to see her success over the years, and being an Associate Justice would be the capper!

That's a good piece. Thanks, LOST.

I don't pretend to be an expert on the judiciary, but I did read Scalia's critique of the makeup of the SCOTUS.  He had a good point about everyone on the court being from Harvard or Yale.

Someone who went to a different law school (hey, maybe go crazy and find someone who went to a state university), and perhaps someone with experience as a defense attorney would balance the court a bit. 

ml1 said:
Someone who went to a different law school (hey, maybe go crazy and find someone who went to a state university), and perhaps someone with experience as a defense attorney would balance the court a bit. 

.....following the example of President Bartlett in the first season of West Wing

I read somewhere that there is only one sitting Justice with experience presiding over a jury trial.

What about Joe Biden? He's very well liked in Washington even though perceived a a liberal...

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

What about Joe Biden? He's very well liked in Washington even though perceived a a liberal...

Rachel Maddow asked him about that on her show last week and he laughed and said he had no interest whatsoever.

gerardryan said:

I read somewhere that there is only one sitting Justice with experience presiding over a jury trial.

I think that is correct and the person is Sonia Sotomayor.

mjh said:

ml1 said:
Someone who went to a different law school (hey, maybe go crazy and find someone who went to a state university), and perhaps someone with experience as a defense attorney would balance the court a bit. 

.....following the example of President Bartlett in the first season of West Wing

There are a couple of UCLA grads on the short list BCC linked and a Senator who is a University of Chicago Law Grad.

The gist of an e-mail I sent to POTUS about SCOTUS the other day is that he should nominate the most centrist and widely respected person possible.  It is important to have some kind of at least minimally realistic chance of confirmation before Obama's term ends, because there is no guarantee a Republican will not be elected President.  Anyone at all centrist will probably not decide cases along Scalia's lines and will still therefore move the average of the Court to the "left."   Also, if Congress rejects such a nominee, it will be more to their shame and negatively impact the Republicans generally.

You can find how to e-mail your ideas to Pres. Obama or the White House staff through Whitehouse.gov.  I'm sure E-mail addresses to the Democratic party or other organizations influential with the administration can be easily found.

ml1 said:

I don't pretend to be an expert on the judiciary, but I did read Scalia's critique of the makeup of the SCOTUS.  He had a good point about everyone on the court being from Harvard or Yale.

Someone who went to a different law school (hey, maybe go crazy and find someone who went to a state university), and perhaps someone with experience as a defense attorney would balance the court a bit. 

I read about that. Scalia also complained that there was not an evangelical christian on the court.

I'm thinking judge Roy Moore of Alabama might fit that bill. 

Possible future president Make America Great Again Trump can nominate him.

BG9 said:

ml1 said:

I don't pretend to be an expert on the judiciary, but I did read Scalia's critique of the makeup of the SCOTUS.  He had a good point about everyone on the court being from Harvard or Yale.

Someone who went to a different law school (hey, maybe go crazy and find someone who went to a state university), and perhaps someone with experience as a defense attorney would balance the court a bit. 

I read about that. Scalia also complained that there was not an evangelical christian on the court.

I'm thinking judge Roy Moore of Alabama might fit that bill. 

Possible future president Make America Great Again Trump can nominate him.

Trump wants to nominate his sister.

How about Anita Hill? Clarence Thomas would have a heart attack, and then Obama would have fill that vacancy as well.

ffof said:

How about Anita Hill? Clarence Thomas would have a heart attack, and then Obama would have fill that vacancy as well.

Ha! Great idea!