Roberts is 50 years old.

[Bleacher Creature]

That fact alone scares the hell out of me. He's good for 25-30 years on the Court if he's confirmed. Shit.

[ThomWV]

1. I used to be 50. Its not that bad

You will too in time. Don't worry, its not that bad.

[Lex]

The point is that this right-winger will be on the Supreme Court

for a very long time.

It's not a slam about being 50.

[SmokingJacket]

5. He means he's YOUNG! Yow!

a 50-yr-old has many, many decisions left in him. God knows what this means, though.

[donheld]

14. You did soooooooo miss the point

:spank:

[electron_blue]

2. Yeah, 50 is young

[friesianrider]

3. That was my first thought too...

He is very young to be nominated to the SCOTUS. That's a loooong time on the bench to rape the American people of their rights.

[undeterred]

4. Not everyone lives that long or refuses retirement.

Its just the current group that makes it seem that way.

[JetCityLiberal]

6. Huge point

thanks.

[BOSSHOG]

7. I was somewhat taken aback

when I heard the SC nominee was younger than me. We can do anything we want but stop the clock.

[progressivebydesign]

8. Rich white man.. he'll probably serve till 90. n/t

[bluestateguy]

9. Someday another liberal court packing will have to be proposed

Historians and many Americans ridicule FDR for trying to "pack" the USSC in 1937, but what he proposed was perfectly legal--the Constitution allows Congress to create the size of the courts--and understandable. He was facing a hostile Supreme Court of old men appointed by conservative Republicans and they could not be fired. He thought he had a mandate in the 1936 election, and he just overplayed his hand. But someday a Democratic president, if he is lucky enough to have a Democratic Congress, may have to propose doing just that to dilute the influence of the Bush appointees.

[CubsFan1982]

11. Can we say "separation of powers"?

It WAS dumb of FDR to try to pack the Court, especially given the fact that they WERE so old. Five of the justices he had problems with ended up retiring or dying in the next four years - certainly enough to tip the balance without packing the Court. He overreached, severely, and I'd say the same about another Democrat who even attempted it.

[bluestateguy]

15. You can go ahead and say it

but what he proposed was perfectly legal, just as it was legal for the Congress to dismiss the idea. If that's what it takes to save the Republic from a permanent judiciary of right wing activists than I'll put aside my feelings about separation of powers.

[Bleacher Creature]

12. It sounds crazy, but I have to agree.

When you consider that Thomas is only 57, Scalie is in his late 60s and Rehnquist's replacement as sure to be young, that's a LONG time to have to wait for a chance to fix things.

[Jersey Ginny]

16. Maybe Thomas will retire early b/c of what Bush said

Bush told us that black men die young, so Thomas better listen to his boss and get some retirement time in and collect that Social Security check.

[Bleacher Creature]

17. Nice -- except he's supposedly really active.

I heard that he had a basketball court put in at the Supreme Court building -- nicknamed the "Highest Court in the Land." So when you add the fact that he's in good shape to the fact that conservatives are generally soulless, and usually live forever, we're pretty much screwed.

[orpupilofnature57]

10. Roberts ,my ass.Shrub is an incompetent that has ruined our country...

for the last 4 yrs., everything he does or tries to do should be a struggle.

[clint_man]

13. True

He will be around for a long time. But, I think he'll be closer to O'Conner than most people think from what I have seen. At least that's what we can hope for.

[fortyfeetunder]

18. Yeah, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

The lubricant is standing by.

(and welcome to DU clint_man! :hi:)