Are US judges meant to be politically neutral ?

[otago]

Reading that two conservative Justices of the Supreme court went to a Meeting with Koch to get their instructions raised my eyebrows.
Are Justices of the Supreme court political animals who are expected to take a full part in the rough and tumble of Politics ?

Certainly is different from the UK and the Commonwealth.
A Supreme court judge here going along to any political meeting would be asked for his resignation.

 

[emzie]

Need a source for that claim, cause it sounds like a conservative get together attended by a justice and the Koch brothers. And even if they did have a private conversation there's nothing explicitly wrong with that. They're Constitutional jurists, not trial judges. They're allowed to have a political bent, even if they should be neutral.

Now, if they're acting as proxies for other parties, that's obviously a massive problem.

 

[Cutlass]

Some yes, some no, some maybe, some sometimes.

 

[bhsup]

Reading that two conservative Justices of the Supreme court went to a Meeting with Koch to get their instructions ...

Ha! What partisan hack piece of crap paper or magazine did you read that in?

Justices don't "get instructions" from anyone on how to vote. They're totally independent. As far as an expectation to be politically neutral, how does one do that exactly? If you have a view on a topic, you're no longer neutral.

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.

 

[warpus]

"Nobody can fully attain neutrality*, but a path to neutralness can be partially walked down"
- Buddha

* except neutral man

(probably not really said by Buddha)

 

[JollyRoger]

Proof to the birthers that the game is rigged:

 

[Patroklos]

You guys have short memories, Zap conquered the Neutral Planet. Live free or don't!

 

[ace99]

Obama x Roberts would be totes hawt.

Edit: Oh wait, is this thread not about gay marriage? Sorry I just assumed. You have to admit your OP is pretty misleading.

 

[AlpsStranger]

Ha! What partisan hack piece of crap paper or magazine did you read that in?

Justices don't "get instructions" from anyone on how to vote. They're totally independent. As far as an expectation to be politically neutral, how does one do that exactly? If you have a view on a topic, you're no longer neutral.

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.

Wow, you definitely just went right for the throat on that one

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[hobbsyoyo]

Edit: Oh wait, is this thread not about gay marriage? Sorry I just assumed. You have to admit your OP is pretty misleading.

Yeah, topic teasing should be a crime.

 

[Tarquelne]

Intent: Judges are set-up as independent to avoid undue political influence.

What's too-often the reality: Partisan politicians do their best to select a judge who's something of a narrow-minded extremist. With such a judge you don't *need* to "give the judge instructions". The whole point of the appointment was that if there's any wiggle-room at all - ANY! - he'll decide in the way you want. All without you saying a word.

 

[timtofly]

Well seeing as there is not much of a separation of powers these days.....

 

[ace99]

Yeah, topic teasing should be a crime.

All the references to raised eyebrows, rough and tumble and conservatives. What was I to expect?

 

[Formaldehyde]

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.

Just out of curiosity, did you consider all the attempts to impeach Chief Justice Earl Warren to be "anti-US"? Did the "hate ooze" from all those far-right Americans who wished to do so largely over segregation and civil rights?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

All the references to raised eyebrows, rough and tumble and conservatives. What was I to expect?

I used the Republican restroom in the Senate once and all the foot tapping while I was trying to drop a deuce was really strange.

 

[bhsup]

@alps: If you can find one thread about the USA that he's started that isn't what I've claimed, you let me know.

@forma: I wasn't aware of any impeach warren movement. But I am curious what you think such a movement has to do with this at all.

 

[Camikaze]

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.

Eh, criticizing the US Supreme Court isn't just rabid anti-Americanism for the sake of it. Their politicisation is, after all, the laughing stock of the rest of the legal world.

I would say that no, US judges aren't meant to be politically neutral, assuming 'meant to be' is supposed to have any sort of connection with reality, rather than aspirations.

 

[otago]

Ha! What partisan hack piece of crap paper or magazine did you read that in?

Justices don't "get instructions" from anyone on how to vote. They're totally independent. As far as an expectation to be politically neutral, how does one do that exactly? If you have a view on a topic, you're no longer neutral.

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.

Hate you, no dear boy you do at times amuse me.
Totally independent ? so one could expect Obama to put a raving conservative on the supreme court ?
So you believe US supreme court judges are as politically independent as UK judges and they would never ever allow their bias to show.
Hmm, who was it that put Bush in the White house ?

 

[bhsup]

Eh, criticizing the US Supreme Court isn't just rabid anti-Americanism for the sake of it.

Had this been a one-off thread, you may have a point. But again, look at Otago's thread starting history wrt USA threads. He's a raving American-hating kiwi.

 

[MobBoss]

Just out of curiosity, did you consider all the attempts to impeach Chief Justice Earl Warren to be "anti-US"? Did the "hate ooze" from all those far-right Americans who wished to do so largely over segregation and civil rights?

Look, I know, I get it, you hate us. That hate oozes from every thread you start about America. I don't know, maybe an American kicked you when you were a kid or something, whatever. But still, maybe stop drinking the anti-US Kool-Aid occasionally? It would probably be healthier for you in the long run. That's stuff's nasty.