July 15, 2008
GOP Appointee Dominance in Federal Courts
Via Digby, a pointer to CAF’s The Rogues In Robes which contains this arresting graphic:
Yes, it’s all the fault of those liberal judges!
(And just imagine how monotone this will become if McCain is elected!)
Posted by Michael : July 15, 2008 02:44 PM | Law: Elections | TechnoLinks
Slashdot
It!
The graphic does have one flaw: It assumes that a judicial nominee share the same political philosophy as the president who nominated them. Also red or blue is pretty narrow spectrum. Perhaps some of those dots should be purple.
Posted by: Yickit at July 15, 2008 04:39 PMOn the 11th, the blue dots (save two or three) ought to be red (Frank Hull is redder than red).
Posted by: Lindsay at July 15, 2008 05:47 PMActually, it's got two flaws: It fails to relate whether a nominee was confirmed by a Republican or Democratic Senate. Which is scarcely irrelevant, looking at the Heller minority:
Stevens. Republican Nominee, Democratic Senate.
Souter. Republican Nominee, Democratic Senate.
Breyer. Democratic Nominee, Democratic Senate.
Ginsberg. Democratic Nominee, Democratic Senate.
Both the Republican defectors were confirmed by Democrats.
Given that for most of the last century the Senate was firmly in Democratic hands, I expect the colors on that chart would flip if you looked at the confirming party.
But, as for what it does display, what do you expect? Gotta elect Presidents if you want to nominate judges.
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