LogFAQs > #964753088

LordoftheMorons posted...

Historically the Supreme Court has been less politicized than the other branches. It also is independent, unless I misunderstand your meaning. Justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, but after that the only control either of the other branches has over them is the possibility of impeachment by Congress (through the exact same process as impeaching a president, i.e. not something that's at all likely to happen unless there's a bipartisan consensus). If you mean that they should be elected, I would think that that would make the court considerably more politicized.

No, quite the opposite. Independent=selected by an independent body that is not directly elected and is selected on a basis of ability, like in most other democracies.

Like, to give an example of how messed up this is, you know Turkey? And you know Erdogan, the President and quasi-dictator? One of the things that had people calling him a dictator (not unjustly) was a constitutional amendment that let him appoint some (not all) judges to the highest court that were nominated by independent bodies. In America the President can pick whoever as long as theyre confirmed by the senate (which will be true in 90% of cases because enough senate elections are simultaneous with Presidential elections). That is an outlandish degree of power. And its something that even compromised democracies dont do. This is why.