Senate Democrats introduce bill to implement term limits and biannual appointments to Supreme Court

Veedem@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 1497 points –
Senate Democrats reignite debate over Supreme Court justice term limits
washingtonexaminer.com
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How about term limits in congress too?

I’m all for that too, but at least they can be voted out of office. Supreme Court Justices are appointed (which I’m ok with because I don’t want them campaigning) for life. Once they’re there, they never have to leave.

Do the justices get protection like the president? Seems like they should have better protection since they are lifers while the president is only max 8 years.

Like all federal court officials, they are protected by US Marshals

I only just learned about this when I started a new gubment job. Wild stuff.

Now, as to what really needs to happen here, Thomas, at the very least, should face corruption and bribery charges. Maybe conspiracy to commit, too.

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The idea was to ensure that the court never became political. This obviously didn’t work out, but the framers had good intentions.

If they wanted that it shouldn't have been appointed by a political party

There were no political parties and they literally believed that none would ever form. They created the US government based on the idea that parties would never exist. Naive, obviously.

while the president is only max 8 years.

10, technically, but it doesn't change your point. Just felt like doing an ackshully.

#sorrynotsorry

10? i thought as long as they didnt get the majority of the term they could keep going (so thereoretically infinite)

Per the 22nd Amendment, someone who has held the office for more than two years of someone else's elected term is limited to a single elected term of their own. So if you've done two or fewer, you are still eligible to be elected twice. Those two initial years plus your two elected terms would be ten years.

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

Also there's the whole non-consecutive term thing.

Technically, 9 and 364/365 years, give or take a day for leap year(s).

okay so just serve 1.99 of the terms of multiple other people and you have infinite terms

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We elect House members every 2 years and Senate every 6, whereas Supreme Court justices are lifetime appointments

This is comparing apples and plastic bottles

I feel like regulations on plastic bottles are just as useful as regulations on apples, even if the regulations are a bit different.

Just because two things are different doesn't mean they can't have something in common.

Fix election rules, campaign finances and gerrymandering and congress will get sorted out.

Weirdly enough, that was actually one of the things Trump campaigned on. Just about the only thing I've ever agreed with him on, and I don't like the feeling lol.

He campaigned on a lot of things he never had any intention of following up on. I wouldn't take that as a sign that he actually agreed with the sentiment.

And all their salaries should be decided by the people.

Ironically, one of the few explicit stipulations in the constitution about the supreme court says their salary cannot be reduced during their time in office.

Sounds great in principle but the reality is that the problem is lobbying and money in politics, not politicians who stay in office too long. Term limits tend to give lobbyists more power because they can "guide" the new politicians more easily if a given percentage of them are always new. The problem is the money.

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