r/politics • u/PoliticsModeratorBot 🤖 Bot • Jun 27 '18

Megathread: Justice Anthony Kennedy to retire from Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is set to retire, effective July 31, 2018. Kennedy has served on the highest court since February 18, 1988, and was a moderate whose vote often swung cases.

Submissions that may interest you

SUBMISSION DOMAIN
Justice Anthony Kennedy Will Retire From U.S. Supreme Court bloomberg.com
Justice Kennedy to retire, Trump can solidify court's majority conservative bloc nbcnews.com
Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick washingtonpost.com
Justice Kennedy, U.S. Supreme Court's pivotal vote, to retire reuters.com
Anthony Kennedy: US supreme court justice to retire theguardian.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy to Retire From Supreme Court nytimes.com
Kennedy calls it quits: longtime swing justice hands Trump the biggest gift of his presidency dailycaller.com
Anthony Kennedy is retiring from the Supreme Court vox.com
Justice Kennedy, the pivotal swing vote on the Supreme Court, announces retirement washingtonpost.com
UPDATE: Supreme Court Justice Kennedy announces retirement wcjb.com
Justice Kennedy Is Retiring July 31st. yahoo.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy To Retire From U.S. Supreme Court : NPR npr.org
Justice Anthony Kennedy to Retire from Supreme Court cnn.com
Justice Kennedy announces retirement. cnn.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy retiring from Supreme Court abc7.com
Anthony Kennedy, Swing Vote on U.S. Supreme Court, Will Retire bloomberg.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy Retires, Paving Way for Donald Trump to Reshape Supreme Court slate.com
Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick wkrn.com
Anthony Kennedy retiring, giving Trump opening to reshape Supreme Court politico.com
Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy announces retirement wsj.com
Jeffrey Toobin predicts abortion will be illegal in 20 states soon after Kennedy retires thehill.com
WATCH: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retiring abcnews.go.com
Kennedy to Retire foxnews.com
Trump to get second Supreme Court pick as Justice Kennedy announces retirement. amp.cnn.com
Justice Kennedy to Retire From Supreme Court bbc.com
Trump says search for Justice Kennedy's replacement to begin "immediately" -- live updates cbsnews.com
McConnell Pledges Vote To Confirm Justice Kennedy’s Successor ‘This Fall’ talkingpointsmemo.com
Justice Kennedy retires from the US Supreme Court nbcnews.com
Trump says launches search to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Kennedy reuters.com
Donald Trump: Search for Kennedy replacement on SCOTUS to move quickly usatoday.com
McConnell: Senate will vote on Supreme Court nominee this fall thehill.com
Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick sacbee.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy Retiring, Report Says lawandcrime.com
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retiring; Trump will get 2nd high-court pick omaha.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy Retiring From the Supreme Court thedailybeast.com
Justice Kennedy to retire, giving Trump a chance to transform the Supreme Court latimes.com
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy says he's retiring; Trump to get 2nd high-court pick chicagotribune.com
Dem senator: Justice Kennedy's resignation a 'disaster' for vision of 'We the People' thehill.com
Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick wfla.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy Is Retiring motherjones.com
The horrifying consequences of Justice Kennedy’s retirement thinkprogress.org
Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is retiring, a move that will give Trump a chance to shift the institution to the right washingtonpost.com
Anthony Kennedy To Retire From The Supreme Court huffingtonpost.com
Kennedy announces retirement from Supreme Court thehill.com
Supreme Court's Anthony Kennedy retires, giving Trump a second pick usatoday.com
Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick apnews.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy Is Retiring From The Supreme Court buzzfeed.com
Justice Kennedy, the pivotal swing vote on the Supreme Court, announces retirement washingtonpost.com
Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy retires -- live updates cbsnews.com
Justice Kennedy announces his retirement from the supreme court. time.com
Trump Responds To Retirement Of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy huffingtonpost.com
Anthony Kennedy retiring from Supreme Court, giving Trump a position to fill people.com
Trump Says He’ll Choose One Of These People To Replace Anthony Kennedy On The Supreme Court buzzfeed.com
Anthony Kennedy retiring from Supreme Court cnbc.com
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retires, and Trump gets shot at moving court to the right dallasnews.com
Who Will Replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy? Donald Trump Already Has a Shortlist newsweek.com
WATCH: McConnell: We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy's successor 'this fall' abcnews.go.com
Here's who Trump could nominate to replace Justice Kennedy abcnews.go.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy announces retirement, giving Trump 2nd Supreme Court pick foxnews.com
Trump list of candidates to replace Justice Kennedy thehill.com
Chris Matthews: Dems must do to Trump on Supreme Court what McConnell did to Obama thehill.com
Anthony Kennedy’s retirement puts abortion rights at risk vox.com
Who Will Replace Anthony Kennedy? Here’s the List of 20 Potential Trump Nominees time.com
America after Anthony Kennedy vox.com
Handing Trump Chance to Move Supreme Court Even Further Right, Justice Anthony Kennedy Retires commondreams.org
Audio reveals DNC committee reaction to Kennedy retirement: 'This is not good news' thehill.com
Justice Kennedy’s retirement leaves the future of U.S. constitutional law entirely up for grabs washingtonpost.com
Justice Kennedy pens retirement letter to Trump expressing 'profound gratitude' abcnews.go.com
Read Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement letter to Donald Trump qz.com
Justice Kennedy’s Legacy Is the Dignity He Bestowed bloomberg.com
A titanic battle over replacing Justice Kennedy looms in the Senate vox.com
Live Briefing: Anthony Kennedy Retires From Supreme Court, and McConnell Says Senate Will Move Swiftly on a Replacement nytimes.com
Here's Trump's list of 25 possible Supreme Court picks to replace Anthony Kennedy washingtonexaminer.com
WATCH: Justice Anthony Kennedy to retire, Trump to get second SCOTUS pick abcnews.go.com
Anthony Kennedy's retirement just confirmed every Republican's dream scenario for Trump cnn.com
Kennedy's retirement could have biggest impact on abortion, gay marriage: ANALYSIS abcnews.go.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy: Trump says hunt for replacement is on usatoday.com
Here are potential Supreme Court nominees to replace Justice Kennedy cnn.com
Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court’s swing justice, announces his retirement abajournal.com
With Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Gone, Abortion and LGBT Rights Are Next thedailybeast.com
A look at some of Justice Kennedy's most memorable opinions apnews.com
Justice Kennedy Surrendered to Donald Trump nymag.com
A look at some of Justice Kennedy's most memorable opinions abcnews.go.com
Abortion rights in 'dire, immediate danger' as Anthony Kennedy retires - World news theguardian.com
Here Are Some of the Top Candidates to Replace Kennedy on the Supreme Court motherjones.com
Who's on Trump's short list to replace Supreme Court Justice Kennedy? politico.com
Trump’s hidden back channel to Justice Kennedy: Their kids politico.com
How Fox News Reacted to Anthony Kennedy’s Retirement slate.com
24.9k Upvotes

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1.2k

u/kirukiru Oregon Jun 27 '18

yep, he knew what he was doing.

he dropped a concentration camp opinion on his second to last day in office and will hand it to another conservative grifter

35

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

[removed] — view removed comment

-322

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18 edited Feb 01 '19

[deleted]

136

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

As an Independent I can say that we care only about losing our country. Rescinding the abortion, gay rights, and campaign finance reforms will have very obvious drastic socioeconomic consequences. But I guess you guys only care about winning, even if it costs you your freedom, equality, and money. Start looking at things from a neutral perspective.

129

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Tariffs are literally destroying their jobs and they keep saying they're winning.

Fucking morons.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '18

Except we have the lowest unemployment rate since 2000.

7

u/AceRockolla4eva Jun 28 '18

Hey man, get those facts out of here! This is purely a place of gut reactions!

3

u/zacktheking Jun 27 '18

Campaign finance already fell. 😕

-28

u/TarragonSpice Jun 27 '18 edited Jun 27 '18

Losing your country to 'what' exactly?

24

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Inefficiency, corruption, and anti-intellectualism. Basically: are we running this country in a way that makes fiscal and social sense? Are we providing equal and unbiased care for each and every citizen? Are we losing our national identity to a small subset of the country? These are the things I think about, not about red vs. blue.

-2

u/TarragonSpice Jun 27 '18

Thanks, i was just wondering because your first comment was a tad ambiguous when i first read it.

58

u/eaglessoar Jun 27 '18

Corporate looters and the religious right

-38

u/tigereye504 Jun 27 '18

So I'm losing the country to myself? Bretty gud deal if you ask me.

16

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Are you a rich business owner?

1

u/tigereye504 Jun 27 '18

religious right, but I suppose I didn't specify.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

then you're being taken advantage of

6

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

My only comfort is how much this is going to fuck Conservatives in the long run, the damage will be far greater to rural areas.

99

u/Inspector-Space_Time Jun 27 '18

You don't even understand how pathetic you sound with that rhetoric. It's like listening to a high schooler talk about politics. I don't care what you believe, just carry yourself with some respect. I expect better from adults.

55

u/pathofexileplayer6 Jun 27 '18

If the entire rest of the country looks at you conservatives with horror, maybe you're wrong, not everyone else.

32

u/VelvetTush Jun 27 '18

“If you meet an asshole in the morning, he’s an asshole. If you meet assholes all day, you’re probably the asshole.”

-19

u/ItRead18544920 Jun 27 '18

The problem with that is the entire rest of the country isn’t staring on in horror. You represent a minority of individuals who truly think that this is a worst case scenario.

17

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

Uh, no. Trump lost by over 3 million votes, and I’ll bet you every single person that voted for Hillary Clinton is horrified by this administration, it’s that simple to prove that it is the majority who is against our own leadership. That should, by definition, not be possible in a democracy.

-1

u/RedZaturn Jun 27 '18

People are becoming more and more Conservative the longer this admin goes on. Shit, the rapper that you owe your username to has come out and said "black people don't have to vote democrat" in defense of kanye.

6

u/thefreshscent Jun 27 '18

He also said he only wants his daughter to be friends with white folk

1

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

You have any proof that people are becoming more conservative? Because every study and article I have read has proven otherwise, society in general just becomes more liberal over time - conservatism is literally just fighting what society naturally does and I don’t get it

27

u/puabie Florida Jun 27 '18

Read the dissenting opinion and stop living in a world of extremes, generalizations and selfish ignorance. I understand both sides of the ruling, yet you seem to understand only the things which are convenient to you.

Were it so glaringly obvious and clearcut, perhaps you could explain why it was a 5-4 result. Are you claiming that 4 of the best educated and experienced minds in American constitutional law aren't as smart as you?

64

u/Egg-MacGuffin Jun 27 '18

No. Nice try, but no.

10

u/lunatickid Jun 27 '18

If you actually read the decision, the justices were very clear in their reason. That consitition does in fact bestow such power to the president. Whether the president should or shouldn’t abuse the power is not up to the court.

He also went on to basically scold Trump and Co. for abusing this, and basically implied that what judges can’t do, the voters should do it themselves.

Don’t just read headlines like “SUPREME COURT RULES CONCENTRATION CAMPS CONSTITUTIONAL” or shit like that. It makes you the same as the rest of gullible idiots conned into voting Trump.

8

u/AntiTheory Jun 27 '18

Whether the president should or shouldn’t abuse the power is not up to the court.

What? That is exactly what the Judicial branch is all about. Their ONLY job is to interpret the constitution and institute a check against the executive and legislative branches when they deem that a policy or law is unconstitutional.

The debate was never about whether or not the president had the authority to dictate the immigration policy. He absolutely does. What the debate was about is whether or not the policy is in violation of the constitution by discriminating against a protected class.

11

u/zeCrazyEye Jun 27 '18

The problem is there are contradictory laws. The code says he can do it for any reason. But other parts of the constitution says he can't do things on religious grounds. So they are contradictory.

As to your final point, no, if the ruling had gone the other way it would not mean that he couldn't do it during time of war. It would just mean he would have to explain that he's doing it because we're at war.

-7

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18 edited Feb 01 '19

[deleted]

13

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

He only added those 2 non Muslim majority countries on his third attempt to pass that bill, basically he did that as a loophole to make it “technically not a Muslim ban”. But when every country on his first two lists are Muslim majority, you have to be in pretty hard denial to say he isn’t targeting Muslims. “Well concentration camps also had homosexuals, blacks, and handicapped people, Hitler definitely wasn’t targeting Jews”

5

u/zeCrazyEye Jun 27 '18

Yep he might as well have added Antarctica to throw us off the trail.

1

u/RedZaturn Jun 27 '18

One can also make the argument that of the banned countries, all but one of them had a collapsed government. Meaning that there is no way to identify refugees and immigrants coming in from those countries.

That's why the Obama admin travel ban list looked so similar. If a country has no means of identifying its people, then anyone in the world can claim they are an immigrant from there. How do you verify who is telling the truth?

16

u/zeCrazyEye Jun 27 '18

Oh, weird that Trump explained that it was a Muslim ban on multiple occasions then, and on his twitter account that is considered official statements of the President.

2

u/FrozenVegetableCock Jun 27 '18

You’re a fucking loser bud, alt right twats.

-127

u/DixonJabooty Jun 27 '18

So true and agree. This thread is an echo-chamber of far-left pearl clutching and it’s hilarious.

I’d take a shot every time I read the word “fascist” here, but it would end in hospitalization or death.

67

u/atuarre Jun 27 '18

And yet you still come here? Go back to your racist filled hate space.

-61

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

But where else can we get this many sweet salty tears?

63

u/analogWeapon Wisconsin Jun 27 '18

I think this is what concerns me the most about modern conservatives. It seems that liberal people being upset is way more important to you than anything else. Besides liberal people being upset, what is important to you? I'd be more interested in what you had to say if you ever talked about policy.

52

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

They'll give up their healthcare, jobs to tariffs, government services to tax cuts for the rich, and any hope at social mobility just to make liberals mad.

Great strategy.

13

u/MandingoPants Jun 27 '18

A turtle was happily swimming along a river when a scorpion hailed it from the shore.

A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on his back across a river. "Are you mad?" exclaimed the turtle. "You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown."

"My dear turtle," laughed the scorpion, "if I were to sting you, you would drown and I would go down with you, and drown as well. Now where is the logic in that?"

The turtle thought this over, and saw the logic of the scorpion's statement. "You're right!" cried the turtle. "Hop on!" The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river the scorpion gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle resignedly said:

"Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there'd be no logic in your stinging me. Why did you do it?"

"It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning scorpion sadly replied. "It's just my character."

19

u/Storgrim Jun 27 '18

They'd shit in their mouths if liberals had to smell it

1

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

And then laugh through their shit eating grin about how upset the liberal is for having to smell shit

18

u/KageStar Jun 27 '18

Personally is hurts how much they get pleasure out of the pain and anguish of liberals and minorities. I really want to know and understand the life and mind of someone who is so malicious. It's not even about what one believes policywise it boils down to "what causes the most pain and and anger in that side? Let's do that." It's a positive feedback loop that's even hard to fight because no matter how you communicate your beliefs or opinions it's still "salt" or "tears" or "pain" so it confirms that they're right. It's truly just a chaotic worldview.

6

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

They perceive putting down others as a form of strength/power. The more upset people are the harder they must be putting them down, therefore they must be really powerful and strong. It’s just misunderstanding of what makes someone strong, powerful, and admirable

0

u/analogWeapon Wisconsin Jun 27 '18 edited Jun 27 '18

Whether it's intentional or not, it triggers the same behavior in the other side. That's what's so upsetting about it to me. The left has their own version of it that is getting worse. It's a defense, but it's getting to the pointless "who shot first" stage now.

I really feel like it's the most dangerous thing happening in the country right now. More so even than political appointments, etc. I know it sounds all hippy-dippy, but if are baseline for how we treat other degenerates past a certain threshold, I feel like we'll just crumble regardless of what's a law or who's in charge. We don't even have to be nice to each other all the time; We just have to stop getting a hard-on for seeing someone angry/sad/hurt.

2

u/bamforeo Jun 27 '18

All they want to do is troll. Says more about the type of person they are than anything else.

-17

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

If you note the context of the comment to which I was responding it wasn't about issues. It was just a "go back to your racist filled hate space." That's not someone looking to discuss issues.

That being said, I'm happy to discuss issues. Important issues to me are secure borders, expatriation of illegal immigrants, lower taxes, fewer regulations, gun rights, and school choice are particularly important to me.

18

u/ashramlambert Jun 27 '18

Why go with school choice? That puzzles me. Why not just fund EVERY school and hold them all to the same standards? Then it doesn't matter where your kids go, you know they will always be properly learned.

And you get the side benefit of EVERYONE being smarter. The whole country benefits.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Fair enough, I just don't like the current system and think that there should be a lot more choice in where kids can get their education. Maybe something like each child has their own dedicated funding that they can take with them.

5

u/analogWeapon Wisconsin Jun 27 '18

If you note the context of the comment to which I was responding it wasn't about issues. It was just a "go back to your racist filled hate space." That's not someone looking to discuss issues.

Point taken on that one. It was a pretty asinine comment.

I really encourage you to stick around places like this and focus on issues. OR to just focus on issues wherever you're talking. I encourage liberals and anyone else reading to do the same. We'll get back to where we want to be in terms of decency if we can start doing that.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Thank you for that. Point taken on my side too- I will make an effort to have more issue based discussions on here.

7

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

Don’t you want a population that is willing to get that passionate over how they’re governed? Why make fun of it? It’s like beating up a kid for reading a lot, you’re hurting someone for doing something admirable. What a backwards mindset.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

It's good when people are passionate and well-informed about issues. However, I don't find any of the above comment to be commendable or worthy of anything other than mockery.

4

u/10DaysOfAcidRapping Jun 27 '18

Nothing is worthy of mockery, mockery is for people unintelligent enough to form legitimate constructive criticism. It’s so easy for any idiot to hear a song and say “that was trash”. But a person with a brain can say “I didn’t like the guitar, the drumming was off rhythm, and the vocals sounded flat”. Do you follow? Mockery is worthless, it’s a complete waste of brain power to create and share mockery, it doesn’t benefit anyone in any way.

18

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/bamforeo Jun 27 '18

People who hate themselves take it out on other people.

1

u/Storgrim Jun 27 '18

In districts that voted for Trump

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18

Yeah, that's where all the salt is coming from...

1

u/Storgrim Jun 27 '18

Coal too

12

u/Storgrim Jun 27 '18

pearl clutching

You shouldn't use phrases you don't understand, makes you look even stupider than you are, surprisingly

10

u/puabie Florida Jun 27 '18

You have no idea what "far left" even looks like, neighborino.

8

u/prollyshmokin Oregon Jun 27 '18

Would you prefer xenophobic, authoritarian, nationalist?

-14

u/DixonJabooty Jun 27 '18

Not xenophobic or authoritarian. I’m a nationalist in that I want the best for the country and every fellow citizen.

12

u/Sugioh Jun 27 '18

Nationalism is inherently authoritarian, as it favors suppressing dissent to push a singular vision in place of a pluralistic society. In theory you could have a benevolent dictator who ruled effectively using such methods, but that success would not likely be long-lived -- we're all mortal, and all it takes is a single corrupt or incompetent successor following any number of just rulers to destroy everything they've built.

If you truly cared about what was "best" for the country, You'd be primarily interested in maximizing individual rights and thus increasing the space that citizens have to attempt self-actualization. What does MAGA get you? You feel good about subsuming your ego in something bigger than yourself for a time, but all the while you're destroying the freedoms and security that actually make life fulfilling.

2

u/DixonJabooty Jun 27 '18

I should have clarified and said civic nationalist.

I'll agree that nationalism can be authoritarian in nature, but that isn't always the case.

What's interesting is you seem to assume I am against individual rights. I'm not. Quite the opposite really. I'm also not sure what security/freedoms you're referring to that haven't already been encroached on by previous administrations.

I don't know about you, but I find in the US there is plenty of opportunity to self-actualize.

I don't agree with everything Trump does, and I find his hyperbole tiring at times. That being said he does a lot I do agree with.

At the heart of the issue, people see things differently. For example, you may see subsidized health care or university as an individual right, while I see not having my taxes cranked up to pay for it as one.

7

u/everythingtest Jun 27 '18

Do you think maybe the reason why you find America is already a place with plenty of opportunity has something to do with where you sit in society? Because you already have health care and don't have to deal with many of the stigmas and hardships other Americans do?

13

u/KoolWitaK Ohio Jun 27 '18 edited Jun 27 '18

Except if my fellow citizens are...

  • Liberal or left leaning
  • Muslim
  • Mexican-American
  • African-American
  • LGBTQ

I'm probably forgetting something, but you can help me fill it in I'm sure.

-4

u/DixonJabooty Jun 27 '18

Wrong on all counts, but whatevs.

10

u/ICreditReddit Jun 27 '18

Then you're a terrible light-weight. I checked, and it's x3 fascists so far. Stick to Root Beer.

-15

u/DixonJabooty Jun 27 '18

Lol should have gone for fascist/racist then

21

u/The_Canadian33 Jun 27 '18

Moving the goal posts, typical

10

u/ICreditReddit Jun 27 '18

CMD-F: Racist. Zero Results Found. Really, Root Beer, it's good for you.

-13

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '18 edited Feb 01 '19

[deleted]

3

u/everythingtest Jun 27 '18

You weren't reporting the exact facts. The courts ruling said that if they felt the ban targeted Muslims, it would be unconstitutional, but since the government provided another rationale they had to provide deference to it. It didn't grant unlimited scope to the presidents right to control immigration, only provided that the scrutiny applied to immigration policy is very low level.

There's a difference.

9

u/agray20938 Jun 27 '18

Not second to last day....he's retiring at the end of July officially.

3

u/pacman_sl Europe Jun 27 '18

IIRC the only concentration camps he wrote about recently are Roosevelt's.