Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
At a recent speech at the Manhattan Institute, Justice Alito let it be known that he does not plan to attend the next State of the Union address. He joins brethren Scalia and Thomas in skipping the event (and at the other end of the spectrum, the recently-retired Justice Stevens used to skip the POTUS speech as well).
My question is: why would any Justice go to the State of the Union? To sit there like naughty schoolboys while the President scolds them for having the nerve to uphold the Constitution? Who wants to endure that? Oh, I know: Justice Breyer. According to AP, Breyer
has said he was not bothered by Obama's criticism and believes justices should attend so that viewers can see the three branches of government represented in the same room.
That's the best he can do? The Supreme Court should show up because it makes for a nice civics-lesson visual? This, incidentally, is the same Justice Breyer who thinks that American democracy depends on the public's high esteem of the Supreme Court. Evidently, the best way to reinforce that high esteem is to sit still on prime time TV while the President trashes your decisions. Alito wins this one hands down.
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Sep '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I liked it last year when he shook his head and mouthed words when the BSer in chief was blathering. Alas that's probably not acceptable
Oct '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
The viewers should see that the separated powers are not in the same room, furthermore, on the same ideological page, or of the identical mindset. Breyer might as well suggest, "everybody put their hand in the middle, shout friendsforever! at the count of 3, and break!"
Aug '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
They should all stay away! Teach O a lesson in civics and in basic good manners.Actually, I thought the President's conduct bordered on the sinister on that occasion.
Oct '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I really don't understand why any justices attend. Now that I think about it, I don't even understand why Congress shows up. Outlining a portion of presidential duties, the constitution reads, "He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." The idea was for the executive to give substantive and empirical, that is, helpful information to legislators. Instead, it's an hour of prattle and applause interruptions. One side of the isle gets harangued, while the other side just tries not to get caught on camera looking bored. Justice Alito's time would be better spent reading Twilight.
Edited on Oct 18, 2010 at 1:34pmRe: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Exactly so. Until Woodrow Wilson's administration, the State of the Union was a written report delivered to Congress without much fanfare.
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Perhaps Alito should show up and adopt Obama's clever practice of scratching his forehead with his middle finger.
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Adam Freedman
Exactly so. Until Woodrow Wilson's administration, the State of the Union was a written report delivered to Congress without much fanfare. · Oct 16 at 1:19pm
Well, actually, George Washington and John Adams delivered State of the Union addresses.
Jefferson did away with the speech, considering it too monarchical.
Small surprise that Woodrow Wilson, an egomaniacal pedant, should have been the one to reprise the speech to a joint session.
Oct '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Adam Freedman
Exactly so. Until Woodrow Wilson's administration, the State of the Union was a written report delivered to Congress without much fanfare. · Oct 16 at 1:19pm
I wouldn't mind it returning to a written report. It would carry more weight.
Edited on Oct 18, 2010 at 1:35pmAug '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Adam Freedman
Exactly so. Until Woodrow Wilson's administration, the State of the Union was a written report delivered to Congress without much fanfare. · Oct 16 at 1:19pm
Figures that Wilson was the one that started with all that grandstanding and pomposity.
Yes, let's return to a written report.
(EDIT: Just saw Kenneth's comment. But I'll assume that Washington and Adams didn't use their States of the Union for pompous grandstanding. Besides, how big a crowd could have seen it, anyhow, if they had?)
Edited on Oct 16, 2010 at 1:37pmSep '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I think it should be done as a badly drafted PowerPoint.
May '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I was really hoping the entire Supreme Court would skip this year's State of the Union address. Of all of the arrogant things President Obama has done, the cheap shot at SCOTUS was perhaps the most egregious.
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I beg to disagree. Alito should not lower himself to Obama's puerile level. Being a gentleman he's decided, correctly, in my opinion, to avoid the undignified, demagogic, partisan burlesque presided over by an immature man. Bravo, Justice Alito.
Edited on Oct 16, 2010 at 2:37pmRe: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Kenneth
Adam Freedman
Exactly so. Until Woodrow Wilson's administration, the State of the Union was a written report delivered to Congress without much fanfare. · Oct 16 at 1:19pm
Well, actually, George Washington and John Adams delivered State of the Union addresses.
Jefferson did away with the speech, considering it too monarchical.
Small surprise that Woodrow Wilson, an egomaniacal pedant, should have been the one to reprise the speech to a joint session. · Oct 16 at 1:24pm
I stand corrected! And I agree about Wilson. He began the Democratic Party's institutional contempt for the Constitution, which he considered a drag on his relentless march to shape History with a capital "H." Of course that whole League of Nations thing didn't work out exactly as planned.
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I was hoping everyone would show up with those translation headsets worn at the U.N.
(Oh! So that's what he means when he says "work together, responsible, good for everybody.")
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Ragnarok
...the undignified, demagogic, partisan burlesque... · Oct 16 at 2:21pm
Edited on Oct 16 at 02:37 pm
Yeah, that's how I feel about it, too.
So I skipped it last time around and watched a Discovery Channel documentary about mucus.
Oct '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
I wonder if Justice Alito and I will be watching the same program on the Travel Channel at the time. I no longer allow myself to be lectured to by Obama. I read the transcipts, which is actually even more boring. But it's much less demeaning.
Aug '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Wouldn't the greatest affirmation of the separation of powers be a no-show by the Ginsberg faction next time?Will it happen? Doubt it.
Oct '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
If Alito, Scalia, and Thomas really wanted to make a statement, they could attend the event, but bring some reading material (Human Events, American Rifleman, Liberty and Tyranny, The Road to Serfdom, Intellectuals and Society, etc.).
Jul '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
Not only do I applaud Alito et all for staying away, I think the case could be made that the Supremes ought not to show up, ever. Regardless of who is President.
The SOTU is an inherently political event, and getting more as as time goes by. It is none of the Court's business what a prez has to say. At best they look like groupies gazing up at the President. At worst they become enmeshed in unseemly political nonsense. I think Chief Justice Roberts would do the Court well to set the expectation that this is none of the Court's business, and attendance would be frowned upon.
Aug '10
Re: Justice Alito Sends His Regrets
At the very least, shouldn't this be forbidden to avoid disasters like the end of Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor?