**DONOTDELETE**
08-20-2002, 10:02 PM
IMHO The most significant judicial issue in 2002 is the senate election campaign.
For the past two years most judicial nominations have been held up in commottiee, preventing a vote on the merits for confirmation.
A net gain on one senate seat (or two if McCain becomes anothe Jeffords) would enable the President to have these nominations voted up or down on the merits.
The political consequences are that Bush''s appointees would shape SCOTUS rulings far beyond his sterm of office.
The democratic consequences are that the many judicial vacanies could be filled; those who suffer most from judicial vancancies are not the GOP or the Dem professional politicians, but the people.
Insurances companies ( I will restrict my remarks to California) try to drag tort cases out. A plaintiff may have to wait for three years or longer for his/her case to be heard. JUdicial vacancies are very hard on the plaintiff. On the criminal law side, prosecutors ofter resort to plea bargaining when courtrooms are not available to try cases. The people suffer.
I care more about GOP regaining control of the senate than any other issue in the 2002 campaign.
For the past two years most judicial nominations have been held up in commottiee, preventing a vote on the merits for confirmation.
A net gain on one senate seat (or two if McCain becomes anothe Jeffords) would enable the President to have these nominations voted up or down on the merits.
The political consequences are that Bush''s appointees would shape SCOTUS rulings far beyond his sterm of office.
The democratic consequences are that the many judicial vacanies could be filled; those who suffer most from judicial vancancies are not the GOP or the Dem professional politicians, but the people.
Insurances companies ( I will restrict my remarks to California) try to drag tort cases out. A plaintiff may have to wait for three years or longer for his/her case to be heard. JUdicial vacancies are very hard on the plaintiff. On the criminal law side, prosecutors ofter resort to plea bargaining when courtrooms are not available to try cases. The people suffer.
I care more about GOP regaining control of the senate than any other issue in the 2002 campaign.