US Supreme Court

Question 1

What are the political aspects of the appointment process? Include examples.

Answer 1

• president nominates them (Dem = Liberal)
  (Rep = Conservative)
• Senate confirms
• 1994 Steven Breyer for 87 - against 9
• 2016 Brett Kavanaugh for 50 - against 48
• 2016 Scalia died Obama not allowed to nominate new judge
• 2020 Ginsburg died Trump nominates new judge

Question 2

What are the non-political aspects of the appointment process? Include examples.

Answer 2

• Justices may disappoint nominated president
• Eisenhower = Warren (Brown v Board 1954)
• American Bar Association (ABA)

Question 3

What are the political aspects of the influence on public policy? Include examples.

Answer 3

• SCOTUS has final say on political issues
• Judicial activism = Bush v Gore (2000), Roe v Wade (1973), Dobbs v Jackson (2022)

Question 4

What are the non-political aspects of the influence on public policy? Include examples.

Answer 4

• Judicial Restraint = Bucclew v Precythe (2019)
• 8th amendment

Question 5

What are the political aspects of independence? Include examples.

Answer 5

• Impeachment process
• Congress can alter the composition of SCOTUS e.g Biden, Roosevelt

Question 6

What are the non-political aspects of independence? Include examples.

Answer 6

• No impeachment has ever been enacted on SCOTUS
• No change to SCOTUS since 1869
• Article 3 says they have a guaranteed role for life = also protects salary