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fandomhigh2018-09-07 10:26 am
heroic_jawline) wrote in fandomhigh2018-09-07 10:26 am
Entry tags:
Civics, Friday, September 7, 2018
Steve and Tony were in the front of class. Steve was glued to his phone, watching clips of the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Kavanaugh and muttering under his breath.
Tony wasn't doing that only by virtue of his brain being a computer that could do that for him. But he did look a little hazy as he half paid attention to that.
"So, today we'll discuss the power of the Judicial branch of the US government," Tony said. "And how certain people and certain parties shouldn't be allowed to control it."
"Because they're criminals," Steve muttered, "in probably a couple different jurisdictions." He put his phone down. "Right. The Judiciary, along with the Executive and the Legislature--that's Congress--make up the three theoretically co-equal branches of the American government."
Tony gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Now, the Judiciary only came into power as the third part of the balancing act with Judicial Review where the Supreme Court is the be all and end all of questions of constitutionality of laws passed and approved by the other two branches. Which... well, the Constitution is a document written by a bunch of rich, old, white slave owners, so..."
"So it can be tweaked a bit," Steve said. "The Constitution, for instance, didn't directly address marriage. Or health care. Or non-white, non-maile, non-landowners being allowed to vote."
"So a lot of things," Tony added brightly. "Now, there is certainly precedence for trying to stack the court to a certain ideological mindset. FDR attempted it through changes to the make-up of the Supreme Court in order to prevent many of his policies from being overturned the moment he left office. Of course, he won that battle by being elected more than any US president ever was before or since."
"And then they passed a bunch of laws to make sure another President couldn't do that again," Steve said a little dryly.
Be honest, kids. You missed this class.
Tony tried not to smile, hiding it behind a cup of coffee. "So, let's discuss. Do you think public opinion should be taken into consideration for the courts?"
"Keep in mind that while the people chosen to be judges are picked by the President and confirmed by the Senate, they stay there until they retire or die," Steve said. "There's really no other way to get them to leave. They affect decades of interpretation of law."
Tony wasn't doing that only by virtue of his brain being a computer that could do that for him. But he did look a little hazy as he half paid attention to that.
"So, today we'll discuss the power of the Judicial branch of the US government," Tony said. "And how certain people and certain parties shouldn't be allowed to control it."
"Because they're criminals," Steve muttered, "in probably a couple different jurisdictions." He put his phone down. "Right. The Judiciary, along with the Executive and the Legislature--that's Congress--make up the three theoretically co-equal branches of the American government."
Tony gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Now, the Judiciary only came into power as the third part of the balancing act with Judicial Review where the Supreme Court is the be all and end all of questions of constitutionality of laws passed and approved by the other two branches. Which... well, the Constitution is a document written by a bunch of rich, old, white slave owners, so..."
"So it can be tweaked a bit," Steve said. "The Constitution, for instance, didn't directly address marriage. Or health care. Or non-white, non-maile, non-landowners being allowed to vote."
"So a lot of things," Tony added brightly. "Now, there is certainly precedence for trying to stack the court to a certain ideological mindset. FDR attempted it through changes to the make-up of the Supreme Court in order to prevent many of his policies from being overturned the moment he left office. Of course, he won that battle by being elected more than any US president ever was before or since."
"And then they passed a bunch of laws to make sure another President couldn't do that again," Steve said a little dryly.
Be honest, kids. You missed this class.
Tony tried not to smile, hiding it behind a cup of coffee. "So, let's discuss. Do you think public opinion should be taken into consideration for the courts?"
"Keep in mind that while the people chosen to be judges are picked by the President and confirmed by the Senate, they stay there until they retire or die," Steve said. "There's really no other way to get them to leave. They affect decades of interpretation of law."
Sign in 9/7
Re: Sign in 9/7
Re: Sign in 9/7
Listen to the lecture!
Discuss!
And if a President in deep legal trouble appoints a guy to the highest court there is who amazingly thinks that Presidents shouldn't be held accountable for anything, regardless of his other appalling legal positions, why would you even still be talking about confirming him?
Re: Discuss!
"Why don't the judges have some sort of term limits, anyway?" she ventured. "It seems weird that the one would be an exception..."
Re: Discuss!
Talk to Steve and Tony
OOC
Re: OOC