SCOTUS trivia
July 11th, 2018 at 7:50:13 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | The original SCOTUS had 6 members. George Washington appointed the original 6 justices, 3 of whom resigned during his presidency and three died in office after GW was no longer president. All total he appointed 10 men before he left the Presidency. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson appointed 3 apiece , Madison appointed 2. As many men would stay in office until they died there was an 11 year absence for a death and Monroe got a single appointment in. Since that time, the longest period has been under 6 years, with a sole exception in recent history of 11 years. Quiz One: Which back to back Presidential terms in recent history had no supreme court vacancies? Hint is that we are talking post Jimmy Carter. There are 10 POTUSs who served less than one full term. Three of them A. Johnson, Taylor, and Harrison never got to put a candidate on SCOTUS. Johnson actually had opportunity, but was blocked by congress. John Tyler 1,430 days Andrew Johnson 1,419 Chester A. Arthur 1,262 John F. Kennedy 1,036 Millard Fillmore 969 Gerald Ford 895 Warren G. Harding 881 Zachary Taylor 492 James A. Garfield 199 William Henry Harrison 31 Quiz Two: Who is the only POTUS who served at least one term and did not get to nominate a SCOTUS associate? Quiz Three: FDR had no vacancies for his first presidential term from 1933 to 1937. Fresh from a landslide 1936 re-election what famous legislative change did he attempt in the first weeks of his 2nd term that was criticized by both parties? |
July 11th, 2018 at 8:21:59 AM permalink | |
terapined Member since: Aug 6, 2014 Threads: 73 Posts: 11786 | Quiz 3 I knew right off the bat He tried to pack the court Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World" |
July 11th, 2018 at 8:51:38 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
That is correct. FDR observed that the number of seats in SCOTUS was not set in the constitution, and has started as 6 seats increased to 10 and back down to 9. FDR was frustrated by not being able to name a single judge his first term, and with the SCOTUS shooting down some of his most cherished proposals, he reasoned that congress could add more seats for each judge who chose not to retire within 6 months of turning 70 (up to a maximum of 15). Although it was never ruled illegal, it was seen as a major power grab. Of course in FDR's second term, three judges retired and two died. Eventually he named 9 judges for 8 positions. There was only one judge, Owen Josephus Roberts, he stayed in position from 1930 to 1945 and and FDR did not replace. FDR asked one of his nominees to resign after 15 months to help him with the war effort. He almost became Vice President instead of Truman, but he is now lost to history as much people cannot remember the name of James F. Byrnes. Subsequent counts (which should help with other quiz questions) Dwight D. Eisenhower 5 John F. Kennedy 2 Lyndon B. Johnson 2 Richard Nixon 4 Gerald Ford 1 == John Paul Stevens Ronald Reagan 3 == Sandra Day O'Connor == Antonin Scalia == Anthony Kennedy George H. W. Bush 2 == David Souter (retired less than 19 years) == Clarence Thomas Bill Clinton 2 == Ruth Bader Ginsburg == Stephen Breyer George W. Bush 2 == John Roberts == Samuel Alito Barack Obama 2 == Sonia Sotomayor == Elena Kagan Donald Trump 1 == Neil Gorsuch Between FDR and Truman (20 years) obviously the entire SCOTUS was nominated by a Democratic POTUS. By the time RBG was nominated by Bill Clinton, to replace Byron White (nominated by JFK) all of her colleagues had been nominated by Republicans. Harry Blackmun 12. May. 1970 Nixon William Rehnquist 10. Dec. 1971 Nixon promoted 17. Sep. 1986 by Reagan to Chief Justice John Paul Stevens 17. Dec. 1975 Ford Sandra Day O'Connor 21. Sep. 1981 Reagan Antonin Scalia 17. Sep. 1986 Reagan Anthony Kennedy 3. Feb. 1988 Reagan David Souter 2. Oct. 1990 HW Bush Clarence Thomas 15. Oct. 1991 HW Bush REMINDER Quiz One: Which back to back Presidential terms in recent history had no supreme court vacancies? Hint is that we are talking post Jimmy Carter. Quiz Two: Who is the only POTUS who served at least one term and did not get to nominate a SCOTUS associate? |
July 13th, 2018 at 10:06:00 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
No interest so I will supply answers. Quiz One: Bill Clinton's second term followed by GW Bush's first term Quiz Two: Jimmy Carter The only back to back presidential terms in the 19th century without a nomination were James Madison's 2nd term and James Monroe's 1st term. Three 19th century presidents did not get to name a Supreme Court judge, but they all served less than one full term. Jimmy Carter is the only president to serve a full term and not get a nomination. When there was no vacancies for FDR's entire first term, he grew frustrated with the old men destroying his policies. After FDR's second election he proposed adding a just for everyone who was over age 70.5 up to six. Coincidentally, at the time there were six justices over age 70.5 years. The defeat of this proposal didn't matter much because over his second term, four justices retired and one died. By FDR's third term he had replaced them all except for the youngest. Age when FDR began 2nd term 80.30 Brandeis retired 77.88 Van Devanter retired 75.08 McReynolds 74.94 Sutherland retired 74.89 Hughes 70.96 Butler died 66.78 Cardozo retired 64.39 Stone 61.84 O. Roberts |