Back in the good ol' days

'Justice John Paul Stevens, who announced his resignation from the Supreme Court on Friday after 34 years, may be the last justice from a time when ability and independence, rather than perceived ideology, were viewed as the crucial qualifications for a seat on the court. He was nominated in 1975 by President Gerald R. Ford, who said all he wanted was “the finest legal mind I could find."' (emphasis mine)

read me:
The End of an Era, for Court and Nation (from NYT)

"In an interview last week, he said that every one of the dozen justices appointed to the court since 1971, including himself, was more conservative than his or her predecessor."


Let's hope Obama reverses this trend.

It should seem odd to all of us that if we went back several decades on the Court, we'd see a far more liberal collection of justices. Not that they were so wacky and radical, but that it's easier to nominate a conservative now.

Conservatives often talk about the good ol' days. At least in this case, I might agree, nomination-wise.
So let's give 'em what they're asking for- a liberal justice.