Is there really much difference between Bush and Kerry?

[El Barto]

I'd appreciate specific reasoned answers here.

Will who is President really affect the ecomomy much?

Will our defense against terrorism be all that different?

Since Congress will still be divided closely, what laws would pass that don't have bipartisan support anyway?

I know everyone has their preference, but is it going to matter that much to the quality of your life, who happens to be President?

Serious and well-reasoned replies appreciated.

[elwoodblues]

I have a suspicion that if nobody ever knew presidential election outcomes (of nearly any presidential election) you wouldn't be able to tell who was in office merely by what they did.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Since Congress will still be divided closely, what laws would pass that don't have bipartisan support anyway?

With bills that pass by a narrow margin, there will be a difference based upon the use of the president's veto power. Each will be more likely to veto bills that are contrary to his stance on the social issues.

[ChristinaB]

one word:

Scalia

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Last I checked, the president can only nominate replacement justices, not fire current ones. Like it or not, Scalia's there for life.

[ChristinaB]

I guess one word wasn't enough. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Bush said he wanted to appoint new justices in the style of Scalia. John Kerry will not.

Scalia is there for life, but he can be out-voted.

[adios]

Since the Democrats introduced the tactic of fillubustering judicial nominees you can expect the Republicans to respond in kind if Kerry gets elected. There hasn't been one Supreme Court vacancy under Dubya. If Kerry get's elected there probably will be a vacancy during his administration. The Republicans will certainly play "hardball" with any Kerry nominated candidate for a Supreme Court vacancy. This is why the Democratic tactic of fillibustering judicial nominees was short sighted IMO. The Republicans will probably have a majority in both Houses of Congress (they only need a majority in the Senate) again so they can just outright reject anyone they don't like. It used to be if someone that was nominated was qualified for the position they would get it. Not anymore IMO since the Democrats politicized the process.

[Zeno]

Scalia is my favorite Supreme Court Justice. He is, to put it succinctly, The Mouth of God.

In the early thirties FDR, who actually was God, at least for awhile, had great difficulties with the Supreme Court when He was trying to ram through some New Deal legislation and other nonsensical laws that the Holy Court deemed unconstitutional. I am not sure of the details but FDR wanted to fire, replace, assassinated or otherwise circumvent the Court as He saw them as obstructers to His grand vision of saving the US, the world, the solar system and a few odd galaxies, along with padding the pockets of associates and comrades in arms as it were. There was some large-scale hullabaloo. No literate blood was shed but FDR got his comeuppance, I think.

Possible lessons in the above tale - None that I care to elaborate on. Others can if the spirit so moves them.

Le Misanthrope

[andyfox]

Scalia does indeed think he's the mouth of god. Read his angry refusal to recuse himself from judging the vice president simply because he knows the veep will need him to gain a 5-4 decision.

FDR, who was indeed god, did indeed try to pack the Supreme Court to render is a rubber stamp for his policies. Whatever comeuppance he got, he was still reelected three more times.

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not sure of the details but FDR wanted to fire, replace, assassinated or otherwise circumvent the Court

[/ QUOTE ]

Something like that...FDR decided he would just appoint more people (who agreed with him) to the Supreme Court. The constitution does not give a number for the total number of justices so he thought he could appoint additional people to dominate those who opposed his legislation. Tricky - certainly. Legal - probably.

The phrase "a switch in time saves 9" was used to describe the move.