Reuters: on Government Reform
Anthony Kennedy:
Favors states’ rights, usually
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including Kennedy, usually support states’ rights.
Kennedy is usually conservative, and part of the majority bloc that favors states’ rights, but voted against states that wanted to outlaw flag burning.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Antonin Scalia:
For states’ rights; limit court role
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Scalia, and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights.
Scalia interprets the Constitution literally and is a strong states’ rights advocate. Favors limited role for courts in the three-branch system of government.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Beto O`Rourke:
Same-day voter registration; make election day a holiday
O'Rourke, a former congressman from Texas, a state with tough voter ID laws that critics say disproportionately affect the ability of minorities to vote, unveiled proposal to allow the registration of an additional 50 million U.S. voters.O'Rourke
said as president he would spearhead a nationwide effort to allow voters in every state to register on election day, and to make registration automatic every time a citizen does business with a government office, such as getting a driver's license.
O'Rourke says that by combining the two measures in all 50 states, at least 50 million more voters would be registered. He also wants to make U.S. voting day a national holiday, making it easier for people to get to the polls, expand voting by mail,
extend early voting and place polling stations in easily accessible, "iconic" locations.
O'Rourke said he would also work with Congress to crack down on voter ID laws, which he said "reduce turnout, period."
Source: Reuters news service on 2020 Democratic primary
Jun 5, 2019
Beto O`Rourke:
Term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court
A key part of O'Rourke's voting rights plan would be to set term limits for politicians, to give young people incentive to vote for new candidates. He proposes limiting membership of the US House of Representatives and Senate to 12 years, and requiring
Supreme Court justices--currently appointed for life--to step down after 18 years. Those moves would require a constitutional amendment, which requires a 2/3 majority vote in both the House and Senate, and ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures.
Source: Reuters news service on 2020 Democratic primary
Jun 5, 2019
Clarence Thomas:
Limited role for courts; narrow Constitional interpretation
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Thomas, and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights.
Thomas, sees limited role for the court; reads constitutional guarantees narrowly.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Dan Quayle:
Reduce cabinet to 8-12 depts, save billions
The federal government could be reorganized from 16 Cabinet departments to perhaps 12 or eight, he said, with a saving of “billions” of dollars.
Source: Reuters News Service
Jul 2, 1999
David Souter:
Backs federal powers over states’ rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including Souter, usually support states’ rights.
Souter frustrates conservatives by consistently backing federal powers. He’s a leader of the four-justice minority trying to slow movement to states’ rights.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
John Paul Stevens:
Against state term limits on candidates for congress
Stevens favors abortion rights, affirmative action, and defendants' rights. His 1995 opinion struck down state term limits on candidates for congress.
(X-ref government) Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
John Paul Stevens:
Votes with liberal bloc against states' rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states' rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Stevens, do not].Stevens favors abortion rights, affirmative action, and defendants' rights. His 1995 opinion struck down state term limits on candidates for congress.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Pete Buttigieg:
Provide new opportunities for voluntary public service
Buttigieg is proposing a massive expansion of national service programs, to build a network of 1 million members by 2026. He would quadruple the number of service opportunities to a million high school graduates, establishing new service corps,
including a Climate Corps, Community Health Corps and Intergenerational Service Corps, all of which would be overseen by a new chief service officer who would be part of the White House National Security Council and Domestic Policy Council.
Source: Reuters coverage of 2020 Democratic primary
Jul 3, 2019
Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Votes with liberal bloc against states' rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states' rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Ginsburg, do not].Ginsburg is considered liberal but has voted with the conservative wing, most notably in a dissenting opinion that states have broad powers to limit jury awards.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Sandra Day O`Connor:
Limit federal courts on state powers
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including O'Connor, usually support states' rights.
O'Connor sides with the conservative wing on limiting intrusions by federal courts on state powers. She also has a role as the centrist coalition builder.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Stephen Breyer:
Votes with liberal bloc against states' rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states' rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Breyer, do not].Breyer is a consistently liberal voice on the court. He recently affirmed the right of disabled people to sue states under federal civil rights law.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
William Rehnquist:
States' rights over federal power
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Rehnquist, and two of the swing justices usually support states' rights.
Rehnquist, a big states' rights advocate, the conservative chief justive has led the charge to cut back the federal government's power over the states.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
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