Partisan Politics and The Supreme Court

In relation to Tuesday's reading --

UC Irvine Law School Dean Erwin Chermerinsky recently wrote an op-ed calling for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who turned 81 this past weekend, to retire this summer. Chermerinsky argues that Ginsburg's retirement would allow Obama to appoint another liberal justice to the Court before the 2016 election. If Ginsburg waits until 2016, Senate Republicans could delay the confirmation process until the new president takes office. If Ginsburg waits until 2015 and the Republicans win a majority in the Senate, the nomination could be filibustered.

Although Ginsburg has denied that she will retire, Chermerinsky's op-ed sparked debate regarding whether or not a justice should retire for ideological reasons.

Op-ed here.