# Justice Stephen Breyer Should Retire Right Now (Is Now Retiring) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 15, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952 "2021-03-15T20:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/101 "2021-08-03T14:00:25Z")
Catholic cardinals also serve for life but they have to be below 80 to vote for a new pope. Right now there are 220 cardinals but only 123 are less than 80. they really are an old group ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/102 "2022-01-26T17:08:37Z")
Reviving… > **[Justice Stephen Breyer to retire from Supreme Court, paving way for Biden...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/justice-stephen-breyer-retire-supreme-court-paving-way-biden-appointment-n1288042)** > > The liberal justice’s decision to step down after more than 27 years on the court allows the president to appoint a successor who could serve for decades. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/103 "2022-01-26T17:19:12Z")
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Had the Democrats not swept the GA senate special elections, Mitch McConnell would never allow it to be filled. Now we have to see if Manchin and Sinema find a way to fuck up putting a replacement liberal on the court. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/104 "2022-01-26T17:19:29Z")
Everyone ready for that soulless reptile McConnell to say “three years before a presidential election is the wrong time to confirm a justice”? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/105 "2022-01-26T17:25:16Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Everyone ready for that soulless reptile McConnell to say “three years before a presidential election is the wrong time to confirm a justice”? He might, of course. But I can’t help but wonder: what if he made a big show of courtly deference, talking up how he’s willing to reach across the aisle for the good of the country because the Supreme Court is and ought to be above politics — you know, apart from quick mention of ‘The Biden Rule’ and the opposite party and so on, for rare occasions when the electorate is about to rightly weigh in on the presidency, you understand — all to get as many people as possible saying _yes, how utterly legitimate_ about tons of 6-3 rulings set to keep getting handed down from on high? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/106 "2022-01-26T17:25:18Z")
^^^ This. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/107 "2022-01-26T17:07:58Z")
WOO-HOO ! > **[Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire: Live updates](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/scotus-stephen-breyer-retirement/index.html)** > > Justice Stephen Breyer, a consistent liberal vote on the Supreme Court with an unflappable belief in the US system of government and a pragmatic view of the law, plans to retire. Follow here for the latest news and reactions. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/108 "2022-01-26T17:11:47Z")
McConnell will claim Biden hasn’t been in office long enough and by the time he is, it will be too close to the election. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/109 "2022-01-26T17:15:31Z")
I’d be surprised if he leaned on one of the hits, rather than trying something Brand New – I’m thinking “too close to dead …” (at age 79). There Is No Bottom with these people. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/110 "2022-01-26T17:17:05Z")
Will Manchin demand GOP buy-in on his replacement? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/111 "2022-01-26T17:18:40Z")
Let’s get someone young in there who can be a consistently liberal voice. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/112 "2022-01-26T17:21:51Z")
Nominate Obama, just to make there heads spin. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/113 "2022-01-26T17:21:56Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > McConnell will claim Biden hasn’t been in office long enough and by the time he is, it will be too close to the election. It’s already too close – Biden has only three more years. Let the next president make the nomination! ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/114 "2022-01-26T17:23:22Z")
Lord. maganut thinks they’ll nominate Howard Stern. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/115 "2022-01-26T17:24:07Z")
**Either** Obama ! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/116 "2022-01-26T17:29:47Z")
Let’s really rile up the MAGAbots: Hillary! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/117 "2022-01-26T17:30:14Z")
Joe Manchin will fuck this up somehow. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/118 "2022-01-26T17:33:01Z")
Yeah, McConnell is not the problem. Manchin is. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/119 "2022-01-26T17:33:39Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Joe Manchin will fuck this up somehow. - Not somehow. I’m sure he has plans. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952/120 "2022-01-26T17:46:28Z")
Split this topic on January 26, 2022, 5:46pm UTC A post was merged into an existing topic: [Biden gets a SCOTUS pick (Breyer retiring)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-gets-a-scotus-pick-breyer-retiring/958427/19) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-stephen-breyer-should-retire-right-now-is-now-retiring/937952.md?page=7)