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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 ANALYSIS 
8

How to Diversify the Court: Pick a WASP

...Or a non-lawyer, or a public school grad, or a Westerner, or...

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(Newser) – If you’re looking to diversify the Supreme Court, Robert Barnes of the Washington Post has an idea: Why not pick a WASP? There hasn’t been a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant nominated since David Souter in 1990. The current court boasts five Catholics and two Jews—not exactly representative. Of course, white people have had a good run, but the point is that gender and race aren’t the only factors in diversifying the court. 

In many ways, the current court is incredibly homogenous. Eight of the justices went to Yale or Harvard, every last one of them comes from an appellate court, and all but two of those courts were on the Eastern Seaboard. Maybe Obama should pick someone who went to a public university (like 75% of college students), or a lawmaker or governor, Barnes contends—someone to inject some “real-life” experience into the court.

Members of the Supreme Court await the arrival of President Barack Obama prior to his address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol in Washington , Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.
Members of the Supreme Court await the arrival of President Barack Obama prior to his address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol in Washington , Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington in this March 3, 2006 file photo.
Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington in this March 3, 2006 file photo.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
The court hasn't seen a WASP since Souter.
The court hasn't seen a WASP since Souter.   (AP Photo/Jim Cole, FILE)
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8 comments
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TerrifiedCitizen
May 26, 09 8:33 AM CDT
If you want to observe a group of your peers, watch a jury selection sometime. A prosecutor ejects anyone who seems to exhibit the least bit of simpatico for either side. Jury of your peers has evolved into a jury of your enemies. Reply
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+1
riffran
May 26, 09 8:42 AM CDT
of course...thats how I get out of jury duty.....when asked if i would consider a probation sentance on a slime ball caught with 4 bales of weed, and 8 kilo's of cocaine...I said absolutly not...there was no way to convince me that he was not selling, or smuggling to dealers...and that stuff could wind up around my daughters school....no way!......."ok sir your dismissed".....works every time..... Reply
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-1
Observer
May 26, 09 8:44 AM CDT
The Supreme Court is an elitist group. It does not represent our diverse society at all. Put a plumber and a stripper on the court. They know how to deal with real world challenges. Reply
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+2
IN RESPONSE:
paul123
May 26, 09 9:12 AM CDT
with only 12 positions, there is no way every vocation can be represented, however i know this wan't your point, just sayin'.
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0
IN RESPONSE:
SPH
May 26, 09 12:23 PM CDT
There are only 9 Justices by statute ...But I agree with your point...
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