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How to Diversify the Court: Pick a WASP

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

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 26, 2009 6:40 AM CDT

(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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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
JonmarkP
May 26, 2009 5:26 AM CDT
After the Court subverted the 2000 elections, they lost any credibility for average people. They are an elitist group who represent the interests of the rich and powerful, every time. So is the Congress, and so is the President. Jefferson would puke.
Mr.C
May 26, 2009 3:54 AM CDT
absolutely agreed.
paul123
May 26, 2009 2:12 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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