61 Comments
User's avatar
David Skoglund's avatar

Fight fire with fire. The current Republican Party is filthy. They are breaking norms and institutions to implement a fascist agenda nationwide. Laws and voters be damned.

Guy Cohen's avatar

Luckily, there's more of us then there is of them. And fascism can't overcome a blue wave and an opposition party who actually fights back.

benamery21's avatar

Bad policy and dirty pool, but entirely justified in the circumstances. We cannot be the party of "Thank You, Sir, may I have another?"

David E. Roy  Ph.D.'s avatar

This is exactly what needs to happen. Use the law to create space for us to elbow our way to the front.

Guy Cohen's avatar

54 is a bit too low. How about 70? Gets Chafin out immediately.

Jeff Friedman's avatar

There is one other option and according to the AP, it’s already kicked in: appealing the decision. Virginia Dems have filed an emergency appeal with SCOTUS. And as odious as they are, they have upheld restricting in TX and CA, on appeal-so there’s a small but hopeful chance they’ll overturn the VA. Supreme Court. Worth a try, anyway.

Pat J's avatar

Don’t hold your breath. SCOTUS put us here in the first place.

Jeri L Ross's avatar

...but by when?

Jeff Friedman's avatar

I meant to say redistricting, not restricting!

Jeri L Ross's avatar

Three dots on the right allows you to edit.

David Leiwant's avatar

This is a good idea. It reminds me of what happened when the Republicans took control of the North Carolina Supreme Court after the 2022 election and reversed a number of rulings made by the previously Democratic controlled Court for no legal reason except that the majority on the Court had changed. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Lower the retirement age for the Virginia Supreme Court ASAP, then move for reconsideration of the decision at issue.

August Wolf, OLY's avatar

What a desperate Friday night fantasy

Jacom Dlying's avatar

Did you really write this, you know this is exactly what orban did, for a party that calls itself the Democratic Party this seems profoundly un democratic.

benamery21's avatar

Are you aware of how many state Supreme courts in the U.S. have been packed by the GOP? Rules only work if both parties play fair. Fair play when the other party cheats egregiously is asking to be slaughtered.

Jacom Dlying's avatar

This is not packing, this is way beyond it, your might as well revert to 18th century uk. With your proposal to oust every Virginian Supreme Court judge from office and presumably replace them with loyalists remember this quote from the Declaration of Independence

“He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries”

Chris Hocker's avatar

FL redistricted in clear violation of the FL state constitution. But because the FL Supreme Court is filled with partisans appointed by the current FL governor, what’s in the constitution doesn’t matter. I’m sure you are equally outraged by that.

Jacom Dlying's avatar

And look at New York, which did the same thing, or tried to, compare Harkenrider v hochul (Rivera, J) dissenting with Hoffman v New York State redistricign commission. Also please don’t try to deny that the Virginia ballot language was not misleading. Actually cite some law next time you make an argument

Chris Hocker's avatar

So if I understand what you are saying, it’s okay for Republicans todo it, but not Dems. Can’t have it both ways.

Jacom Dlying's avatar

When did I ever say that. You think by not supporting your unamerican plan I’m somehow condoning their behavior or letting them get away with it. Honestly you take these kinds of things to personally.

David Skoglund's avatar

Jacom is a troll Chris.

TylerDurden's avatar

It’s amazing how MAGA loving insurrectionist pardoning and pedophile protecting Lynn Gardner loves name calling and completely disregards the will of the voters while probably supporting a majority minority city in Memphis getting carved in four districts …this is warfare time b****

David Skoglund's avatar

The undemocratic party is the Republicans in the age of Trump. They have no bottom when it comes to being craven. Start there with your critique, Jacom

Jacom Dlying's avatar

So your proposal is to also undemocratic as well. Ludicrous to say the least. I know this proposal will never pass.

Jeff Smithpeters's avatar

Undemocratic?

Tell us how Virginia Supreme Court members are elected, Jacom? Some of us missed that.

TylerDurden's avatar

Jacom needs some quiet time with his Trump blow up doll

Agent of Chaotic Respite's avatar

Read the room, and understand: We didn't start this fire and didn't choose to play dirty, but fuck if we should let the fascists take over without the fight this deserves.

Jacom Dlying's avatar

All this for 4 seats, sad really

Agent of Chaotic Respite's avatar

For control of the House. Try to keep up with the grown-ups, N'kay?

Jacom Dlying's avatar

Well ask yourself this why isn’t the 5-2 liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court, getting you your extra 2 seats in Wisconsin. They just refused to hear a challenge for the 2nd time

Agent of Chaotic Respite's avatar

Ask me if I give a fuck about your "what-about" bullshit. Go fascinate someone else, dipshit.

Jacom Dlying's avatar

I suggest your get yourself educated on this topic before your purport to lecture other on it.

TylerDurden's avatar

As I said perhaps its tjme Jacom finds that solace from his Trump blow up doll

Jeff Smithpeters's avatar

But not sad in Texas or Florida, right?

benamery21's avatar

Decision was 4-3. Only one conservative judge would need to be retired to flip the court. A clean slate has advantages, of course, but the optics are worse. Teresa Chafin is the eldest member of the court and would be retired by dropping the retirement age from 73 to 70, which is the current mode among the states.

Lynn W Gardner's avatar

It is amazing that you radical socialist love the courts when they interfere with the will of real Americans but boy let the court rule agains one of your Socialist Democrat power grabs and all of a sudden you want to remove the entire court. You and your fellow travelers are just a bunch of power hungry socialist. Remember your illegal constitutional amendment only passed 51-49 and Virginia is a 52-48 Democratic-Republican state yet you bunch of Marxist want to disenfranchise approximately half the population.

Ottobouvier's avatar

Why not just lower it to a more palatable 70 which would remove one justice who was in the majority and replace her with someone highly likely to vote the other way?

derkmc's avatar

We just need Chafin out and the age lowered to 70 and you flip the court. Even if this doesn't lead to a new decision ASAP at least it shows the SCOVA who is in charge of Virginia.

curt's avatar

Well Lynn, the people spoke, Americans and Virginians and they said yes. This is not Socialist agenda, it is democracy in action. Wake up and look around! The current administration is authoritarian, corrupt, ignores the rule of law, constantly lies, demeans anyone, steps on anyone who doesn't agree with them, profits off the american people at our expense and is aligning us with Putin to destroy our democracy. It is now costing you 30% more to live. Your safety nets are destroyed and the money is going to support bombing other people and destroying ( and murdering) innocent people in this country! Think about it and see how your world and those of your family are being destroyed.

Terri Lamb's avatar

Nice loophole…USE IT!!!

“The state Constitution gives lawmakers complete latitude to set the judicial retirement age. They should use it.”

Jeri G's avatar

Brilliant. You know the fascist, racist Project 2021 so-called Republicans would do that in a split second. Dems have to go to war with these fascists who have left us with a mere skeleton of democracy.