Why do we debate Supreme Court nominations and appointments as much as we do? Unbelievably, written requirements of the Supreme Court are non-existent. Where the Constitution lists age and experience requirements for both presidential and congressional candidates, only a tiny paragraph describes what the third branch of government should look like. All of those standards and regulations you think are law? None have been put in writing anywhere. In fact, judicial review, one of the most important parts of a Supreme Court Justice’s job, only started in 1803, established following the ruling of Marbury v. Madison. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan this week as they discuss the surprising standards set for Supreme Court Justice candidates.
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Quick Hits
- North Korea executes a General for giving food to soldiers’ families
- The United States fines people for giving food to the poor
- Black men are succeeding in America
Foolishness of the Week
Topic of the Week: The Supreme Court
- Sotomayor on the idea of a living constitution
- Scalia on the idea of a living constitution
Congressional job approval - Agreement rates among Supreme Court Justices
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Antony Davies
Dr. Antony Davies is an Associate professor of Economics at Duquesne University, and co-host of the podcast, Words & Numbers.
James R. Harrigan
James R. Harrigan is a Senior Editor at the American Institute for Economic Research. He is also co-host of the Words & Numbers podcast.