Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has not spoken during an oral argument in five years. Not a peep. No questions. No comments. Not so much as a "Gesundheit!" when, two years ago, then-Solicitor General Elena Kagan sneezed during her presentation. He has occasionally appeared to turn and whisper something to fellow Justice Stephen Breyer, but Breyer has confirmed that those were actually neck spasms.
Somebody needs to remind Thomas that participation counts for ten percent of his final grade.
In fairness, Thomas's silence is more than outweighed by fellow paleo-conservative Antonin Scalia's verbosity. Perhaps Thomas is simpy playing Teller to Scalia's Penn only much less funny--and nowhere near as good at gory magic tricks.
Supreme Court Justices receive lifetime tenure to essentially work for maybe six months a year. What do the American people ask for in return? Not much. Judicial acumen. An occasional overturned election. And some penetrating legal discourse. We're not getting our money's worth with Thomas!
Ah, well. . . . Better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool. . . .
Solipsistography
Look in the Dictionary, under the phrase: "Useful Idiot". Scalia did, and look whose picture he found!
ReplyDeleteReally, not a word? How eccentric.
ReplyDelete