WASHINGTON - A new analysis has indicated that the judicial appointments of former president George W. Bush suggest that his motivation for appointing nontraditional judges was driven more by ideology and strategy than concerns for diversity.
The analysis was done by Jennifer Segal Diascro, a professor of government at American University’s School of Public Affairs, and Rorie Spill Solberg, a professor of political science at Oregon State University.
The examination of all the federal judicial appointments during the two terms of his presidency shows that Bush did make a number of diverse appointments, especially Hispanics, but the overall number of minority judges in the federal courts did not increase during his tenure.
“Bush cared about diversity, but it was not his first priority,” Diascro said. “We suspect that he had many Hispanic conservatives from whom to choose when filling vacancies on the bench, yet he chose to appoint traditional candidates instead,” she added.
ccording to the analysis, when compared with all presidents since Jimmy Carter, Bush maintained the status quo in appointing nontraditional judges to the bench.
He appointed more men (78 percent overall) than women (22 percent) and more Caucasians (82 percent) than minorities (18 percent).
When comparing total appointments, the study found that Bush appointed more white females (50) than Carter (32), Ronald Reagan (27) or George H.W. Bush (31), but fewer than Bill Clinton (83).
He appointed more Hispanic females (12) than Clinton (5), but fewer African American females (8 compared to 15) than Clinton.
Like Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush often appointed minorities to seats for political gain or for ideological purposes, Spill Solberg explained.
“There is a tendency, and we see this across the political spectrum, to use bench appointments to gain clout with certain voters,” said Diascro.
“The Bush administration was actively courting the Hispanic vote, so it isn’t surprising that he made more appointments of Hispanic judges than African Americans, but it was often also based on judicial philosophy,” she added.
According to Diascro, “Not so for African Americans. By the time Bush left office, the proportion of seats on the court of appeals held by African Americans had increased by only half a percent.”
“Replacement patterns are key to understanding efforts to increase diversity on the bench,” she said.
“Presidents may appoint a number of nontraditional judges, as President Bush did, but if their appointments maintain the status quo and don’t add nontraditional judges, then their impact is less than it could be,” she added. (ANI)
Related News
Failure to launch: Obama space panel says Bush's moon return plan too costly, won't flySeptember 8th, 2009 Obama space panel says moon return plan is a no-goWASHINGTON — A White House panel of independent space experts says NASA's return-to-the-moon plan just won't fly. The problem is money.
Republican Sen. Gregg says he'll vote for Sotomayor for Supreme Court, breaking with GOPAugust 6th, 2009 GOP Sen. Gregg to vote for SotomayorWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Judd Gregg says he'll vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, breaking with most of his fellow Republicans.
Fish fear divers and snorkelers who try to count them for censusJuly 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research by scientists from the University of Victoria has shown that fish avoid the divers and snorkelers who try to count them, and that is why using snorkelers and SCUBA divers may misrepresent the number of fish. Not all types of fish are equally frightened by the divers, and Faculty of 1000 member Helen Yap, who recommended the study, explains that therefore "such methods may not provide an accurate picture of the actual diversity and abundance of fish communities."
Counting coral reef fish informs researchers about local ecological changes.
Leahy says Sotomayor will be 'justice for all Americans,' is 'outstanding' nomineeJuly 13th, 2009 Leahy says Sotomayor follows rule of lawWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Sonia Sotomayor will be a Supreme Court justice who's "committed to the law" and "not to ideology."
Describing Sotomayor as an "outstanding" nominee at the start of her Senate confirmation hearing Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy denounced what he described as efforts to distort Sotomayor's record and views.
Rajnath tries to perk up youth wing after poll debacleJuly 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Sunday asked the party's youth wing to remain committed to the ideology of "cultural nationalism" and not be disappointed with the electoral reverses. "We are proud of being part of a party that has a strong ideological base.
Obama: 'Narrow' Supreme Court ruling for white firefighters leaves room for affirmative actionJuly 2nd, 2009 Obama: Court leaves room for affirmative actionWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Thursday the Supreme Court is "moving the ball" to limit affirmative action, but he stressed that its ruling in favor of white firefighters still allows employers and educators to take race into account in hiring, promotions and admissions. The president, a former constitutional law professor, avoided criticizing this week's 5-4 ruling even though it reversed a decision his own high court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, had endorsed as an appeals court judge.
APNewsBreak: News Corp. responds to New York Post cartoon by forming diversity councilJune 10th, 2009 APNewsBreak: News Corp. forms diversity councilNews Corp.
Different genes cause loss of body parts in similar fishJune 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has shown that different genes can cause loss of body parts in similar fish, by comparing how 2 species of sticklebacks lost pelvises and body armor. The research, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Divisions of Environmental Biology and Integrative Organismal Systems, shows that when two species of stickleback fish evolved and lost their pelvises and body armor, different genes in each species caused the changes.
Justice Souter tells president he will retire when court leaves for summerMay 1st, 2009 Souter says he will retire in JuneWASHINGTON — Justice David Souter is telling President Barack Obama he plans to retire from the Supreme Court this summer. Souter informed Obama of his plans in a brief letter Friday.
Workplace faux pas: Del. official apologizes after diversity newsletter offends minoritiesMay 1st, 2009 Del. DOT diversity newsletter offends minoritiesDOVER, Del. — Delaware's Transportation Secretary has apologized after a department newsletter on diversity offended minority employees by spelling out many of the slurs that it advised workers not to use.
Justice David Souter tells Obama he will retire when court leaves for summerMay 1st, 2009 Justice David Souter says he will retire in JuneWASHINGTON — Justice David Souter is telling President Barack Obama he plans to retire from the Supreme Court this summer. Souter informed Obama of his plans in a brief letter Friday.
Official: outlaw Fiji regime needs good lawyers to help restore rule of law, courtsApril 21st, 2009 Fiji needs good lawyers to restore rule of lawSUVA, Fiji — Fiji's former solicitor general, fired in a political upheaval two weeks ago, accepted reappointment Tuesday, saying the country needs qualified lawyers to help restore the rule of law. Christopher Pryde rejected calls by the New Zealand and Fiji law societies for lawyers to refuse appointments to posts in the military-led regime.
Enormous "foot" structures in Jordan Valley testifies Biblical accountsApril 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Archaeologists have found five structures, each in the shape of an enormous "foot", in the Jordan Valley in the Middle East, which testify to the biblical concept of ownership of the land with the foot. According to archaeologist Professor Adam Zertal of the University of Haifa, who headed the excavating team that exposed five compounds in the shape of an enormous "foot", that it were likely to have been used at that time to mark ownership of territory.
Animal families with most diversity also have largest range of body sizesMarch 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has found that families of animals grouped together by a similar body plan, with the greatest diversity of species, were also those with the largest range of body sizes. The research was carried out by the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) researchers in the US, as part of an analysis of body sizes across all orders of animal life.
Trial of Bush's shoe-attacker Iraqi journalist put offDecember 29th, 2008 BAGHDAD - The trial of Montazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad has been postponed, according to court officials.
Loading ...