Word: dissents
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...liberal votes take on a special prominence because of the diminished influence in recent years of old-line liberals William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall. So far, his novel theories and poor salesmanship have prevented him from becoming a leader. But Stevens is well aware that many a lonely dissent of the past is now law; he expects his impact to take time. And despite open-heart surgery in 1974, Stevens-at 60 the second youngest justice-is likely to be on the court for a long time to come...
...attempt to organize a tightly-organized convention, the GOP has projected an image of unity behind the banner of conservatism. By dint of the overwhelming majority of right-wingers gathered, the Republicans have demonstrated a remarkable intolerance for differing perspectives. By systematic suppression of dissent, the party is unwittingly undermining rather than reinforcing the precepts of democracy...
...importance of the stakes, however, was underscored by the extraordinary vehemence of some of the dissenting opinions. In the abortion case, Justice Thurgood Marshall asserted that the majority ruling would drive many women "to back-alley butchers." Justice Potter Stewart chose to dramatize his dissent in the contracting-quotas case by reading it aloud. He accused the court majority in effect of endorsing "racism," and he practically spat out the word. Justice John Paul Stevens added that if race is to be a criterion for receiving public funds, the Government will have to start spelling out who belongs to what...
...dissent, Justices Stewart and William Rehnquist furiously argued that the Constitution permits no discrimination of any kind between races. By the majority's logic, wrote Stewart in the dissent that he read aloud on the day of the decision, "the Government implicitly teaches the public that the apportionment of rewards and penalties can legitimately be made according to race-rather than according to merit or ability." He concluded bitterly: "There are those who think that we need a new Constitution, and their views may some day prevail. But under the Constitution we have, one practice Sin which Government...
...Justice William Brennan, declared that the old act did indeed allow individuals to sue states for violating federal law. What is more, the court ruled that under a 1976 statute, successful plaintiffs may recover legal fees from the losing party in such cases. In a 23-page dissent, Justice Lewis Powell scolded the majority for ignoring "the lessons of history, logic, and policy" in extending the act beyond protection of civil rights. He predicted a rash of suits against the states for their handling of food stamps, educational benefits and other federal programs...