(01-21-2019 05:23 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  We have term limits in another major institution that is supposed to be nonpolitical: the Federal Reserve.

The seven members of the Board of Governors have 14-year term limits. However, in practice, there have only ever been 7 people who have served their entire term.

The reason? Once you put the title "member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors" on your resume, you can make a TON of money in the private sector.

I think the same thing would happen to the Supreme Court. Part of the aura of the Supreme Court is that there aren't any ex-Supreme Court justices running for office or arguing political cases before the court. We risk losing that if we impose term limits.

Exactly. Your term is up in four years unless you resign. A major issue is before the court that can make or break an industry. You have four more years of making $206,000 and based on your 14 years on the court will have no problem walking out the door and getting at least a $100,000 raise. But if you happen to rule a certain way, you could resign and end up on the board of directors of a major industry player and make your Court salary for attending a few meetings in addition to whatever the big firms would pay you to put your name on the door.