5th August 2010, 1:17 AM
I see your point, but the thing to keep in mind is, well, lifetime appointment. They probably are all pretty divorced from whatever nonsense today's Republicans are spouting. They've got nothing at all to lose. They're either going to die in their positions, or retire. Either way, they're not necessarily interested in the day-to-day political nonsense as they've got no votes to lose.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)