Alito has never publicly discussed his potential retirement, as is customary for justices. But when he was surreptitiously recorded earlier this year, many court observers took notice of his wife’s implication that he might not be on the court much longer. “I want the Sacred Heart of Jesus flag because I have to look across the lake at the Pride flag for next month,” Martha Ann Alito said in the recordings, referring to disagreements over flying the flag in their home and her discussions with her husband about it. “I said, ‘When you’re free of this nonsense, I’ll put it out there.’
Thomas, for his part, appears to be hoping to stay on the field as long as possible. The New York Times reported in 1993 that he told one of his clerks that he planned to serve on the court until 2034. When asked why that particular year, Thomas’ answer was straight to the point. “Liberals have made my life miserable for 43 years, and I’m going to make theirs miserable for 43 years,” he reportedly said.
Even before Tuesday, the judicial calculations for Democrats were very bad. The three justices Trump appointed to his first term were young by judicial standards: Justice Neil Gorsuch was 49 years old at the time of his confirmation, Brett Kavanaugh was 53 years old, and Amy Coney Barrett was 48 years old. All three of them can easily hold their position. Supreme Court until the 2060s, and their replacement of older justices means Democrats already face a tough road to handing the court over to liberals within the next 10 to 15 years. This time horizon is now approaching 30 or 40 years.
