Many progressives are so arrogant and out of touch with the basics of humanity that they think they can bully a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States into retirement.  Fanatically committed to their ideological goals, the presume that they can persuade seasoned jurists with the Olympian perspective of SCOTUS justices to in effect sacrifice the remainder of their professional lives in order to ensure that fanatics will be named to replace them during the term of a Democrat president.

It didn't work with Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  After years of idolizing her and her exercise regimen, they suddenly tried to talk her into retiring to let President Obama replace her with a younger justice.  Ahem: The sort of people who work hard to excel at the law, who strive to remain healthy and clear-headed as they age, and who become accustomed to the deference and prestige of a justice also tend to reject the idea of shriveling up and dying so as to let some whippersnapper replace them, just to keep political fanatics happy.  Of the current justices, possibly Sonia Sotomayor might be influenced by such pressures because she is such a mediocrity.  But as for the others, fuhgeddaboudit.  They take pride in their work.

Yesterday, Justice Breyer, speaking to CNN, gave the SCOTUS equivalent of the single-digit salute to those seeking to push him into retirement.

When asked directly over coffee in rural New Hampshire whether he had decided when to step down, Breyer said simply, "No."

He brushed aside questions about the timing of a decision but was willing to speak about the factors that would influence him, including regard for the court. He also elaborated on the satisfaction his leadership role on the left wing has brought.

Breyer said his new seniority in the justices' private discussion over cases "has made a difference to me. ... It is not a fight. It is not sarcasm. It is deliberation."

Mediaite adds:

When he was asked what would be the deciding factors for whenever he does retire, Breyer answered "primarily, of course, health. Second, the Court."

Breyer also indicated that he is enjoying his status as the senior liberal of the Court's progressive bloc ever since Justice Ginsburg left, after holding out through serious illness.

Progs quickly leapt onto Twitter trying to bully him into retirement.  I don't think any of them has a clue what it is like to be an active senior citizen, or even a human being.

Breyer's health is not the only factor here. He is also gambling on the health of 50 Democratic senators over the next year.https://t.co/aqZQZ1EKMQ

— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) July 15, 2021

It’s all vanity. Move on, Justice Breyer, move on. https://t.co/we9x8AKNOj

— Neil King (@NKingofDC) July 15, 2021

This one definitely won't work as intended:

This just reflects a pathological disregard for other human beings at this point with the consequences made clear by Ginsburg’s death https://t.co/JUPMK5mPla

— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@AdamSerwer) July 15, 2021

Nor these:

Stephen Breyer is putting himself and his own personal wants above the justice he claims to believe in. What a disaster. Congress needs to expand the Supreme Court, especially given his arrogance. https://t.co/94vTNKfgg1

— Robert Cruickshank (@cruickshank) July 15, 2021

Stephen Breyer is happily putting a 7-2 conservative Supreme Court in play because he’s on an ego trip about his newfound power and doesn’t feel like giving it up https://t.co/c3xlw0Pqab pic.twitter.com/2o4V1053gu

— Jack Mirkinson (@jackmirkinson) July 15, 2021

Stephen Breyer sounds so naive and delusional and largely unaware of the severity of the situation.

This is extremely embarrassing.https://t.co/cUGCLmSUzE

— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) July 15, 2021

There's something embarrassing, all right, but it's the arrogance of a snotty youngster.

Keep it up, progs, especially the insults.

Photo credit: Twitter screen grab.