-- by Andrew Cohen, The Atlantic:

On December 9, 2000, the United States Supreme Court issued an emergency stay blocking further vote recounting in Florida following the contested 2000 presidential election. The brief order presaged the Court's subsequent decision, three days later, ending the recount and giving the presidency to George W. Bush.

On December 9, 2011, 11 years to the day it determined the outcome of a race for the White House, the United States Supreme Court again interjected itself into national politics. This time, yesterday evening, the justices issued an emergency stay blocking orders from a special three-judge panel in Texas that had altered the state's Republican redistricting plan in favor of Democrats. The move by the High Court may presage a ruling early next year that will benefit the GOP at the expense of Democrats -- and perhaps influence the outcome of the race for control of the House of Representatives. 

Read More