direction. i think it is fair from that proposition to ask a nominee whether they would take cases. i have spoken at length on the floor about what i consider the inappropriate decline of a number of cases considered. 100 years ago, a little more, in 1886, the supreme court decided 146 cases -- 146 opinions. little more than 20 years ago, 1987, 146 opinions. laft year, last term, 78 arguments, 75 opinions. a lot of circuit splits, important cases, are not taken up by the supreme court. the supreme court declined to hear the conflict which arguably is the most serious clash between congress's article 1 powers under the foreign