By Michael J. Smith on Wednesday June 10, 2009 10:09 PM
I usually don't pay much attention to the Supreme Court -- unlike
my dear good liberal neighbors, who love it deeply. To my way
of thinking, the Court was designed to be a reactionary institution,
and if it behaves like one, blame the Founding Fathers. So I hope for
little from it, and fear little from a reactionary president's ability
to appoint Thomases and Scalias, vile though these reptiles undoubtedly
are.
I usually don't pay much attention to the Supreme Court -- unlike
my dear good liberal neighbors, who love it deeply. To my way
of thinking, the Court was designed to be a reactionary institution,
and if it behaves like one, blame the Founding Fathers. So I hope for
little from it, and fear little from a reactionary president's ability
to appoint Thomases and Scalias, vile though these reptiles undoubtedly
are.
But I was pleased by Obie's nomination of Ms Sotomayor to replace Mr Souter -- one bland corporate centrist in place of another, keeping the existing complexion of the court intact.
It would be difficult to find a more perfect illustration of the Ratchet Effect. The Republicans have spent the last thirty years or so moving the Court back to its natural position on the Right. And when Mr Hope and Change gets an opportunity, quite early in his tenure, to nominate a justice, what does he do?
He carefully keeps the court where the Republicans left it.
Comments (6)
Ah, but the packaging is so much better!
Posted by hce | June 11, 2009 11:25 AM
Posted on June 11, 2009 11:25
"But I was pleased by Obie's nomination of Ms Sotomayor to replace Mr Souter..."
To the extent that it riles up the racists, so was I.
Posted by Mark | June 11, 2009 11:58 AM
Posted on June 11, 2009 11:58
30 years?
To think u father of all his acolytes...
Make that 40 years
Only one man
Standing on the lowest of principles
proved big enough to turn the liberal tide
May his troubled soul rest as best it can
Posted by op | June 11, 2009 4:17 PM
Posted on June 11, 2009 16:17
"Bob ahhh I want u to ahh beat ahhh the boonies
Till u find me some ahh totally unlettered ahh yahoo
so far to the right ahhh those double domers up there at harvard ahh by god fall into ahh
fits
and ahhh
Swallow. Their tongues !!!"
Posted by op | June 11, 2009 4:28 PM
Posted on June 11, 2009 16:28
Oh, Owen, how you do take me back. Haynsworth! Carswell! Roman Hruska ("Mediocrities deserve some representation too").
Oddly enough, in later life I've come to agree with Hruska. Us mediocrities do deserve some representation too, and I don't think we'll get it from high-achievers like Obama and Sotomayor.
Posted by MJS | June 11, 2009 11:28 PM
Posted on June 11, 2009 23:28
Yikes. Senility is setting in. I already said this -- and little more than a year ago.
Off to see the neurologist. Now let's see, when was my last visit...?
Posted by MJS | June 11, 2009 11:40 PM
Posted on June 11, 2009 23:40