Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Respect from the right
Law professor Charles Fried, who self-identifies as a conservative, says nice things about Elena Kagan. She is currently the Solicitor General, and is considered to be on the short list for the seat on the Supreme Court occupied Justice Stevens, who is retiring.
About ten days ago, Tom Goldstein (founder of SCOTUSblog) wrote that "General Kagan deserves the title 'prohibitive front runner.'"
Should General Kagan be nominated, her confirmation by the Senate would be a high probability event, and would likely entail a minimum of political bloodshed. She may be the most easily confirmable candidate, partly because she is very smart and capable, and would do well in front of the Senate, but also because she has nothing in the way of a history of judicial decisions that can be dissected (she has not served as a judge) by either side.
Exit question: Would it be, on balance, a net negative or net positive for President Obama and for Democrats in the Senate standing for re-election this year if, instead of General Kagan, the nominee turns out to be a more doctrinaire liberal who rallies the base, but who has a tougher confirmation process?
CWCID: TNR
9 Comments:
By 
, at
Wed Apr 21, 11:26:00 AM:
Marginal net plus for the dems short term. A very progressive nomimee is a huge plus to their agenda long term and is worth a bruising confirmation fight.
Opposition to the dems is white hot and a more moderate nominee is not going to mollify them. Would have no more effect than a dog peeing on a burning bush.
I don't think the malleable vote pays much attention to SCOTUS nominees or the confirmation process.
By 
Georg Felis, at
Wed Apr 21, 01:40:00 PM:
Lets set the Wayback machine to the days of Solicitor General Ted Olson:
Liberals Then: Having the Solicitor General in the Supreme Court would mean they would have to recuse themselves every time anything came up that they had anything to do with during their term. Or else.
Liberals Now: Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan? Great idea, she can help push through Cap and Trade, Government Health Care, Government Banking....
By , at
Thu Apr 22, 05:24:00 AM:
I hope he nominates our governor, Jennifer Granholm. It would get her out of our state. She's an incompetent idiot, it will put a major nail in the democrat coffin they are building for themselves.
By , at
Thu Apr 22, 10:01:00 AM:
Don't you think her anti military activities as Dean of HLS will be a problem (not to mention a gift to Republicans that probably violates McCain-Feingold)? I think you underestimate how profoundly offensive her actions there were to most of the public.
By , at
Thu Apr 22, 02:15:00 PM:
Do we really need another Jew on the Supreme Court? Let me ask this--How can a Semite improve, protect and enhance European Law and culture?
Like most Jews they are liberal, socialists, communists. She is a raving feminist.
How is that beneficial for the Rule of Law in this country? Do we even live in Western Culture anymore?
Jews are 1% of the US Population yet hold over 12% or more of government/elected offices. Pluralism does not work. Will she uphold Christian values and concerns? Most certainly not!
Vox Populi wonders that people in the 26th century will call us the Age of Idiots. We are Idiots of the first degree. Most of the work of Jews have been to undermine and deconstruct Western Culture throughout history---and we now want three Jews sitting on the Supreme Court?
America deserves to collapse good and hard! America is the land of idiots.
By Escort81, at
Thu Apr 22, 05:22:00 PM:
Using Google Translator, I thought it might be helpful to show the post of "Concerned" above in its original German, since it sounds so much better:
Brauchen wir wirklich einen anderen Juden auf dem Supreme Court? Lassen Sie mich diese Frage stellen - Wie kann ein Antisemit zu verbessern, zu schützen und zu verbessern European Law und Kultur?
Wie die meisten Juden sind liberal, Sozialisten, Kommunisten. Sie ist eine feministische Toben.
Wie ist das vorteilhaft für die Rechtsstaatlichkeit in diesem Land? Haben wir überhaupt leben in der westlichen Kultur nicht mehr?
Juden sind 1% der US-Bevölkerung noch über 12% oder mehr der Regierung / Ämter gewählt zu halten. Pluralismus nicht funktioniert. Wird sie zu wahren christlichen Werte und Anliegen? Ganz sicher nicht!
Vox Populi Wunder, dass die Menschen im 26. Jahrhundert wird das Zeitalter rufen Sie uns Idioten. Wir sind Idioten der ersten Grades. Der Großteil der Arbeit von Juden wurden zu untergraben und zu dekonstruieren westlichen Kultur im Laufe der Geschichte --- und wir wollen jetzt drei Juden sitzen auf dem Supreme Court?
Amerika verdient Zusammenbruch gut und hart! Amerika ist das Land der Idioten.
Very fashionable brown shirts are available here.
Go off to the Gap to buy one, troll, and don't hurry back here.
By Bomber Girl, at
Thu Apr 22, 11:13:00 PM:
This comment has been removed by the author.
By Bomber Girl, at
Thu Apr 22, 11:15:00 PM:
Confused: I am not sure of the point of your post unless it is to give proof that there are some idiots in America. At least one.
By Bomber Girl, at
Thu Apr 22, 11:17:00 PM:
I meant "Concerned" not "Confused" but perhaps both fit.
