With the virtual absence of any objective review of Sonia Sotomayor’s opinions or positions by members of Congress, the Senate Judiciary Committee appears to be gearing up for another confirmation process with little substantive content. As noted previously with regard to the Roberts and Alito hearings, confirmation hearings have become little more than extended photo ops for Senators.
On this occasion, it will be the Democrats trying to avoid any difficult questions for the nominee and the Republicans demanding answers. The latter demands will be a bit awkward given the lack of probing questions or substantive answers in the last two hearings for Republican nominees. The “Ginsburg rule” remains the controlling precedent where nominees are allowed to refuse to answer questions in areas where they may render decisions — leaving the discussion at a meaningless level of generality punctuated with discussions of baseball and movies.
I haven’t read this but thought it might interest some.
“Description: In accordance with ACLU Policy 519, this report summarizes the civil liberties and civil rights record of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who was nominated by President Obama on May 26, 2009, to replace Justice David Souter as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.”
http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2008term/39769pub20090608.html
Mespo:
I bet Bill Dance is one of President Obamas’ economic advisors.
He also must have advised Bush on the War on Terror.
Anon, why do you have to bring me into this?
That is Good the basest of the base. Like a scum sucker bottom feeder, cat fish.
“Limbaugh et al. will keep happy people like Mary, gunderson, jelly, lone eagle and others in the party base…”
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Indeed, the *basest* of the party base…
Here is what will happen. Republicans will continue to permit Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and other unelected spokespersons to wage a broadcast war against Judge Sotomayor. Those who hold office will mutter high sounding platitudes at the confirmation hearing about the need to inquire into her judicial philosophy to preserve the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court, but will generally tread lightly. Limbaugh et al. will keep happy people like Mary, gunderson, jelly, lone eagle and others in the party base who can’t stand the idea of a black president or an hispanic justice (you know, it doesn’t look like our country anymore). At the end of the day, Judge Sotomayor will be confirmed, Republican senators will avoid having offended the entire hispanic community and the Republican base will be sufficiently mollified to preserve their loyalty.