Comments on: First Monday: SCOTUS, The Rule Of Law, And Judging Character http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/ Firedoglake weblog Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:52:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Kathryn in MA http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1428303 Kathryn in MA Tue, 06 May 2008 02:56:20 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1428303 <p>How about Corporate Justices?</p> How about Corporate Justices?

]]> By: anonosassin http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427789 anonosassin Mon, 05 May 2008 21:58:57 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427789 <p>Law is complex, and the American public is ignorant. That is why the public will never get involved on the liberal side of this debate. Lizard brains on the right can be aroused by presenting the complex as simple. Electing more liberal presidents, by dint of their good bowling scors or something equally significant, is the only hope to stop thge current trend.</p> <p>I am a lawyer and a psychologist. And used to work for a major advertising agency. That background makes me feel certain of the sad correctness of this conclusion.</p> Law is complex, and the American public is ignorant. That is why the public will never get involved on the liberal side of this debate. Lizard brains on the right can be aroused by presenting the complex as simple. Electing more liberal presidents, by dint of their good bowling scors or something equally significant, is the only hope to stop thge current trend.

I am a lawyer and a psychologist. And used to work for a major advertising agency. That background makes me feel certain of the sad correctness of this conclusion.

]]> By: earlofhuntingdon http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427762 earlofhuntingdon Mon, 05 May 2008 21:16:36 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427762 <p>Like <em>elitist </em>candidates for President? I think we have to take back from Rove’s pudgy mitts the reality of whose elitist, like faux Texan Yankees living off great great grandpappy’s monopoly money and Homestead-style union busting. Then we need to rehabilitate notions of the elite, meaning the best. </p> <p>We don’t want Drew Carey running the 100 meter dash in the Olympics or an intern cutting open our diseased hearts or brains. We don’t want engineering school dropouts replacing broken bridges in Minneapolis or lawyers who passed the bar on their fifth try arguing in the Supreme Court why it should overrule precedent and keep that needle out of our arm.</p> <p>We need high competence in the White House, reputedly the hardest executive job in the world, and in Congress and on the Bench. Bush gives us sycophants like Lurita Doan, party pols like John Boehner, and neophyte lemmings like Brett Kavanaugh. He’s the preacher who will burn us in hell to save our souls, but only if we contribute to keeping his megawatt broadcasting arm healthy and profitable. No thanks.</p> Like elitist candidates for President? I think we have to take back from Rove’s pudgy mitts the reality of whose elitist, like faux Texan Yankees living off great great grandpappy’s monopoly money and Homestead-style union busting. Then we need to rehabilitate notions of the elite, meaning the best.

We don’t want Drew Carey running the 100 meter dash in the Olympics or an intern cutting open our diseased hearts or brains. We don’t want engineering school dropouts replacing broken bridges in Minneapolis or lawyers who passed the bar on their fifth try arguing in the Supreme Court why it should overrule precedent and keep that needle out of our arm.

We need high competence in the White House, reputedly the hardest executive job in the world, and in Congress and on the Bench. Bush gives us sycophants like Lurita Doan, party pols like John Boehner, and neophyte lemmings like Brett Kavanaugh. He’s the preacher who will burn us in hell to save our souls, but only if we contribute to keeping his megawatt broadcasting arm healthy and profitable. No thanks.

]]> By: DWBartoo http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427759 DWBartoo Mon, 05 May 2008 21:12:37 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427759 <p>The Right’s language is a confabulated ’sleight of mind’ (and some of them are very slight,indeed) but a proper use of ‘elitist’, given the’education’<br /> about to be metted out to the ‘people’ might just resonate.</p> <p>Besides, certain form of ‘familiarity’ might well breed contempt for contemptible decisions …</p> <p>I think it worth a try.</p> <p>Maybe a small trial baloon, as it were, sent up to test which way the wind is blowing?</p> The Right’s language is a confabulated ’sleight of mind’ (and some of them are very slight,indeed) but a proper use of ‘elitist’, given the’education’
about to be metted out to the ‘people’ might just resonate.

Besides, certain form of ‘familiarity’ might well breed contempt for contemptible decisions …

I think it worth a try.

Maybe a small trial baloon, as it were, sent up to test which way the wind is blowing?

]]> By: MadelineBassett http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427757 MadelineBassett Mon, 05 May 2008 21:11:45 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427757 <p>Sigh. I hate to give them credit, but they are just SO GOOD at manipulating and owning the language.</p> Sigh. I hate to give them credit, but they are just SO GOOD at manipulating and owning the language.

]]> By: Christy Hardin Smith http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427753 Christy Hardin Smith Mon, 05 May 2008 21:10:12 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427753 <p>I think that’s true — it does play into how the right has framed things on liberals. Although I think part of the allure for me is throwing that right back in their faces — at least, to some extent, anyway. *g*</p> I think that’s true — it does play into how the right has framed things on liberals. Although I think part of the allure for me is throwing that right back in their faces — at least, to some extent, anyway. *g*

]]> By: MadelineBassett http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427746 MadelineBassett Mon, 05 May 2008 21:05:58 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427746 <p>I hate to rain on the parade, but doesn’t this play into the Right’s language, as well, with their fondness for talking about “liberal elites” and trying to paint Kerry and Obama, and even judges, with that brush? On the other hand, maybe it is time to start trying to reclaim the language.</p> <p>One of the examples of elitism can be found in the 7th Circuit’s opinion on the Voter ID case–talking about they don’t understand why getting an ID might be burdensome on people, with little understanding of the challenges the eldery or the poorest among us face.</p> I hate to rain on the parade, but doesn’t this play into the Right’s language, as well, with their fondness for talking about “liberal elites” and trying to paint Kerry and Obama, and even judges, with that brush? On the other hand, maybe it is time to start trying to reclaim the language.

One of the examples of elitism can be found in the 7th Circuit’s opinion on the Voter ID case–talking about they don’t understand why getting an ID might be burdensome on people, with little understanding of the challenges the eldery or the poorest among us face.

]]> By: dakine01 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427745 dakine01 Mon, 05 May 2008 21:05:55 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427745 <p>We just have to hope that the term “elitist” hasn’t been de-valued so much as to lose all meaning.</p> <p>Which seems to be happening these days.</p> We just have to hope that the term “elitist” hasn’t been de-valued so much as to lose all meaning.

Which seems to be happening these days.

]]> By: Christy Hardin Smith http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427741 Christy Hardin Smith Mon, 05 May 2008 21:04:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427741 <p>Absolutely correct. Nauseatingly so…</p> Absolutely correct. Nauseatingly so…

]]> By: Christy Hardin Smith http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427739 Christy Hardin Smith Mon, 05 May 2008 21:01:40 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/05/05/first-monday-scotus-the-rule-of-law-and-judging-character/#comment-1427739 <p>Ooooh, I like that: “elitist judges” does have a certain ring of truth in terms of how their decisions impact policies, doesn’t it?</p> Ooooh, I like that: “elitist judges” does have a certain ring of truth in terms of how their decisions impact policies, doesn’t it?

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