Left, Right & Center: Sotomayor, North Korea and GM

Is Sonia Sotomayor a judicial activist? A racist? Is empathy a good or bad thing in a judge? Arianna wonders what the GOP thinks it's doing by attacking her, but Tony says conservatives have legitimate reasons to object to her based on their own philosophies of jurisprudence -- a slight chortle here about Rush Limbaugh's motives.... Matt wants to know what the role of the court is: to lead or follow society's direction? North Korea's nuclear activity is an unwelcome challenge but Tony says only China has the kind of influence to get them to scale back -- and they've chose not to pull those strings. What's in GM's future? Will the free market or government influence the kinds of cars they should be producing? And, can Obama succeed in reforming health care?

Comments

[slowtono]

Stumble and fall

[kevinabt]

I don't see how beaurocrats appointed by the federal government should have any legal or moral power to take our rights away. The people wrote a clear contract in easily read english laying out the actions which the government is prohibited from doing. You don't need any fancy law degree to understand it. Apparantly you need to law degree to craft tortured logic to strip the rights away though.

[nk007]

I am sorry to say but you don't need stupid people entrusted with interpreting the Constitution. The Constitution contains broad general principles. Besides, Judges/Justices have to rule on statutes as well as state laws to ensure that they don't violate the Constitution. Over two hundred years courts have handed down rulings that serve as legal precedents dealing with complex legal questions. Obviously these precedents have been, and can be, overturned by Current Courts. Nevertheless, it would be idiotic to expect some one like me who is not versed in the complexities of laws to be entrusted with interpreting the Constitution as well dealing with the complexities of precedents and trying to discern the intent of law makers when adjudicating on the basis of statutes. So, may be you may not need "any fancy law degree" to understand the general text of the Constitution, but you sure need advanced legal training to be able to deal with statutes, precedents, various state laws, to ensure that they comply with the U.S. Constitution.

[vietveter]

The members of the court that "Selected" - NOT elected the president in 2000

should be impeached.