Nominee Sonia Sotomayor has made it through the no testify attestation hearings held this week.
She said little but more importantly looked mostly in control. She did give a hint at how hard it could be to live with her and I suspect there will be some stormy meetings at the 'ole Supreme Court in the future.
We are left with guessing what kind of Justice she will be. I hope she will write capably on her first opinion though she has not left the impression that writing is what she does best. Her style appears to be impenetrable in the cases I have read. Does she want to change the existing law? You bet and that is why Obama picked her first. You can be sure that there are groups out there right now seeking the perfect kind of challenges to voting rights and personal rights cases where she may be the swing vote.
The number one goal for the coming term (or 2-3) will be to wrest the swing vote away from Justice Kennedy and become known for her "outspoken, yet silent" views of the law. H'm. Sounds kinda like Justice Cardozo who changed the law while pretending not to.
She could be an outstanding jurist. Or not. We will see if she goes with the analytical approach or the empathetic approach to cases very soon. Watch both the tone and the vigor of her questions during oral argument. That will be the clue- the antithesis of Clarence Thomas no doubt, who never asks any questions.
It will also be interesting to see what kind of clerks she hires. Think there will be many white folks picked? Well, it depends upon how she judges such things and weighs their skills and traits to come up with merit.
Maybe she will do my tribe a favor and pick a Native American. But lets not count on anything just yet.
After all, she will probably only get 81 votes.
Anyone for Hilliary as the next Justice? Or should we try for Bill!
Comments