Peeling off the Sotomayor layers
Bookworm on May 31 2009 at 1:02 pm | Filed under: Judges
Phyllis Chesler wrote a nice column today reminding conservatives (a) not to Bork Sotomayor (because two wrongs definitely don’t make a right); and (b) to make sure to develop Sotomayor’s understanding of the Constitution and her role as a judge — because, after all, that is what this whole job interview is about.
Because of the good news/bad news that keeps flowing from Sotomayor’s sudden presence in the popular consciousness (which shows her as a potentially racist, potential protector of the First Amendment; potential identity politics ideologue, potential Catholic voter on abortion, etc.), Chesler is absolutely right about approaching Sotomayor with both diligence and respect. The same good news/bad news cycle also reminded me of the Simpson’s episode “Hungry are the Damned.” Pay close attention to the cookbook scene:
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One Response to “Peeling off the Sotomayor layers”
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I wholly agree. The debate should not be about Sotomayor’s judicial experience, academic credentials, personality or temperament on the bench, the debate ought to be about ideas, about basic principles; does “empathy” now supersede traditional ideas of impartiality and fairness in administration and application of law? Should the blindfolded Justice be jettison for, say, a panel of wide-eyed and subjective auditors who will calculate justice based on ethnic and social origins, gender, and the demands of some Five Year Plan of the progressive vision?