Conservatives Already Objecting To Kagan

With the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court having just been leaked, conservatives are already preparing their anti-Kagan talking points.

David McIntosh, co-founder of the Federalist Society and former congressman from Indiana:

“I’m deeply disappointed that President Obama has chosen to nominate an individual who has demonstrated a lack of adherence to the limits of the Constitution and a desire to utilize the court system to enact her beliefs of social engineering.”

Rick Garnett, professor of law and associate dean of University of Notre Dame Law School, and former law clerk for Chief Justice Rehnquist:

“With his …

Obama To Name Elena Kagan To The High Court

President Obama is planning to nominate Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court to replace Justice John Paul Stevens, according to NBC News.

Kagan, 50, served as the Dean of Harvard Law School from 2003 to 2009. Obama nominated her to serve in her current post as solicitor general early in 2009, and she won Senate confirmation by a vote of 61-31. She is the first woman to serve as solicitor general of the United States.

Kagan is regarded by liberals as more conservative than Stevens, particularly in the issues of executive power and treatment of detainees. Seven Republicans voted to …

Holder Wants New Look At Miranda Rights. Score One For The Terrorists?

It’s odd that Attorney General Eric Holder would want to consider amending Miranda rights, given that in both the case of the underwear bomber and the Times Square bomber, following current law worked.

Attorney General Eric Holder says he is discussing with Congress possible modifications in the law where police are required to inform suspects of the right to remain silent.

The administration has been criticized for reading Miranda rights to the suspect in the Times Square bombing attempt and to the suspect in the Christmas Day attempt to blow up an airliner over Detroit.

Holder says any …

Sex, Stupidity, and Political Celebrity: What Were They Thinking?

by The Professor

I’m not sure why, but political and religious celebrities seem to think, “no one will notice this incredibly bad or questionable behavior” more often than they should.  So, recognizing that so much of politics, especially embittered partisan politics, is driven by the ids, egos, and lack of superegos of our political elites and the people who surround them, let’s take a closer look.

The latest entry in the celebrity stupidity sweepstakes – “Bristol Palin goes clubbing after celebrating the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy” – raises the issue, but pales in comparison to other …

Attorney General Holder Says Pakistani Taliban Behind Times Square Bomb Attempt

Attorney General Eric Holder, on ABC’s This Week, says the Times Square bomb attempt was the work of the Pakistani Taliban.

“We’ve now developed evidence that show the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack,” Holder said in an interview on ABC television’s “This Week.”

Holder said there was nothing to suggest that the government of Pakistan was aware that Faisal Shahzad, 30, a naturalized American citizen born in Pakistan, intended to make the attempt.…

Sad Mother’s Day For Families Of Hikers Detained In Iran

By The River Wanders

Three Americans – Sarah Shourd, 31, Shane Bauer, 27, and Josh Fattal, 27 – remain detained in Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran for over nine months despite not having been charged with or convicted of any crime. The trio may have strayed across the unmarked Iranian border in July of 2009 while mountain hiking in Kurdistan; the exact details of their alleged transgressions are unclear.  Iranian officials indicate their concern that the group was somehow involved with spying.

The families are increasingly concerned for the welfare of Sarah, Shane, and Josh. It appears that Iran is …

Bob Bennett’s Loss Signals GOP Move To Far Right

Utah Senator Bob Bennett, a reliable conservative vote on almost every issue was, nevertheless, defeated in his attempt to be nominated by his party to seek a fourth Senate term. Bennett has an 84% rating from the American Conservative Union, and a 98% rating from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but is apparently too liberal for his ever-right-leaning party.

Bennett’s critics cited his vote for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) as well as his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee — both symbols, conservatives said, of his lack of commitment to shrinking the size of government.

While state …

Obama Leaning Toward Elena Kagan As SCOTUS Pick

Solicitor General Elena Kagan is reported to be the top pick for President Obama to replace Justice John Paul Stevens.

Kagan appears to have beaten out other front-runners for the job, including federal appellate judges Merrick Garland and Diane Wood.

Seen as a more moderate choice on Obama’s short list, Kagan has already survived a Senate confirmation process for her current job.

A formal announcement is widely expected by Monday or Tuesday.

Kagan would likely come under fire by conservatives for her opposition to military recruiters on campus when she was the dean of the Harvard Law School. Liberals like …

Health Care Reform Already A Boon To Millions

President Obama used his weekly radio address to explain how the health care bill has already helped millions of Americans.

Some 4 million small-business owners and organizations have been told of a possible health care tax cut this year, Obama said. On June 15, some older people with high prescription drug costs will receive $250 to help fill a gap in Medicare’s pharmaceutical benefits.

“Already we are seeing a health care system that holds insurance companies more accountable and gives consumers more control,” the president said.

Obama said Anthem Blue Cross dropped a proposed 39 percent premium increase on …

Sarah Palin To Those Who Aren’t Judeo-Christian: “Yay, Welcome To America”

Sarah Palin says our founding fathers and founding documents indicate that American law is based “on the God of the Bible and the Ten Commandments.” When asked by Bill O’Reilly what she’d say to Asian Americans, for example, “who come from a different religious culture, to those who do not believe in the Judeo-Christian culture, who believe something else? Palin’s answer, “Yay, welcome to America.”  And those who think otherwise are “afraid to discuss God in the public square.”

…

TSA Worker Jailed For Assaulting Co-Worker Who Made Fun Of His Genitals During Full-Body Scan

Rolando Negrin, a TSA worker at Miami International Airport, was arrested for aggravated battery after he assaulted a co-worker who made fun of his penis during a body-scanning machine training session. Negrin was insulted and embarrassed by a supervisor’s comments as he walked through the machine.

A police report obtained by NBC states that Negrin later attacked a colleague with a police baton in a parking lot, and told the victim to kneel down and say “sorry.” After being arrested, Negrin told police that coworkers often made fun of him.

For those who have privacy concerns about full-body scanning, this…