Miscellaneous

Tune Out, Turn Off

By Anne Skove, Esq.

One would think that endless wonkish testimony about a nominee to the SCOTUS would warm the cockles of our little heart. So why are we paying as little attention to the Judge Sotomayor confirmation hearings as possible?

• Because we're on vacation!


• Because she's a shoo-in!


• Because confirmation hearings are a joke, serving only as a platform for whatever random thoughts the most talkative branch had on the way to work today!


• Because the hearings violate the separation of powers!


• Because they are bad for judicial independence!


• All of the above!

Further reading: Let the Nominee Stay Home, Stephen L. Carter, NYT (May 9, 2009), and Teach to America, Dahlia Lithwick, Slate (June 4, 2009).

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on July 15, 2009 (boomark / email).