The Supreme Court begins its new term this morning, and it is the youngest Court in many years!
This Court is unique in that it includes three women for the first time! But it also includes six Catholics and three Jews, so for the first term ever there are no Protestants on the Court!
Not that long ago, the Court was ONLY white Protestants, but now has become a Court of “minorities”, including an African American, an Hispanic or Latino, and two Italians, beyond the Catholics, Jews and women already mentioned!
The Court is now averaging in the mid fifties in age, due to the comparative youth of Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s two Supreme Court appointments!
But this Court is still seen as leaning to the right, and it is not expected there will be any noticeable difference in Court decisions with Kagan replacing John Paul Stevens!
Cases involving illegal immigration and freedom of speech will highlight the Court’s term between now and next June!
As always, the Supreme Court will have the influence that former Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes stated in one sentence, often quoted, during the 1930s but repeated ever since–“The Constitution is what the Supreme Court says it is!”
There’s a new book out called HERDING DONKEYS, about how to “save” the Dem Party (if that’s possible). Let me know what you think of it if you read it.
I’m impressed she’s decided to recuse herself from cases in which she may be perceived to have a conflict of interests – it’s the right thing to do, though I’m not certain how often judges actually do it. I’m also happy she seems engaged. Time will tell what kind of justice she is, but oral arguments have been dominated by Scalia for too long