Sotomayor and Kagan - what do you think

[grantcart]

Pretty straight forward. How do you evaluate the President's first two choices for the Supreme Court:

[sandnsea]

1. You missed one

"I pissed all over Sotamayor and even though I was wrong, I will piss all over Kagan anyway"

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[grantcart]

3. actually I think polls should not carry snark or bias

Just curious what people think because sometimes the number of threads on a subject doesn't actually reflect the broader opinion here.

[sandnsea]

16. Actually that was a joke

Not a real suggestion that you add that into your poll.

[SidDithers]

11. +1...nt

Sid

[polichick]

4. Neither one of these nominations is exciting because neither is the...

...left balance to Scalia on the right.

imo the prez is playing it safe, choosing people he can get into place without much of a fight.

[Cant trust em]

5. I agree. I think they'll both wind up being adequate, but not particularly special. nt

[polichick]

24. I guess time will tell - but I don't like how cautious Dems are about this. nt

[EFerrari]

8. I wouldn't count Sonia out at all. She is somethng of a populist

and is an independent thinker who has no problem asserting her position.

Kagan is an unknown quantity to me and it's hard to get behind that.

[polichick]

10. I don't see her being the left counterweight to Scalia though...

She seems more centrist.

[EFerrari]

12. Scalia is psychopath. I'd hate to have to counterweigh him.

You raise a good point. I don't know. But I don't think she's going to be meek on the bench.

[grantcart]

13. In that case we should nominate Cliffordu to provide the appropriate counterweight

[madrchsod]

14. roberts is the real danger

his goal is to return america back to the 1800`s. at least one or two rulings have overturned decisions made in the late 1800 and early 1900`s.

[polichick]

21. True - there's more than one crazy on the other side! nt

[suffragette]

15. My view is the same at this stage

I've noted my views on Sotomayor previously:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5733426

Can't express how I view Kagan better than what you wrote.

[grantcart]

18. wow that was a substantive contribution

Of course the confirmation process makes it difficult to have an honest discussion about judicial philosophy and the best supreme court candidate (from our point of view) may have to enter with a blank slate.

[suffragette]

33. I appreciate you saying that

I try :)

I understand what you're saying about how the current process can lead to selecting someone who will be easier to pass since there's such an atmosphere of automatic opposition that almost any position discovered will be attacked.

But I still want a better idea of the mindset and previous decisions of someone who will be in such a critical and long-term seat of power.

With Kagan, what I've seen so far (and there's some that's heartening and some decidedly not) isn't enough for for me to have a clear picture of her.


I used to be fascinated by mystery grab bags when I was young. But with those, you can just keep what you like and toss out the rest. With a Supreme Court Justice, the whole package is there for years.

[sandnsea]

17. Smart women devour ideological men

Every time. Relax.

[polichick]

22. Sure hope so! nt

[rocktivity]

6. A Mets fan and a Yankees fan? Bring it on!

rocktivity

[grantcart]

7. lol

[grantcart]

9. . . .

[Prism]

19. Really like Sotomayor, really disliking Kagan

The more I read about Kagan, from supporters and detractors, the more an image forms of a champion of executive power. After the Bush administration, this is the very last thing we need. Kagan is, to put it impolitely, the ultimate ass-kisser of power. Her entire career seems to be one prolonged exercise in sucking up to Washington insiders and apologizing for the executive whenever it hosed the people. She is a creature of the Beltway, a Harriet Meyers figure but with intelligence and competence.

That said.

She has an excellent analytical mind - her briefs, even when I disagree, are impressive. There is no denying her skills and intellect.

I don't expect to much like her opinions, but there is little denying she is more than qualified to sit on the Court.

Does that put me in the support column? Support, but strongly dislike, I guess.

[Robb]

20. I'm at a loss

...without a dingbat option, this poll has no meaning for me.

OT: Liked Sotomayor, like what I see of Kagan but look forward to learning more.

[TheKentuckian]

23. Okay but not over the moon with Sotomayor and dubious on Kagan

My questions about her coincide uncomfortably with where my doubts about Obama are the highest.

[tekisui]

25. Liked Sotomayor, even more as the hearings went on. I am open to Kagan.

She clerked under Marshall, which carries weight in my mind. I will probably like her even more once the hearings get underway. This period between nomination and the confirmation hearings are filled with distractions and hyperbole based on very little. I look forward to getting to know her better.

[grantcart]

28. agreed

[SemiCharmedQuark]

34. That's about where I am. I don't know anything about Kagen so I'm not really

invested one way or the other.

[FrenchieCat]

26. I'm good with both of these strong women

who will be kicking ass for a very long time,
and those of us who didn't constantly underestimate this President
just because we could, will be able to appreciate each one
of these accomplished individuals for years to come.

[tammywammy]

27. Like Sotomayor and on Kagan I'm neutral leaning to liking. n/t

[boston bean]

29. I liked Sotomayor, not sure how I feel about Kagan. Seems as

though Obama doesn't want a tough nomination fight in an election year and possibly there could have been a better choice.

[grantcart]

30. kick

[TexasObserver]

31. I liked Sotomayor's selection and do not like Kagan

[saltpoint]

32. Years hence it will be a clear narrative: Historic president appoints

two extraordinarily accomplished women to the HIgh Court.

I like 'em both.

[Renew Deal]

35. Sotomayor was great at her hearings.

And I expect Kagan to be great too. Though she will have a tough time being better prepared than Sotomayor. I trust Obama's judgement on these things. Both Sotomayor and Kagan are in the Obama mold and I consider that positive.

[donheld]

36. For me, the jury is still out.

[mr_liberal]

37. I dont like either.

I think theyre both too deferential to government power. Thats in both of their records.

And even if Sotomayor turns out differently (liberal) I don't get the impression that she will have much impact on the court. she'll just be a liberal vote in the same way Ginsburg and Breyer is.

Kagan has more potential to be a leader, so if she's good on isseus she could have impact. Like i said though she seems deferential to government power, much like conservatives can be, and thats not the kind of judge i want. I want an activist that protects peoples rights FROM government power.

On free speech especially she seems willing to allow government to regulate (ie censor) if they can come up some kind of harm that the speech is supposedly doing to society. Thats what her essays suggest, and thats very bad for what for me is the number one issue.

[Robeson]

38. I'm fine with both.