On July 20, 2010 a single Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted approval of Elena Kagan to be the fourth female associate justice ever to serve on the Supreme Court.
The vote was 13-6 with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) breaking party ranks to vote approval. Senator Graham explained his approval vote:
“What’s in Elena Kagan’s heart is that of a good person who adopts a philosophy I disagree with,” Graham said. “She will serve this nation honorably, and it would not have been someone I would have chosen, but the person who did choose, President Obama, I think chose wisely.”
Elena Kagan has served as Obama’s Solicitor General, the highest-ranking trial lawyer in the country. She has had limited courtroom experience, but her greatest attributes were noted in an open endorsement letter from sixty-nine deans of law schools and includes an “understanding of both doctrine and policy” as well as her written record of legal analysis.
Kagan will be the third female associate justice currently serving on the Supreme Court and would be the first associate justice since 1972 without any prior bench time as a judge. The last justice with that experience record was William Rehnquist, who rose to spend 19 years as Chief Justice and administered the oath of office to three separate presidents (two of them twice).
Republicans fear that Kagan will put her political views and her liberal agenda ahead of the law. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said, “Ms. Kagan’s record shows that she supports an activist judicial philosophy, and that her personal and political views drive her legal views.”
Republicans were swift to declare their opposition to Kagan, more than they were with last year’s Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor. It comes at a time when November elections are drawing focus, and Republicans are working to polarize themselves from Democratic actions.
Conservative political groups pressured Republican senators to oppose Kagan’s nomination. The National Rifle Association (NRA) urged their campaign beneficiaries to vote “no” or stage a filibuster to block Kagan outright and threatened to downgrade contributions to Kagan supporters. This results from her time when she tried to block military recruiters from campus as Dean of the Harvard Law School.
Senator Graham was the only Republican to publicly announce he would vote to approve, although four other Republicans joined him crossing the party line for the full confirmation vote. Other than those few, Republicans marched in lock step to their party’s orders.
Graham’s decision to support Obama’s Supreme Court nominee makes it increasingly likely he will face a primary challenge by his own party when he’s up for re-election in 2014. South Carolina political gurus say the Senator’s support for Kagan “ensures he will face a serious primary challenge”
“It’s a tough political environment out there,” stated Graham.
It is indeed tough when Members of Congress are more interested in their own reelection than voting what’s best for the people who elected them, and blindly obeying orders to receive support in their next election.
~~~~~
On August 5, 2010, on the eve of the Congressional vacation, 36 GOP Senators and one Democrat — Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska – voted against the Supreme Court confirmation of Elena Kagan. Aside from the lockstep robot Republicans, five broke ranks to vote confirmation — Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Richard Lugar of Indiana and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.
Republican opponents spouted lame excuses for their ‘nay’ vote, like her opposition to military recruiters on the Harvard campus (when they were allowed access everywhere else), her opinion in a single case in her legal history, and her lack of courtroom experience as a judge.
The major reason shared by all who opposed her seemed to be the fear that she will use her own judgement in deciding issues. Those opponents need to read the U.S. Constitution; interpretation is why we have a Supreme Court.
They really fear that she will put her politics ahead of the law and be a rubber stamp for Obama’s agenda.
~~~~~
Similar treatment was given to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. She was only the second jurist to be nominated to three different judicial positions by three different presidents but was still voted against by Republicans.
See: Republicans against Obama nominee Sonia Sotomayor
I’m a little surprised at how interesting your content is. I think you should make an ebook out of this information. Thank you for sharing.
This is very uniquely written information. You must think like me or I you because our like views are very close. It’s a little scary.
You have really hit on some hot information with this content. I like how you show your writing talent using unique thoughts. Thank you for the information on this topic.
I admire your writing style and the information in this excellent article. It’s plain to see your information is well-researched and written. Thanks for sharing.
This is a great article in many ways. I can’t express how impressed I am with your content. I appreciate your viewpoints and how you make it all so interesting.
I got into this article which surprises me since this isn’t one of my interests. You did such a good job of presenting your facts that I couldn’t stop reading.
Finding reasonable and well-researched information on this subject is uncommon. I think you need to know just what a great job you’ve done here with this material. I agree completely. Thank you for sharing this.
Your article must be popular. If it’s not it really should be because you have really loaded up this article with impressive information. Keep up the great writing. Thank you.
Your informational article is very informative, but also interesting and unique. Your views on this topic give readers options to agree or disagree. I agree.
This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality.
Your article is more than just information to me. To me, you have captured the reader’s attention with engaging and unique content. I like your original presentation of views and agree on many of them.
I’m a little surprised at how interesting your content is. I think you should make an ebook out of this information. Thank you for sharing.
I’m deeply excited about each and every single bit of information you post here
Keep ‘em coming… you all do such a great job at such Concepts… can’t tell you how much I, for one appreciate all you do!
Your article swept me away with its vast information and great writing. Thank you for sharing your views with such passion. I like your views.
Reading this article was an experience. I enjoyed all the information you provided and appreciated the work you did in getting it written. You evidentially did a lot of research.
You must be a real thinker to be able to write such a great quality article like this. I agree with many of your views. You’ve done your research and it shows in this writing.
I wish I had your talent and ability to research and write. I can only aspire to write articles like this. You have my attention with this content. Thank you.
I am really impressed with your presentation of thoughts in this article. Your ideas and information seem really valid and you have made your points very clear to the reader.
I thought you should know I am in awe of your knowledge on this topic. Your information in this article is incredible and it reflects some of my same views.
This information is unique to me. I really like your points and think you put a new spin on this for readers. I respect your writing style. You’re so perceptive.
I enjoyed the information in your article. I like how you laid it all out so clearly. There’s no way to mistake what you’re thinking. I like this topic and I hope to read more.
This has to be one of the best articles I’ve read on this subject so far. You are obviously intelligent, but you really know how to speak to readers. Overall, I agree with your information.
This is a fabulous article. It’s very astute and the points made are both valid and interesting. This must have taken a lot of work.
All I can think to say is wow! I think your info is intriguing and fascinating. You have done a great job on this article.
I feel more enlightened on this topic after reading your article. Your content is fascinating, persuasive and thought-provoking. I just wish I were good with words like you so I could express my appreciation better.
I like this article. Do you have more writings like this? If not, I hope you plan to write more. I like your views. I know it’s a lot of work, but reader love it.
Your informational article is very informative, but also interesting and unique. Your views on this topic give readers options to agree or disagree. I agree.
It’s not uncommon for an article with this much information to become confusing, but your content is clear. I can relate to many of the points contained in this material.
It’s an honor to read high quality content these days. This article has all the qualities of great professional material I was taught in college.
It has been a very long time since we have seen anything written like this article. Obviously, creative and enthusiastic writing is not gone forever.
I think you’ve got a lot of readers that are more than thankful to you and really pleased with the content on your blog, making me fantastically interested in what post will be next and about.
I enjoy a fresh take on this subject. You have unique ideas and your content is original and very well-written. I think a lot like you. Great minds think alike.
I don’t know how you managed to fit so much great information into one article, but you did a great job organizing your thoughts here.
After reading this for the fifth time I cannot tell you how great this content is. I am blown away by your knowledge and writing skills presented in this work. You did an amazing job!
What’s the purpose of this informative article if you don’t thoughts me requesting?
This is let you know that this article had my interest in the first sentence. The writer is creative, intelligent and has mastered wording so as to capture the interest of the reader right away.
Thanks for all the enthusiasm to offer such helpful information here.
I can see you have high standards when it comes to your writing. It shows in your excellent writing. Thank you for your high standards.
I do a lot of reading online these days and have discovered it’s really tough to find good writing. I’m glad I got to read this article because it’s restored my faith in online content.
I don’t often get to read a lot of articles, but I feel privileged to have found this article. You are a true literary talent.
You have a special writing talent I’ve seen a few times in my life. I agree with this content and you truly know how to put your thoughts into words.
This is awesome reading material! It’s packed with useful info that anyone can read and understand. I love to read articles by writers that truly care about the content they produce and share. Thank you.
This is a great article. You make a lot of sense and I agree with many of your views. I don’t disagree with anything you have written, but some of this really has me thinking.
As a teacher, I grade a lot of writing assignments. That’s a hard habit to break so I give you a strong A+ for this article. It’s interesting and well-written.
Very good idea. With all the material available on this subject, I am very surprised nobody thought of this wonderfully thought out idea before now.
I admire this article for the well-researched content and excellent wording. I got so involved in this material that I couldn’t stop reading. I am impressed with your work and skill. Thank you so much.
You have written an amazing article with many valid, unique points that are interesting and thought-provoking. It excites me to read informative content written by a writer who is so obviously knowledgeable in this area.
Ha, I think I know what you’re getting at. Nice laylout on your blog by the way. Very cool.
I love it when I can tell a writer has put forth a lot of effort for their content. I’m really glad I read this.