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April 15, 2010 4:01 pm | By Miranda Blue
Can the filibuster be fixed?
The threat of filibuster is holding up Senate business more than ever before, and Senators are at odds over whether to do away with or amend the rule that’s causing so much trouble. People for Executive Vice President Marge Baker…
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April 14, 2010 8:34 pm | By Drew Courtney
Democrats Figure out GOP Strategy on Nominations
In an article in Politico today, titled “Dems: Ignore GOP in court choice,” some Senate Democrats show that they’ve got the GOP strategy on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination figured out already. “I don’t think you can count on any…
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April 14, 2010 6:41 pm | By Ben Betz
Legislative Achievements Will Live or Die in the Courts
President Obama was elected on a promise of change, but in order for any of his legislative accomplishments to remain in place, they will need to survive court challenges. Health care reform has passed. Major financial regulatory reform could be…
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April 13, 2010 8:49 pm | By Drew Courtney
Meet the Right’s Newest Judicial Codeword
Maybe the Right Wing is finally realizing that after Citizens United, “judicial activism” just doesn’t cut it for slamming judicial nominees who aren’t willing to overturn a century of settled campaign finance law. So they’re trotting out a brand new…
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April 13, 2010 8:46 pm | By Miranda Blue
Corporate Spending in Judicial Elections Skyrocketing
For those still in doubt about the potential for corporate influence in national elections in the post-Citizens United world, it might be helpful to look at the growing sway of corporate money in state-level judicial elections. Eliza Newlin Carney at…
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April 13, 2010 4:06 pm | By Ben Betz
GOP Obstruction: The Saga Continues
The first day back from spring recess and Republican senators were at it right off the bat, continuing their unprecedented obstruction and trying to filibuster the extension of unemployment benefits for over a quarter of a million out of work…
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April 12, 2010 7:35 pm | By Miranda Blue
Sessions revives the empty “judicial activism” argument
Justice Stevens only announced his resignation a few days ago, and already the far right is throwing around the familiar Republican talking point about a potential “activist” Supreme Court nominee: Several days after Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced…
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April 12, 2010 6:17 pm | By Paul Gordon
Bob McDonnell vs. the Right to Vote
Mere days after rewriting the history of the Civil War - turning it into a war for independence with nothing to do with slavery - Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has done it again. But this time, instead of denying people's…
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April 9, 2010 10:25 pm | By Miranda Blue
“A new breed of judicial activist” on the D.C. Circuit
With public attention now focused on the selection of a new Supreme Court Justice, it might be easy to forget the federal judicial appointments that get a lot less press, but which can also make a whole lot of difference…
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April 9, 2010 9:22 pm | By Miranda Blue
Gingrich: Let’s Shut Down the Government Again
In a how-to talk to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference last night, titled “Becoming the Party of Yes,” Newt Gingrich advocated the proactive step of shutting down the federal government.Talking Points Memo reports:"Stage one of the end of Obamaism will…
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April 9, 2010 5:45 pm | By Miranda Blue
Republicans Already Vowing to Obstruct Supreme Court Nomination
We don’t know who the next Supreme Court nominee will be, but Senate Republicans are already vowing to put up a fight. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement this morning wishing retiring Justice John Paul Stevens well and…
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April 9, 2010 5:19 pm | By Miranda Blue
Continuing Stevens’ Legacy
Justice John Paul Stevens’ announcement that he will retire this summer marks the end of an era for the Supreme Court and a crucial opportunity for President Obama and the Senate to shape the Court’s direction. Stevens—the last survivor of…
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April 8, 2010 10:38 pm | By Miranda Blue
A New Meaning of “Yes”
Newt Gingrich, it seems, has learned a new word. The title of his talk tonight at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference is “Becoming the Party of Yes.” The party of “yes”? It’s a worthy goal, but the GOP has a…
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April 8, 2010 9:55 pm | By Drew Courtney
O’Connor v. Citizens United
In the weeks since the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Citizens United, plenty of people (including, ahem, us) have spoke out against the decision. But one critic of the ruling brings a particularly distinguished resume. Sandra Day O’Connor,…
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April 6, 2010 7:18 pm | By Miranda Blue
Supreme Court Gets Chance to Remove Roadblocks Keeping Disabled Veterans from Benefits
This spring, the Supreme Court will get another chance to show whether it values the rights of individuals to receive fair treatment from the American legal system. The New York Times reports on a case before the Supreme Court that…
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March 25, 2010 8:16 pm | By Josh
Time for the GOP to Own up to Inciting the Tea Partiers
Tea Party activists, ginned up on Republican rhetoric about tyranny, socialism, and death panels, have been lashing out directly at Democrats across the country. On Capitol Hill, members of Congress faced slurs and one was even spat on. Around the…
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March 25, 2010 5:11 pm | By Drew Courtney
GOP Adopts Sophisticated “Take My Toys and Go Home” Strategy
In case you missed it, the GOP is not pleased about the passage of health care reform, and after careful consideration they’ve decided that the best strategy going forward is to stomp their feet harder and scream louder.In legislative terms,…
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March 25, 2010 12:03 am | By Josh
The First Corporate Ad – An Avalanche Begins with One Flake
The ad below may not look like much, but it’s a sign of much greater – and troubling – things to come. It appears to be the very first political ad purchased with corporate money, all thanks to the Supreme…
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March 24, 2010 6:16 pm | By Josh
Former DOJ Official Discusses Impact of GOP Obstruction
On Tuesday, former Deputy Attorney General David Ogden spoke publicly for the first time since leaving the Justice Department.Among other pressing issues, Ogden addressed the ongoing obstruction of key Obama nominees to the department, including Dawn Johnsen to head the…
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March 23, 2010 5:50 pm | By Ben Betz
As Health Care Reform Passes, New Poll Shows the Shocking Radicalism of Today’s GOP
For years, the GOP has been pandering to extremists. The health care debate and the Obama presidency have brought out the most paranoid, conspiracy theory-driven fringe members of that extremist base including racists, anti-government activists and too many otherwise-normal Americans who…