Blog Round-Up – Wednesday, August 24th
The Volokh Conspiracy has this post discussing this Wall Street Journal article on Justice Stephen Breyer’s new 161-page book to be released in a few weeks: “Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution.”
The Legal Affairs Debate Club asks, “Is Assisted Suicide Legal?” This October, in Gonzales v. Oregon, the Supreme Court will hear a challenge to Oregon’s “Death with Dignity Act” which allows terminally ill patients told they have six months to live the right to commit suicide with the aid of a doctor. Debating the issue is Jonathan Adler, visiting professor at George Mason University and Wesley J. Smith, an attorney and the author of Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America.
Dahlia Lithwick asks, “Does Anyone Believe in a Living Constitution Anymore?”
ACSBlog has posted this analysis of Justice Ginsburg’s confirmation hearings titled,”The Confirmation Hearings of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Answering Questions While Maintaining Judicial Impartiality.”
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter who is the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee has signaled he plans to ask Judge John Roberts some tough questions about his juridical philosophy according to the Washington Post.
Arlen Specter may cross the once taboo line of asking Judge Roberts about particular cases. In Particular Specter was critical of an opinion by Chief Justice William Rehnquist and plans to ask Judge Roberts his views on Rehnquist’s opinion.
If this is true Arlen Specter will confirm our worst fears about him taking over as Senate Judiciary committee chairman. There was intense opposition to him taking over for Sen. Orin Hatch. The only reason he was able to get the position is because he assured President Bush he would not be a thorn in his side. Well the thorns are starting to pop out.
What is especially galling is that Sen. Chuck Shumer of New York is praising Specter for his changed view on the subject. Schumer is hell-bent on asking and getting answers from Judge Roberts on how he will rule on specific cases such as abortion.
For More information on this story you can visit my blog if you like.
Comment by Ken — August 25, 2005 @ 4:58 pm