06 August 2009

Congratulations

Congratulations to Justice-designate Sonia Sotomayór, who in the past few minutes was confirmed 68–31 by the Senate (Senator Kennedy didn't vote "on account of illness").

On one tentacle, this is good news because the Court is back to full strength in time for the new Justice to fully participate in the rehearing of Citizens United before the new Term starts in October. On another tentacle, this is not-so-good news because Justice-designate Sotomayór has shown at best indifference, and frequently disdain, for the rights of the actual creators of intellectual property; here's hoping that she can be educated. On yet another tentacle, this is bad news because there still isn't a scientist or engineer on the Court, despite the increasingly technological context of the cases that appear in front of it.

What I'm waiting for is the first wingnut post claiming that this is a sign of the forthcoming apocalypse because she was confirmed on the sixty-fourth anniversary of Hiroshima. Somebody, somewhere, will make that claim; this is, after all, the internet age.