Tag Archives: supreme court

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Can You Name A Supreme Court Justice? Two-Thirds of Americans Can’t

Photo courtesy of
‘U.S. Supreme Court’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

Earlier today, we learned about some of the history of the Hill and the former home of President John Adams. How about some more current events regarding the Capitol and surrounding area? Don noted that the Tunnicliffe’s mentioned in the History Channel report was not in fact the bar, but a building just about on the site of the current Supreme Court building. So, while we’re on the topic, can you name the nine current Supreme Court justices?

Recently, Findlaw.com wanted to find out just how many Americans knew the answer to that question. The results weren’t pretty: only 35 percent correctly identified even one, and less than one percent could name all nine. Generally speaking, it’s a political crowd here in the District, so if you stacked us up against the field, you’d hope that we’d fair better than the entire country. Conspiracy theory: perhaps a lot of the folks asked were still scarred from a certain chapter in Jon Stewart’s America (The Book) to get their thoughts together when asked point blank…?

Finally, let the record show that I have no prize for whomever comments first with the full list of justices.

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Supreme Court Closes Front Door

Photo courtesy of
‘Jack Defends the Supreme Court’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

Oh Security Theater. You’re so old. You’re so busted. And yet, we have to live with you, like the creepy ex who just won’t stop coming back. Today’s victim is the Supreme Court’s front door, symbolic for many reasons, if not the carved marble which reads, “Equal Justice Under Law.” Starting today, visitors and petitioners will be required to use the side entrance to go through additional security procedures before going inside.

In response, Justices Ginsburg and Breye penned an unofficial official dissent, highlighting the history of the design of the Court, as well as the significance of the front door: Continue reading →

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Move Over Van Hollen, Corporation to Run for MD-8 Seat

Photo courtesy of
‘Guarding Justice’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’

I enjoyed this article today from WaPo that was written in a semi-serious, semi-tongue-in-cheek tone about Murray Hill, Inc., a company based in Silver Spring, MD that has announced its intentions to run for Congress in the 8th CD of Maryland. The seat is currently held by Mr. DCCC himself, Chris Van Hollen. The story is no joke – these guys actually are trying to run for Congress. A mere 6 months ago, this would have seemed so obnoxious, it wouldn’t even have garnered sensational press attention. But thanks to Justice Roberts and pals on the big bench, the United States now officially views corporations as people when it comes to their rights related to campaign finance, and Murray Hill is out to prove that corporations deserve all equal human rights.

The progressive PR firm obviously knows how to pull off a PR stunt. (Check out their campaign Facebook page and their YouTube videos.) But this is really more than that. This is actually proving a very valid point in showing that treating corporations as people is flat out ridiculous. Giving corporations the right to have a seemingly unlimited level of influence on members of Congress destroys the many years of bi-partisan handwork that has gone into trying to tone down the sick impact that wealthy corporations can have on the everyday lives of Americans. This is NOT about stifling capitalism, this is about stifling the downright unfair ability that corporations have to alter legislation passed in Congress so that it favors their profits, instead of the needs of the country’s citizens. Allow great ideas to flourish in capitalism, but don’t allow those ideas to directly control our laws.

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