commentary

It has been widely reported that Sen. John McCain has promised to appoint Supreme Court Justices in the model of John Roberts (see right) and Samuel Alito (see left). Of course this sends a signal that Roe v. Wade is again under attack, and that other medical procedures, genetic research and biomedical research will be curtailed. He proposes a conservative-leaning “Justice Advisory Committee.” The group will be chaired by former solicitor general Ted Olson and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and will include Robert P. George, a Princeton University professor who is a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics known for his pro-life movement activities. But Alito and Roberts are also pro-business and anti-worker activists, so this promise is welcome code to both the family values and the corporate wings of the Republican coalition.

Access to justice was the big loser in the US Supreme Court on Monday when the court upheld Indiana’s voter identification law, Crawford v. Indiana. Beyond

The Washington Secretary of State has proposed rules for implementing the “top-two” primary which survived Supreme Court scrutiny in the Washington State Grange case. The rules call for listing a candidate's party “preference,” not affiliation, whether that party likes it or not--or even if the "party" does not exist.

Oregonians got a reminder yesterday that the state has a death penalty. In a 7 to 2 ruling the US Supreme Court held that lethal injection did not violate the 8th Amendment

Its only been days since it became public that the highest officials in American government signed off on torture in the days after 9/11, pending "a legal opinion” which was helpfully authorized by White House Counsel, Alberto Gonzales in the "torture memos. Now the" New York Times reported over the weekend that former Attorney General Gonzales, "like many others recently unemployed," is having trouble getting a new job. What job-hunting advice does Gonzales need?

President Bush recently granted two of his infrequent pardons to brothers in Colorado Springs. The crimes? sales of mounted owls which occurred 14 years ago and carried $1000.00 fines. They served no jail time.

Oregon's Trojan Nuclear Plant is history, but here come more nukes. On the 29th anniversary of the worst US nuclear plant accident at Three Mile Island, the Scientific American reports that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is ready to approve the siting of new nuclear plants. So stock up on "radiation protection" pills.