Tag: Ketanji Brown Jackson

  • ODDS and ENDS: KBJ, Anti-Rent Protests, Tottenham, and Hiking

    (I drink coffee and know things.)

    Ketanji Brown Jackson will be on the Supreme Court. That’s a pretty big fucking deal. I like it when American institutions start looking more like America. The process was pretty disgraceful, but I want to focus on the fact that we are a step closer to getting to RBG’s dream, which was an all-woman Supreme Court. Come this Summer, there will be four women on the Court. I think the next Justice should also be a woman, and this way one of the three Branches of Government will be Woman majority. But, I do digress. What I keep thinking about is how representation matters. My daughter is seeing more women in leadership roles in the nation. And I also know, there are a bunch of little girls that are going to school today, and their teachers are going to show them a picture of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and those little girls are going to see someone who looks like them, doing important and great things. That matters. That’s huge.

    I just found this out today, but in upstate New York, back in the 1840’s, there was an Anti-Rent War. It had to do with back rent being owed under the manor system that traced back to the old Dutch Colony days of New Amsterdam. Reading up on it, I had two thoughts. First, early America really didn’t like the rule of law, and took up arms pretty quick. Second, if you protest enough, you can get the law changed in your favor. Basically, people broke a 200-year-old system of land ownership and leasing because the rent was too damn high. It happened in the past, so what’s to say that it can’t happen again.

    Tottenham has found a way to get to fourth place in the Premiere League. There is no way they will catch Man City or Liverpool, but if things got really crazy, they could pass Chelsea for third by the end of the season. But, this is Tottenham we are talking about. They do have problems closing out. They need to beat Aston Villa if they want to keep ahead of Arsenal. I will say this, if the Spurs can stay up and qualify for the Champions League, there is a chance Harry Kane might stick around. Just saying.

    Anyone want to go hiking? I know I do.

  • Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Family

    I have been watching some of the Ketanji Brown Jackson hearings. What I wish is that both political parties would take this thing seriously. The Republicans are attacking her as an act to placate to their base, and Democrats are throwing softball question to her that, either won’t garner any controversy, or giving Judge Jackson a chance to defend herself. What I would have liked to have seen, from both parties, is a real deep dive into what shaped her judicial philosophy, what does she see as the most important cases in history, and just giving her a chance to talk about the courts so I can get a better understanding on what she is going to bring to this position. We all know, barring some explosive revelation, she will be on the Supreme Court, so let us learn about her.

    But that is asking too much. I know.

    And this is when I go back to bashing the Republicans; what they are doing to her is beyond disrespectful. From what I have read about Judge Jackson, this has been a life-long goal, and she has made sure that she has an outstanding career record, and has stayed true to who she is, so she can capitalize when this opportunity presented itself. (I still believe there are good ambitious people left in this world.) So, when the Republican Senators go after her with nothing, and cut her off, and try to trap her with questions, it makes me angry. And also, very disappointed that this is where we are.

    But Judge Jackson has handled herself amazingly. She hasn’t let anything rattle her, and been patient with a lot of dumb questions. I feel very fortunate to be alive to see this accomplishment, and get to know that she will be on the Court. I am alive in the time when our Institutions are beginning to look more like the Nation that they are there to protect. It also makes me feel good that a very smart person will be at the wheel.

    Which brings me to Judge Jackson’s family. I want to give them a whole bunch of credit as well. I’m talking about her parents, who clearly did a very good job raising their daughter. She could not have arrived at this place without their support. But also, the poise they are showing in this hearing. I don’t know how they are sitting there, watching their daughter get attacked in that way, and not yelling back. Hell, I would have thrown a shoe at Ted Cruz if he talked to my daughter like that. Nope, they are better than me in that regard. My guess is that they know their daughter can take care of herself, that nothing anyone can say will change what they know to be true. Judge Jackson’s parents are my new heroes.

    The last thing I want to say on this subject was best said by Senator Corry Booker yesterday in the hearing: