Politics & Current Affairs — May 10, 2010

Untested and Ready

Emily Bazelon thinks that the youth and judicial inexperience of Elena Kagan, President Obama’s selection to replace Justice Stevens on the Supreme Court, make her a good choice for the job.

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Emily Bazelon thinks that the youth and judicial inexperience of Elena Kagan, President Obama’s selection to replace Justice Stevens on the Supreme Court, make her a good choice for the job. “What will Kagan be like as a Supreme Court justice? Much more than Sonia Sotomayor, Obama’s choice for the last court vacancy, or the string of nominees going back to David Souter, we can’t know for sure. Trust us, the White House is saying.”

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Proof the Supreme Court Isn’t All About Politics and Ideology

While the battle over the next Supreme Court justice will be fought in the realm of bare-knuckle, high-octane politics, the daily business of the justices is often a good deal less partisan.

Culture & Religion

The Liberal Face of Justice Scalia

A more nuanced picture of Justice Antonin Scalia’s 30-year stint on the nation’s highest court tells a tale that complicates the conservative-mouthpiece narrative.

Guest Thinkers

The New Justice

CNN looks at a list of potential nominees to fill Justice Steven’s seat on the Supreme Court including current Attorney General Eric Holder and Diane Wood.

Guest Thinkers

Supreme Speculation

Leader of the left on the Supreme Court, Justice Stevens is expected to retire during Obama’s first term; Bloomberg looks at three potential nominees to fill his vacancy.

A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Can you have a “calling” without a caller?

If you’re an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?

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Politics & Current Affairs

Exporting Terror

Until the Pakistani military truly takes on a more holistic view of the country’s national interests, the country will continue to be a hotbed of terrorism, writes Fareed Zakaria.