Blogs

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.

On Thursday, Steve Duin wrote a column discussing the need for campaign finance reforms supported by State Senator Vicki Walker, who is running for Secretary of State against Rick Metsger and Kate Brown.

By Thursday afternoon, the OEA had dropped another $25,000 on the race, bringing Brown's total to more than $400,000 - $285,000 more than her two opponents in the Democratic Primary race for Secretary of State combined

Duin from his blog ...

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

Steve Duin has a nice take on CFR in his column today.

Forty-seven of our 50 states have placed limits on political campaign contributions, believing it is possible to constrain the corrosive impact of money on elective politics without restricting free speech.

h/t to LoadedOrygun.

In 2007, a bi-partisan coalition of legislators voted 57-2 in th house and 28-1 in the Senate to beef up Oregon's anti-pornography laws.

Today, Naral, the ACLU, and Powell's bookstore announced their intention to challenge the new law in Federal Court.