Daily Archives: June 11, 2009

Brownback still skeptical about Sotomayor

June 11, 200911:57 a.m.

APTOPIX Obama Supreme CourtSounds like his meeting Wednesday with Judge Sonia Sotomayor did nothing to warm Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., to her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. “I wanted to hear more from her, as I have serious concerns about her philosophy as it relates to an activist judiciary,” Brownback said in a statement. “Unfortunately, I did not hear anything in our meeting that allayed those concerns. As Chief Justice Roberts said, a justice should be an impartial umpire, not a player in the game. I am afraid Judge Sotomayor wants to be more of a player than an umpire.” If his concerns stand, Brownback, who voted against her nomination to the federal appeals court in 1998, would join Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., in the “no” column on her confirmation.

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Kansas delegation, Supreme Court | Comments (23)

Correct way to say pledge?

June 11, 20096:03 a.m.

pledgeofallegianceAs Wednesday’s meeting of the Sedgwick County Commission opened, Chairman Kelly Parks coached the assembled in how to say the Pledge of Allegiance. “A lot of times there’s kind of an echo at one part of it,” he said. “So if we can try to do that like I learned it this time — ‘one nation under God,’ without a pause in there — let’s just try that and see how that works this time. Thank you.” Parks seemed pleased by the result, but is there a right way to say the pledge? Internet searching reveals an effort by some VFW posts to discourage the pause before “under God,” and some sense that pausing reflects negatively on the 1954 act of Congress inserting those words into the pledge. What do bloggers think?

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Sedgwick County | Comments (208)

Open thread 6/11

June 11, 20096:02 a.m.

thread-comm63

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Open thread | Comments (227)

Tiller defined by those he helped

June 11, 20096:01 a.m.

tillermug3George Tiller “was too often defined by his adversaries,” columnist Barbara Shelly wrote. “On Web sites, TV and radio talk shows, and in legislative hearings, they portrayed him as the reckless ‘abortionist,’ willing to euthanize babies close to birth just so the mother could fit into a prom dress or attend a rock concert.” Shelly contends that was a cruel deception. “The overwhelming majority of the 250 to 300 women a year who sought late-term abortions from Tiller had planned their pregnancies,” she said. “They came to him heartbroken and afraid, carrying fetuses with malfunctioning kidneys, missing organs and syndromes certain to cause death in the womb or soon after birth. . . . Contrary to the false portrayal of him by anti-abortion activists and politicians, Tiller didn’t automatically consent to perform an abortion for any patient who requested one. He understood the constraints of Kansas law, and he knew he was being watched.”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Abortion | Comments (220)

World opinion of U.S. improving

June 11, 20096:00 a.m.

World opinion of the United States is improving, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters global poll. Of 22 surveyed countries, which account for 75 percent of the world’s gross domestic product, respondents holding a favorable view of the United States increased 6 percentage points between November 2008 and April 2009. Our reputation increased by double digits in several countries, including Germany and Canada. Turkey was the only country with a dominant  Muslim population that was surveyed, and our approval rating there jumped 25 percent.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Foreign affairs, President Obama | Comments (32)