No Surprise
Leaking Elena Kagan's name on Sunday night was pretty cowardly — an obvious attempt to defuse Monday morning reactions. And, of course, she's the worst of all the (former) potential choices, the most conservative, the most ideologically welded to money worship. Like Mr. Obama, she thinks the world can be simplified by putting a price on everything. Oil spills are OK, because the money value to society of the oil pumped out of the Gulf is greater. Coal mine collapses are OK, because the money value to society of the coal is greater than any lives lost. But the thing is, by extracting every red cent from society the money worshipers don't merely impoverish us materially, they sap our values. They corrupt our souls. Nevertheless, whatever they try, they can't put a dollar value on love. Mr. Obama, tragically, doesn't understand this simple truth. And Ms. Kagan's nomination should be, for wavering progressives, the last straw. The 2008 election was about a change. We needed it. We got it. The 2010 election will be about kicking the Democratic Party in the teeth. Which it deserves.
Posted by George Kenney on May 9, 2010 11:57 PM 
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Comments
So sadly true. Expect the most. Get the least. Obama's last chance — failed.
Posted by: Richard Greener | May 10, 2010 1:15 AM
I can't say I'm delighted, but I also can't say much about Kagan. I'm a New York public school product and I think that'd be a good thing for the Court. Of course that is a crude generalization and for most, irrelevant.
George, I would like to know who you'd prefer. Your short list, so to speak.
Curious.
You have a strong opinion about Obama and Kagan. What names would better follow the path you favor?
[Diane Wood was reportedly on Mr. Obama's short list. She would have been an infinitely better choice. g.]
Posted by: Peter | May 10, 2010 10:10 AM
The financial ties Kagan has to Goldman
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703338004575230602921084726.html
should convince any progressive that most all the current political players are working for the same team. I'm wearing the "I smell cat sh-t" face and nobody's going to clean this litter box anytime soon.
Posted by: connie | May 11, 2010 11:25 AM
I focused on George saying the Kagan nomination being "the last straw'. How many last straws are needed? I'm no Republican and even so, if I were mounting a national campaign the tag line would not be "hope and change" it would be:
"Had enough yet?"
But just saying that doesn't accomplish anything. Recently I have seen this on other forms of voting systems.
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/qanda-with-donald-saari-about-election-math/Content?oid=1211609
The changes needed are not as trivial as election finance reform. They have to go a lot deeper. The comments on the link are as valuable as the short interview.
Posted by: Lon C Ponschock | May 11, 2010 12:25 PM
Bravo, George! The best one paragraph embodiment I've read of the rage engendered by this conman generally, and his gutless Supreme Court pick specifically. We're being governed by the Greasy Pole Climbers Club.
(Jonathan Turley would've been a nice choice, along with Judge Wood.)
Posted by: EJK | May 11, 2010 7:28 PM
I'm strangely ambivalent about the Kagan nomination. I suspect this is probably some combination of:
(1) it could have been worse,
(2) I've come to not expect more from Obama,
(3) I left the Obama camp a long time ago.
Posted by: Benedict@Large | May 14, 2010 3:26 PM