AP US Gov Current Events

Final blog assignment: Please find a current events article of interest to you (2010) that relates to one or more gov concepts that we have studied this semester. Once you have found an article from a reputable news source, publish a new post (click on pencil sign and then new post) that gives a brief introduction to and thoughtful prompt or question related to the issue, and then link the article for your colleagues to read and respond to. Then later in the week read another student's new post and linked article and provide a thoughtful comment to their prompt or question.

Do You Have to be a Judge to Serve on the Supreme Court?

President Obama has just announced Elena Kagan, as his pick for the United States Supreme Court to replace Justice John Paul Stevens who is resigning at the end of this term. Kagan is the current Solicitor General and former Dean of the Harvard Law School, and carries an impressive reputation as a legal scholar and jurist. However, the fact that she has not served as a federal court judge has caused many to question whether she is qualified for a job on the Nation's highest court.

In fact, Kagan's appointment encourages renewed national dialogue about what qualities are important to become one of the nation's elite judges in general. For example, does it matter that the Court, with Kagan, would be comprised of 8 Ivy League jurists educated at either Harvard or Yale, or that 4 of the 9 justices are from New York, or that 6 are Catholic and 3 are Jewish? Does diversity in Court composition matter?

After reading the article linked below please answer any one or more of the following question, making reference to the article in at least one comment posted:

1. Do you think prior experience as a judge should be a requirement of any potential nominee to the Supreme Court?
2. Is diversity in Supreme Court composition important, and if so, to what extent?
3. Do you think President Obama made a good choice in picking Elena Kagan for the next Supreme Court justice of the Untied States? Why or why not?
   
   http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/10/AR2010051001116.html?hpid=topnews&sub=AR&sid=ST2010050903614