Professor O'Spades opines on The Majesty of the Law:
So, yeah, she's lying. Or else she's so stupid she doesn't even realize
she's making a choice about judicial philosophy at all -- like man of
the stupid and liberal (BIRM) she is entirely unaware that there is any
other philosophy than the one she believes in, to the point where she
denies it's a philosophy or choice at all and believes it to be simply
the natural and inevitable order of things.*
Which is intriguing enough on its own for diagnostic purposes, but becomes even more fascinating once one sees where the asterisk attaches:
See Peart, Neil, et al., "Freewill."
Flaubert would I think have omitted the footnote, but that is art. Science compels us to, uh, scrupulous meanness.
He won't be satisfied until we have a SCOTUS packed with ponytailed keytar players.
Posted by: Jay C. | July 16, 2009 at 08:59 AM
and believes it to be simply the natural and inevitable order of things.
As opposed to "The White Man Is Always Right", which of course Ace knows is *really* the natural and inevitable order of things.
Posted by: LittlePig | July 16, 2009 at 10:49 AM
If I choose not to reward his insanity with free traffic, have I still have made a choice?
Posted by: norbizness | July 16, 2009 at 11:07 AM
I don't see what this Seidman fellow is getting so huffy about. In order to get a seat on the Supreme Court, you have to be willing to repeat these words: "Senator, I believe that good judges don't make policy, they only interpret the laws that you, Senator, choose to enact in your infinite wisdom." Sure, it's bullshit, but it's mandatory bullshit, like the rule that says you can't be President of the United States unless you're willing to claim, ad nauseam, that the United States is the greatest, best country God has ever given man on the face of the Earth.
And for right-wingers to share in the faux outrage is, well, outrageous, given that they created the fucking rules in the first place.
Posted by: SteveB | July 16, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Duuuude! "Freewill" is in multiple time signatures! Parts of it are in 7/4! Can your namby-pamby liberal law professors top that? Hunh?
Posted by: Steve M. | July 16, 2009 at 12:12 PM
When I worry about the fate of choice and free will in my society I like to throw my lot in with a bunch of crazy fundamentalists, who are the priests of the temples of syrinx.
Posted by: Righteous Bubba | July 16, 2009 at 01:28 PM
You are clearly unable to account for the fact that there is unrest in the forest, there is trouble with the trees, which is central to my point.
Posted by: Malaclypse | July 16, 2009 at 01:48 PM
See Peart, Neil, et al., "Freewill."
The River!
Posted by: Henry Holland | July 16, 2009 at 08:03 PM
Imagine all the playdough and bacon that "Rush" enjoyed in their heyday!!!
Posted by: thwap | July 16, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Oh, I get it - He's cleaning up the systems to keep his nature pure.
;>)
Posted by: darkblack | July 17, 2009 at 01:01 AM
Oh, let the asswipes fume and sputter. They can't do anything to stop her from being confirmed, because they got thumped in November and no one gives a shit what they say or do or think any more.
Posted by: Bitter Scribe | July 17, 2009 at 04:38 PM
They can't do anything to stop her from being confirmed, because they got thumped in November and no one gives a shit what they say or do or think any more.
Well, no one except everybody in the goddamn media, who keep disseminating their drivel as if it's legitimate discourse.
Posted by: J Neo Marvin | July 17, 2009 at 07:18 PM