For those of us of a certain age, who woke up and grew up with the ringing words and vision of justice of Brown v. Board of Education, Thursday’s decision by the US Supreme Court in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District #1 is a galling defeat for school integration, racial justice. The decision is long and dispiriting. Read it only if you are driven to. Brown, it now appears to our learned Justices, stands for school segregation. Update: Those of us not ready to celebrate, or settle, for the "end of integration" (unlike David Brooks) may want to look at SCOTUS Blog's report of the first post "Parents Involved" challenge to a school assignment plan in Lynn, Ma.

Everything the Supremes have been singing of late seems designed to remind us that there was a difference between Gore and Bush in 2000.  read more »

Events will not go to the front page automatically anymore. Any member of the site can still post events to the calendar; but to be front paged, all events have to pass editorial review first ... or is voted on to the front page.

This is due to the fact that Rocket slipped by post for Maria Cantwell fundraiser. The same Maria Cantwell who voted for cloture along with the Vichy 10; ensuring 40+ years of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court bench.

Daniel K. Akaka, Hawai'i
Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico
Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia
Maria Cantwell, Washington
Thomas Carper, Delaware
Kent Conrad, North Dakota
Herb Kohl, Wisconsin
Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut
Bill Nelson, Florida
Benjamin Nelson, Nebraska

BTW notice the name of Joseph Lieberman. He had already voted for Roberts when he voted for Alito's cloture. Even after he had made Planned Parenthood and NARAL believe he would be one of the the last people to do so.

Now, lest I get gobsmacked by Mole and Michael, there are reasons for Democrats to help her to get elected. I understand there are heated races around the country but, as Anonymous Coward said in this comment here, why fund an out of towner when there are races to still fund right here in the city?

Which is why I am going meta here.

The ten democrats on that list gave Bush a huge political won he did not deserve. Here's what I wrote a year ago, in relation to John Roberts' confirmation but still applicable to Democrats that put Alito on the bench:

[via c u l t u r e k i t c h e n: Twenty-one Democrats vote to confirm John Roberts? Meet "The Dominionists' 21"]:  read more »

You know what? Not only is Bush the worst President ever, but he is also the biggest embarassment to America. Okay, so Bush freaking out a baby in Germany wasn't completely his fault, though his expression of complete abandonment of all responsibility was disgusting. But Bush's latest embarassing act in Germany is just plain inexcusable in a man who is on a diplmatic mission. At the G-8 summit, President Bush reached from behind to grab German Chancellor Angela Merkel and gives her a quick massage before rushing off. This is a condescending and inappropriate gesture when one leader is interacting with another. Chancellor Merkel was clearly horrified at Bush's behavior.

Okay...THIS is the man who we have as our leader? THIS is the man who is determining our foreign policy? Sheesh! I bet Elmer Fudd would be a more dignified and diplomatic leader than Mr. "I peed on a police car and daddy got me off the hook" Bush.

Congressman Major Owens invites you to a Town Meeting Monday, March 20th at 7 PM at St. Francis College (180 Remsen St., Brooklyn) in the Callahan Room to discuss the American Court System.

Panelists:

Esmerelda Simmons, Esq., Director of the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College

Deborah Goldberg, Director of the Democracy Program at NYU's Brennan Center for Justice

Light Refreshments will be Served

The thirst for blood from the left against the so-called "Vichy 10" is sweeping several blogs and I have to say I find it kind of repulsive. It is the kind of knee jerk reaction, poorly thought out and poorly expressed, that I expect from Bush supporters talking about Clinton's blowjobs. And some of my fellow leftists sure don't like me saying this. Got scolded considerably at My Left Wing for advocating a touch of restraint.

I understand people's frustration. But JESUS CHRIST PEOPLE! HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE! Some of the people you want to target have among the best voting records in Congress on environment, labor and choice. Do we REALLY want to start by targeting those people???

The so-called “Vichy 10