I have no idea whether Sonia Sotomayor is qualified to sit on the United States Supreme Court. But, unlike Harriet Miers, she’s not obviously unqualified. Having been appointed to the bench by George HW Bush is no bad thing; having been recommended by Daniel Patrick Moynihan a considerable advantage. Presuming that no scandalous relevation from her past bubbles up into the public domain one imagines she will be confirmed. This appointment, though it won’t shift the balance of the court too much, poses a couple of awkward problems for the Republican party. Since I doubt they can prevent her being confirmed, one wonders whether there’s any significant upside in fighting the nomination with as much vim and anger as many interest groups on the right are likely to demand?
Identity politics* and treating entire swathes of the population as client groups is not an especially bonny aspect of American politics.
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