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Editorials Examine Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Prospects
Four newspapers recently published editorials responding to last week"s confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Summaries appear below.~ Boston Globe: Sotomayor "far surpassed" the "meager standard" of "just [having] to avoid saying anything damaging," according to a Globe editorial. During the hearings, she "made it clear she believes that Supreme Court justices base their decisions on the Constitution, the law and the relevant precedents," and her "judicial record offers no reason to think otherwise," the editorial states. It continues that "the hearings did nothing to undermine -- and much to underscore -- the notion that Sotomayor has the right temperament, intellect and credentials for the Supreme Court. She should be confirmed" (Boston Globe, 7/20).~ New York Times: The Senate "has learned more than enough about [Sotomayor"s] qualifications to give her a seat on the court," according to a Times editorial. However, "[i]t would also be good if senators -- and the nation -- had a deeper sense of her views on some of the most pressing legal questions of our times," the editorial continues. It adds, "We were disappointed that at her confirmation hearings last week, she continued what is becoming an unbreakable habit of nominees dodging controversy." For example, "[w]e would have liked to hear her boldly defend the idea of the Constitution as a living document, one that changes with the times," and "we would have preferred if she had used the hearings to explain to the public that the much-mentioned distinction between judges making and applying the law has little meaning," the editorial states. Sotomayor "avoided saying much of substance about abortion rights, the scope of presidential power, and other hot-button issues," although this is "not entirely her fault," as the "Senate has shown repeatedly that it will tolerate this sort of evasion." However, "the public has a right to know where judicial nominees stand on important legal issues that will have a direct impact on their lives," the editorial states. It concludes, "We hope the Senate confirms her without delay so we can see more clearly what her contribution will be" (New York Times, 7/21).~ Washington Post: During her confirmation hearings, Sotomayor "proved herself well-qualified and worthy of confirmation," according to a Post editorial. The editorial continues, "She spoke convincingly about her belief in and record of consistently respecting legislative prerogatives -- an approach that signals a modest style of judging." Although the hearings focused on Sotomayor defending her previous speeches and comments, her "attempts to explain away and distance herself" from the statement that a wise Latina might make a better decision than a white man "were unconvincing and at times uncomfortably close to disingenuous, especially when she argued that her reason for raising questions about gender or race was to warn against injecting personal biases into the judicial process." The editorial adds, "Her repeated and lengthy speeches on the matter do not support that interpretation." According to the Post, "It"s too bad that she felt she had to disavow her true intent, because, though a wise Latina won"t necessarily judge better than a white man would, diversity on the bench is indeed important" (Washington Post, 7/19).~ Washington Times: During the hearings, Republican senators "failed to ask questions of great relevance to public understanding of the judge"s record and integrity," a Times editorial states. The editorial continues, "They owe it to all Americans to get tough enough to force an examination of whether the judge may have perjured herself during her testimony." According to the editorial, "The questions for which Judge Sotomayor"s answers are almost impossible to believe involved legal briefs on abortion cases that were filed by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund during the 12 years Judge Sotomayor sat on its board." Republican senators also "failed to ask sharp f
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Taxing Health Benefits Could Be Used To Pay For Expanded Coverage, Drive Out Unnecessary Care, Some Say
Economists say taxing health benefits not only could raise billions per year for health care reform efforts, but also could make the system run better, NPR and KHN report.
News of the day
Researchers Identify New Function For Protein Missing In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Researchers at the University of Minnesota and National Institutes of Health have identified a new function for the protein missing in people with the most common and ultimately lethal form of childhood muscular dystrophy.
Cardiovascular

Interest Groups Crowd Airwaves, Pursue Lawmakers

"The increasingly heated fight over health-care legislation is saturating the summer airwaves, with groups on all sides of the debate pouring tens of millions of dollars into advertising campaigns designed to push the cause of reform forward, slow it down or stop it in its tracks," the Washington Post reports. So far, drug makers, labor groups, Democrats and Republicans - among others - have spent $52 million to finance the ad campaigns, a heady start that could lead to a "record-breaking legislative battle." "Much of the spending has been focused on national cable news and the local Washington market, the best way to reach policymakers and opinion leaders in the capital. But as members of Congress leave for August recess, advertising money will follow them, as the target audience for health-care messages shifts from inside to outside the Beltway," the Post reports (Pershing, 8/5). The many interest groups that could gain or lose from have heated up lobbying campaigns both on and off the air, as the August recess is seen as the time to deliver messages. The Wall Street Journal reports on a few samples: "If you"re looking for savings, don"t come at us," said Tim Trysla, a senior medical device industry representative; "Attacking our community will not help get anyone covered," said Karen Ignagni, chief executive of lobbying group America"s Health Insurance Plans. Insurers have recently come under fire from Democrats. "What has fueled the lobbying surge is that President Barack Obama has left the details of the health overhaul to Congress. That means interest groups have plenty of decision-makers to badger. It also makes any legislation vulnerable to death by a thousand cuts," the Journal reports. For instance, lobbyists have successfully deterred Senators from a plan to tax health benefits, and a small hospital succeeded delaying action in the House (Adamy and Williamson, 8/5). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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