The Supes go on hiatus (just in time to lead their labs at VBI)

The two Supreme Court decisions on the Ten Commandments yielded enough opinions and dissents and concurrences to keep interested parties busy forever. Keep in mind that Nino believes that all law comes from God, an opinion that I will not allow in our debate discussions unless the person offering that point of view offers an inarguable warrant. I mean, did Nino *see* God do this? Can we go to the videotape? It's an argument that doesn't stand up in court, if you know what I mean, personal beliefs notwithstanding. Anyhow, the point is that religion in public life may be the most hotly contested issue of the day, in that, as you well know, religious beliefs can inform all actions. This part wasn't written down, but Nino verbally decried those who were standing up for religiosity v. irreligiosity, saying that there was no way the Constitution defended the rights of the non-religious.

I love Nino. I can just imagine the homosexual agenda people getting together with the atheist agenda people. Maybe they can all go fishing with Nino next time he heads out with Dick Cheney on the old private yacht. That would be one hell of a party!

Additionally, the Court continued what the Times seems to feel is its assault on the Press. You should read the analysis of that in today's paper. Does the media deserve special protection (what we associate with the First Amendment) when it doesn't warrant special protection? Raise your hand if you can tell me the name of Tom Cruise's fiancee but not the name of the winner of the election in Iran. Then ask yourself, which one is Bush more likely to invade (no doubt because God tells him to)?

I assume most people did follow through on the emininent domain discussion recently; as DOA pointed out, it is potentially a topic next year. In a way, it's a classic: how about a quote from Mr. Spock? "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Those Vulcans were obviously of a modern Utilitarian bent.

So now the Court is done for a while and no one quit in a huff. The prospect of a congressional battle over Rehnquist's replacement just has to have your juices flowing, but we won't see it for a while. Maybe old Bill is waiting for Jeb to take over the White House.

Long live the Bush dynasty! Semper arbusto (or something like that, as the Romans used to say)!