Sotomayor & The Supremes: Curtain Up
In This Edition
- YOUR SOTOMAYOR VIEWING GUIDE
- GOOD NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN
- FIGHTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AT HOME
- AND A REMINDER ABOUT HEALTH CARE
YOUR SOTOMAYOR VIEWING GUIDE
The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court begin today. In the spirit of TV guides everywhere, here’s our own version of what you’ll see:
A brilliant, dark-haired New York Latina faces the challenges and perils of the Washington power game, answering questions gamely despite her recent injury, as opponents try to throw her off balance and score points with the public.
Cast includes: Judge Sonia Sotomayor; with 17 years on the federal bench, she has more judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in the last 100 years (for more facts, see Sotomayor by the numbers) Senator Pat Leahy: Judiciary committee chairman will preside over the hearings and try to stay focused on the nominee’s qualifications; Senator Jeff Sessions: Leader of the opposition, which will attempt to discredit Sotomayor while regularly explaining that they are not anti-woman or anti-Latina.
Act 1: Opening statement by nominee and Senators
Act 2: Senators question Sotomayor
Act 3: Witnesses testify and also answer questions from Senators
Witnesses include New York District attorney Robert Morgenthau, who chose Sotomayor as an assistant DA; Kim J. Askew for the American Bar Association, which gave her its highest rating; Joanne Epps, for the National Association of Women Lawyers; Rep Nydia Velázquez, chair of Hispanic Congressional Caucus; and former major league pitcher David Cone (we did mention that she ended the baseball strike, didn't we?)
Other witnesses include: New Haven firefighter Frank Ricci; former Bush administration layer David Rivkin; former president of the National Rifle Association Sandra Froman; affirmative action opponents Linda Chavez and Peter Krakow; and Charmine Yoest, Americans United for Life, who says Sotomayor "... is a radical pick that divides America"
Supreme Court decisions set the framework for our lives - and for generations to come. Watch the hearings with us, and let us know what you think at My.NoLimits.org
GOOD NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN
"Afghanistan's government has revised a marriage law that sparked an international outcry over sections that appeared to legalize marital rape, Justice Ministry officials said Thursday… A section that had said a woman needs to ask her husband's permission to leave the house has also been deleted. In its place, an article states that a woman is the "owner of her property and can use her property without the permission of her husband."" Associated Press - July 7, 2009
You may recall our first post about the heinous law, passed by the Afghan Parliament and signed by President Karzai, forbidding women to leave the house without their husbands’ permission and legalizing marital rape. You may also recall the follow-up article reporting that Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged to change the law.
Now the AP reports that the amendment HAS been made, and the most controversial two parts of the law have been changed. The two pieces that have now been stricken are the very pieces that women protested: Marital rape and women being forced to ask their husbands for permission to leave their home.
There is no question that the success of this amendment is due to the courageous acts of Afghan women. They saw a law being signed that severely limited their rights and they fought it. They took to the streets, where they were attacked with threats and pelted with stones. But they kept on fighting for what was fair and just; and women and men around the world spoke up in their support.
And they won - an example of courage that should inspire us all.
The Afghani parliament is currently on recess. They reconvene on July 20th, at which time they can review the changes and, hopefully, sign it into law. We’ll be watching!
FIGHTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AT HOME
And good news from the U.S. Senate: $435 million, a record level of funding for the Violence Against Women Office, was approved by the Commerce, Justice, Science subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee as part of the 2010 spending bill.
"I have absolutely no tolerance of domestic violence" said Subcommittee chairwoman Barbara A. Mikulski, an original sponsor and strong supporter of the Violence Against Women Act. "That’s why I strongly support legislation and grant programs that help protect women and their families from continued violence and abuse, and gives them the tools they need to rebuild their lives."
The full bill will now be voted on by the full Appropriations Committee, and then the Senate, so there is more to do - but this is a very big step in the right direction.
AND A REMINDER ABOUT HEALTH CARE
Will health care reform include a public option to "keep the insurance companies honest" as President Obama has said? How will it be paid for? Can the House and Senate agree?
The congressional clock is ticking on health care reform, and the choices are getting tougher. What can we do to help move it along? Share your health care story - and your commitment to reform - with decision makers. Your example of problems with the current health care system can help HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius make the case for the kind of change we need.
http://www.healthreform.gov/communityreports/comments.html
Sincerely,
Ann Lewis