DOH!!

By Jennifer J. Foster

Sometimes, it’s just not your day.

Here we have President Obama, accompanied by his ubiquitous teleprompters, defending his economic stimulus package in the face of questions about rising unenployment.

In the middle of the speech, one of the prompters crashes to the ground.

Talk about your unfortunate metaphors!

How to improve Supreme Court nomination hearings

By Jennifer J. Foster

I just had a brilliant idea.

I’m sitting here listening to the opening statements of the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. I’m trying to figure out how long it’s going to be before something substantive happens.

I’m afraid it’s going to be a while.

So then it hit me: One of the easiest, quickest things the Senate could do to improve these hearings would be to cap the opening statements of its windba—I mean, members at two minutes. Why do they need 10 minutes a piece? There’s only one reason: To grandstand.

Let’s be honest: Senators aren’t exactly the most humble people you’ll ever come across. They love the power that comes with being one of 100 men and women in the country charged with making law in the “upper chamber” and the role they play in advising and consenting on presidential nominees (especially the Supreme Court).

As for Supreme Court nominations, their role is every bit as critical as they want you to think. As Senate Judiciary Committee Sen. Patrick Leahy said in his opening remarks, these 100 people must stand in for the 320 million of us—and there are even fewer stand-ins on the committee. So they must do their job, and do it thoroughly.

But by the time these confirmation hearings begin, they have had countless opportunities to interact with their constituents on the nominee. They have had private meetings with the nominee and have even reviewed voluminous materials about the nominee and the questionnaires he or she has completed.

And they have had the media’s ear on this issue for months.

Two minutes would be plenty of time for the senators to welcome the nominee and set the framework for that senator’s comments and later questions. There is no need for each senator to go on—and on and on—for 10 minutes. There are 19 members of the committee—the 10-minute allowance means that these senators are going to go on for more than THREE HOURS—the entire time of which we hear nothing, NOTHING from the nominee.

And isn’t that what these hearings are all about?

I think the two-minute time limit would encourage senators to make their comments their own—that is, if they have less time to speak for themselves, they will be less likely to use that ime to parrot partisan talking points.

If that rule was in effect today, we’d be hearing from Sonia Sotomayor right now, 34 minutes into the hearing, instead of hours later, or even the next day.

What do you think? Should we cap the opening statements of the senators on the Judiciary Committee?

Don’t get me this for ... anything

By Jennifer J. Foster

I saw a commercial for something tonight that absolutely astounded me.

Actually, it’s a tough call whether it astounded me more than it disturbed me. But you get the idea.

Behold:

Yes. That is a Barack Obama chia pet.

At first I was startled that the president’s image has been converted into a chia pet. But then it hit me—why haven’t I heard about the racial undertones of this? After all, when your chia pet is—how shall we say? Matured—your President Obama will have an Afro.

But, as they say, that’s not all.

Here’s the web site where you can, as the commercial promised, “ORDER FROM HOME” (and see the stupifying commercial).

Note that when you go to the web site, you are confronted with a difficult choice: Happy Obama? Or Determined Obama?

Maybe both?

The Chia Obama’s tag line is, “Hail to the CH-CH-CH-CHIEF.“

Good. Grief.

Little back as city prosecutor

By Jennifer J. Foster

You know, some things just leave you so stunned, all you can do is shake your head.

From the Cullman Times:

Sen. Zeb Little was recently reinstated as Hanceville’s municipal court prosecutor — approximately two months after he stepped down from the job due to a drunk driving arrest.

“The mayor (Kenneth Nail) called recently and asked if I was ready to come back and I am,” Little said. “If not today (Monday), then some time later this month.”

The Hanceville City Council hired Little to be the municipal court prosecutor in November 2008 after the previous prosecutor resigned to return to private practice. As prosecutor, Little received a fee of $500 per month. The court is held twice a month.

OK, folks. Let’s review.

According to the Times, Little (D-Cullman) resigned from his position in April after he was arrested on I-65 in Jefferson County for DUI, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, violation of the open container law and driving with an expired license.

Just to be clear, that’s four violations.

Little pled guilty in May. The Times says he was given a 90-day suspended jail sentence with one year probation, fined $625 and had his driver’s license suspended for 90 days.

“Since his situation is over and he’s dealt with his punishment, it’s time for him to go back to work,” Nail said. “We’ve all made mistakes and the man paid for his mistake ... he paid his fine.”

Right. Except that he hasn’t “dealt with his punishment” yet.

Since a municipal prosecutor enforces city ordinances and misdemeanor crimes committed within city limits—including driving under the influence (DUI)—shouldn’t the city wait to reinstate him at least until he’s off probation?

... Or at least until he can drive himself to court?

“There are other prosecutors in the state who have had DUIs,” Little said. “Only a felony offense removes you from office.“

Oh, well, by all means, then it must be OK. Let’s just load up the city courts across this state with prosecutors who have any number of misdemeanor offenses on their records. Because, you know, they aren’t real crimes, like felonies. Wink, wink.

“I thought (resigning) was appropriate while charges were pending,” Little said.

It was. And it still is, until you have paid your debt—your complete debt—to society.

“The thing about America is when you pay your debt, you’re free to resume your normal activities,” Little said.

Yep. So when you do, you can.

Showdown brewing?

By Jennifer J. Foster

UPDATE, 7/10, 8 a.m.: Sadly, it looks as though the showdown as fallen through.

Darn.

See the comment below from regular reader (and Montgomery Tea Party Patriot) Don S. END UPDATE

It looks like there is a showdown looming at U.S. Sen. Jeff Session’s Montgomery office tomorrow.

Members of MoveOn.org are set to rally there in support of President Obama’s health care reform plan at noon.

Members of the Montgomery Tea Party Patriots are calling out their members to meet them in a counterdemonstration.

Sounds like fun!

Anyone planning to go? Pics, please!