Elena Kagan, no clear liberal record but a long history of associations with Democrats and Liberals

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Solicitor General Elena Kagan behind a portrait of Thurgood Marshall


While not necessarily an indicator of liberalism and not uniformly liberal themselves, she has been around a lot of Democrats and liberal jurists:

clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall who called her 'Shorty'

clerked for Abner Mikva (a close Obama mentor, former Dem U.S. Rep, and federal judge who himself clerked FDR SCOTUS appointee Sherman Minton)

worked for Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential campaign

worked in the Clinton administration and was nominated by Clinton to serve on the D.C. Circuit of Appeals

She has also donated 12k since the 2000, all to Democratic candidates.

If she is simply a product of her environment she will at least lean toward liberalism. I would like to see others sent up more but what are the odds Kagan will be Right of center? Pretty much zero according to any reasonable application of social learning theory.

Plus she is young and would almost certainly be confirmed. And there is no rule about having only two women on the High Court!


Primary source
http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Elena_Kagan

[TomCADem]

1. She Has Never Been A Judge, So She Has No Liberal Opinions

Heck, Bill Clinton tried to nominate her to the bench, and she was kept in limbo by Republicans.

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3. likely to avoid the result we are discussing

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2. Her Republican Yeah votes from her Solicitor General confirmation:

Coburn (R-OK)
Collins (R-ME)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lugar (R-IN)
Snowe (R-ME)

http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00107#position

[adigal]

4. No - I don't trust her

Bush gave us Roberts and Alito, both of whom are sociopaths. And the idiot Dems, including my fool Senator, Schumer, allowed a vote on.

The least Obama should give us are some liberals to discuss.

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5. Like this one?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8122670

[StevieM]

6. I think she'll get 7 GOP votes, like Sotomayor did. The Republicans will find fault with any nominee

who isn't a member of the Federalist Society.

Steve