The Federalist Society: Where Are They Now?

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON -- The Federalist Society is one of the most powerful and unique organizations in the conservative orbit, describing itself as "a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order." But that simple description doesn't do justice to the influential network the group has built up, in addition to fundamentally changing the way that conservative ideas on the law are discussed and received in mainstream legal circles.

The Federalist Society gained widespread attention in 2007 for the power of its members within the Bush administration Justice Department. Since then, there has been less attention on the group, but according to legal experts, the group is quietly continuing to thrive in an environment where lawmakers and activists are increasingly touting constitutional law as the talk of the day.

snip...

Beyond the implications with the Bush administration, the controversy highlighted the Federalist Society's importance in the conservative legal community and the role it plays in identifying future superstars. The organization has a budget of about $10 million and approximately 40,000 people involved, according to Meyer. Its most important work is done at the chapter level, on the campuses of colleges and universities, outside of the glare of the national media.

"The most important thing it does for students is it allows them to bring speakers onto campus, who break the monolithic views they get from their professors, and it allows them to network with each other, so they can somewhat support each other," said Randy Barnett, a Georgetown University law professor who is a member of the Federalist Society and speaker at the annual conference. "It's kind of a support network for people who are sort of dissidents within their own academic environment -- and I was one, before there was a Federalist Society, so I know how lonely it can be to be alone -- and you're not actually alone because there are people who might actually agree with you and respect what you're saying, but you don't know who they are because they're keeping their mouth shut."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/18/federalist-society-post-bush_n_785049.html

[COLGATE4]

1. Federalist Society - The Little League for Scalia/Alito wannabes

[midnight]

2. K&R. So Federalists are considered dissidents within their own

academic enviornments.

Definition of DISSIDENT

: disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief
— dissident noun

So they don't belive in our legal system? Maybe their should be some fundamental screening for those entering our law schools?

[DCKit]

4. Shouldn't they be on some terrorist watch list?

Just sayin'. They sound dangerous to our American way of life.

[OHdem10]

3. Federalists alive and well. Listen to the Tea Party and often

Sarah Palin.
Send it back to the states. This is the mantra of many.Some
even want HCR to be the authoirty of each state not the Fed.
Government.