Supreme Secrecy

Today is Day 2 of the Senate confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan. Barack Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court. A Yahoo News story carries the headline "On Day 2 of hearings, Kagan employs artful dodge."

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Kagan wrote in 1995 that Senators should pursue more "substantive inquiry" and push nominees to be more open about their views during confirmation hearings.

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Now, of course, she's the one being questioned, and she said today that there are limits to the amount of openness that potential Supreme Court justices should be expected to show during nomination hearings.

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Since she has never held a court position as a judge, her writings and her testimony are the only indications that Senators have of whether she should be a justice or not. With her testimony today, she has effectively cancelled both of those out.

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The opposite of openness is secrecy. "Limits to openness" means that there should be more secrecy. Not a very reassuring philosophy from someone who is applying for a job which she will likely hold for the next 30-40 years.
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These are the people who are in charge of our country. Start stocking up food and ammo.