Joel Garreau, currently of the Washington Post and author of the early-80's book The Nine Nations of North America, which I'd never heard of before today but sounds pretty good, responds to Igor Panarin's U.S. breakup prediction discussed below. Via Justin Fox.
Akhil Reed Amar, author of the indispensable America's Constitution: A Biography, and Josh Chafetz, argue that despite Powell v. McCormack the Senate does have the power to refuse to seat Burris, though they may be required to do their own investigation of the circumstances surrounding his appointment before such refusal. This would mean the issue of their power to expel him, discussed in the post below, does not arise. Brian Kalt and Sandy Levinson disagree, but they also both concede that if the appointment was actually corrupt, that is, that Burris in fact did pay for play, the Senate would have the power to prevent this. Levinson's attempt to then limit this principle is totally unavailing.
My next post will be some thoughts on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and will be up yesterday. “Yesterday,” because Benjamin Button ages backwards. Get it? Probably not, because it's not funny at all. When it's posted, you'll discover that I mostly agree with Stephanie Zacharek except that she doesn't bring up my main criticism.
# posted by washerdreyer @ 1/05/2009 05:18:00 PM
