In every trial — every single trial — judges solemnly instruct American citizens who are compelled to perform jury duty that they will have a sworn obligation to decide cases objectively — without fear or favor. If a person is unwilling or unable to do that, if the person believes he or she has a bias or prejudice, especially one based on a belief that people are inferior or superior due to such factors as race, ethnicity, or sex, the person is not qualified to be a juror. Indeed, prospective jurors are told that they are not qualified if they harbor even the slightest doubt about their ability to put such considerations aside and render an impartial verdict. If the judge or the lawyer for either side senses bias, the juror is excused “for cause” — the parties are not even required to use their discretionary (or “peremptory”) jury challenges to strike such a juror; rather the judge makes a finding that the juror is not fit to serve.

Forget Whether She Qualifies as a “Racist.” Would Judge Sotomayor Qualifiy as a Juror? – Andy McCarthy – The Corner on National Review Online.

The incident – which gained national attention when it was captured on videotape and distributed on YouTube – had prompted the government to sue the men, saying they violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act by scaring would-be voters with the weapon, racial slurs and military-style uniforms.

EXCLUSIVE: Career lawyers overruled on voting case – Washington Times.

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

American capitalism gone with a whimper – Pravda.Ru.

If the US can no longer sell enough Treasuries to cover the deficit, what happens to the American currency?  What happens to American credibility in global financial markets?  We could lose a lot more than people realize if we have to start printing money to cover the gap, and the worst part is who might fill the vacuum:

What would a world with the United States in the second financial tier of nations mean? We would have significantly less foreign investment, to start, and that has other implications besides just the impact to our economy. We rely on economic engagement with other nations as a not-inconsequential portion of our national security and foreign policies. …

Without a strong military presence around the world, which would almost certainly disappear just as Great Britain’s did after World War I, the world would be a much different – and more dangerous – place. No nation could guarantee trade security to the extent the American Navy does. Piracy has already become a problem, and without either a massive British or American Navy to suppress it, it would expand enormously. That will aggravate the problems an American return to second-tier status would create in the global economy.

Perhaps another nation could fill the vacuum left by an American collapse, but which nation? What kind of world would global dominance by China, India, or Russia bring, assuming any of these could take that role? How about a coalition of oil producers like OPEC, who have the means to fund it?

Once in a while, I like to engage in a little speculative thinking.  Believe me, this is a scenario I’d love to see remain hypothetical, but right now, we’re squandering the very basis of our power, and in ten years, it may be far too late to correct our course.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, has been making a resurgence in recent years as more parents decide not to vaccinate their children, says Jason Glanz, author of a study in today’s Pediatrics. In a study of 751 children enrolled in Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, one in 20 children who skipped the vaccine developed whooping cough, compared with one in 500 vaccinated children. In all, 11% to 12% of pertussis cases were in unvaccinated children.

Though more than 90% effective, the vaccine doesn’t protect everyone, says Sean O’Leary, an infectious-disease fellow at Children’s Hospital in Denver.

That’s why vaccinating all children is crucial to creating “herd immunity” for the entire community, including newborns who are too young to be immunized, O’Leary says.

A study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal in March found that 91 babies under age 1 died of whooping cough from 1999 to 2004. More than half were under 2 months old, the age at which infants get their first in a series of whooping cough shots.

Gateway Pundit: Hope, Change & Marxism: Did Obama Target GOP Donors In Chrysler Dealer Closings? (Video).

Doug Ross looked at the possibility that the Obama Administration may have targeted GOP donors in deciding which Chrysler dealerships would have to close their doors.
Doug noted that every single dealer he checked out except one were either GOP donors or donated to Obama’s rivals in the democratic primary.

Here is the list Doug put together:

• Vernon G. Buchanan: $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations
• Wallace D. Alley and Family: $4,500 to GOP.
• Robert Archer: $4,600 to GOP and conservative causes.
• Homer S. Higginbotham and Family: $2950 to GOP.
• James Auffenberg and Family: $28,000 to GOP; $6,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Michael Maroone and Family: $60,000 to GOP; $8,500 to two Democrat candidates.
• Jerome Fader: $6,500 to Democrats; $2,500 to Independent Joe Lieberman.
• Stephen Fay and Family: $13,500 to GOP.
• William Numrich: $20,000 to GOP.
• Robert Carver: $10,000 to Democrats including $1,950 to Hillary Clinton, nothing to Barack Obama.
• Robert and Linda Rohrman: $24,000 to GOP.
• Frank Boucher, Jr. and Family: $18,000 to GOP, $1,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Scott Bossier: $4,300 to GOP.
• Todd Reardon: $17,000 to GOP; $2,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Russ Darrow and Family: $78,000 to GOP.
• Bradford Deery and Family: $24,700 to GOP.
• Charles Gabus and Family: $30,000 to GOP.
• Brian Smith: $15,500 to GOP.
• Michael Schlossman: $14,000 to GOP; $14,000 to three Democrats ($12,500 to Sen. Russ Feingold).
• Don Hill: $11,000 to GOP; $12,800 to conservative incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler.
• Don Miller: $2,000 to GOP; $1,000 to Feingold.
• Eddie Cordes: $2,150 to GOP.
• Robert Edwards: $1,100 to GOP.
• James Crowley: $19,100 to GOP.
• Stanley Graff: $2,200 to John Edwards (2008 Presidential Run); $500 to GOP.
• John Stewart: $10,500 to GOP.
• John Fitzgerald and Family: $4,600 to John McCain (2008); $2,000 to Hillary Clinton (2008); nothing to Barack Obama.
• William Churchill and Family: $3,500 to GOP.
• Thomas Ganley: $9.450 to GOP.
• Gary Miller: $20,000 to GOP.
• Kevin and Gene Beltz: $18,500 to GOP.
• Arthur Grayson: $14,000 to GOP.
• Eric Grubbs and Family: $26,000 to GOP.
• Michael Leep and Family: $19,500 to GOP; $4,800 to three Democrats including Sen. Evan Bayh.
• Harry Green, Jr.: $10,000 to GOP.
• Ronald Hoover: $5,250 to GOP.
• Ray Huffines and Family: $18,500 to GOP.
• John O. Stevenson: $1,500 to GOP.• James Marsh: $8,200 to GOP.
• Max Pearson and Family: $112,000 to GOP.

Read it all here.

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” said Judge Sotomayor, who is now considered to be near the top of President Obama’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees.

Four hours on the golf course, and less than 30 minutes speaking at Arlington, where he gave a Memorial Day speech. During the speech, which he gave just before playing his round of golf, he made this request:

So on this day of silent remembrance and solemn prayer I ask all Americans, wherever you are, whoever you’re with, whatever you’re doing, to pause in national unity at 3 o’clock this afternoon. I ask you to ring a bell, or offer a prayer, say a silent “thank you.”

The White House assured reporters that Obama complied with his own request by observing a moment of silence on — I kid you not — the golf course:

For President Obama that moment came in the middle of a round of golf at Ft. Belvoir in Virginia. … White House aides told reporters that the president paused at 3 p.m. to observe a moment of silent prayer.

Um, yeah. Or he may have observed a moment of silent contemplation of a ten-foot putt, too. Was it really too much to ask to have the President at work in the White House on a day when Kim Jong-Il tested a nuclear weapon, or at least to spend as much time honoring veterans as he did honing his short game?

GEITHNER:  We face again this deep recession, damaged financial system.  And our immediate imperative still is to get growth back on track.  That requires us to do things that are expensive, that cost money, in the short term will raise deficits.  At the same time we do that, we have to commit to Americans, to investors around the world that we’re going to be able to get back to living within our own means when the crisis passed and when the recovery is established, we’re going to have to get back to living within our means.  And that’s going to require demonstrating to people we’re willing to stop doing things they’ve been doing, give up things that we don’t want to give up, and that will be a challenge.

RUSH:  Whoa wait a second, who’s he talking about here?  Because I know damn well he’s not talking about the government giving up things.  He’s talking about you and me and apparently his own kids.  So it’s our fault.  All of this is our fault.  The reason we’re in a recession is our fault and the government, to save us, has to spend all this debt, all this money.  And once this crisis is over, we’re going to have to get back to living within our means and that’s going to require demonstrating to people willing to stop doing things we’ve been doing, give up things that we don’t want to give up, and that will be a challenge.  What’s going to be the challenge?  They’re going to make us.  They’re going to make us give up these things.  So there’s your future, from the Treasury secretary of the Obama administration.  You caused this, you gave us this recession, your irresponsibility, your desire, you wanted too much.  You haven’t given enough back.  Now, when we get out of this recession you’re going to have to give up a lot of things.  We’re going to have to return to a more austere lifestyle.

The Final Push: What a father does in the delivery room.