Blogging hiatus

We're going to be visiting family the next few days, so it's unlikely I'll be doing much posting before, say, Tuesday. Some final thoughts to take me out, most of them related to Supreme Court decisions.

* I thought the Supreme Court was correct to rule that the death penalty is a disproportionate -- read: "cruel and unusual" -- penalty for child rape. But I can understand how people might disagree. And even I have some problems with Justice Kennedy's reasoning that if the penalty were proportionate, there'd be more states that allowed it. It seems to me that idea strikes against the heart of federalism.

* I also thought the Supreme Court was correct to rule that there is an individual right to bear arms.

* But I've got to say: I don't really believe my conservative friends when they beat their chests over "judicial tyranny" and cases (like the death penalty ruling) where the court overturns the judgement of the elected branches ... because their love of judicial deference ends when it comes to the gun case (which overturned a D.C. law) or the court's ruling yesterday striking down part of McCain-Feingold.

Apparently, such deference is owed only when the conservative ox is being gored.

I could post links to all this stuff. But you know where to find it. And I've got to get ready for a trip.

Peace out, homies.