Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Me on Reid on Thomas
A couple of posts ago, I got a comment asking for me to make some comments. This is the first time a reader has made a request of me, and I'm happy to respond.
Troy writes:
Well, it seems to me that, at least in this article, Reid didn't say much about Thomas except that he doesn't like him. It's funny that he criticizes Thomas for not making very persuasive arguments, yet he makes a very unpersuasive one himself about Thomas. I thought his distinction between Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia was interesting--they vote together most of the time, but Reid says he likes Scalia better because his arguments are better. Quite often, I think the opposite. Scalia is better at getting his dander up and writing really vitriolic dissents with lots of quotable soundbites, but I think Thomas often comes up with a more reasoned approach, even if it's a little softer. His opinions in 2003's affirmative action cases were particularly good, I thought, partially because of what he was saying about himself as the only black Supreme Court justice, who was perhaps chosen because of some type of affirmative action sentiment.
Justice Thomas is my favorite justice. I find myself agreeing with him more often than anyone else, and once I took an online test to see which justice I am most like, and I am most like Justice Thomas. So I guess my bottom line response to Sen. Reid's comments is: I disagree.
(See the comments section on my "Email Me!" post below for more commentary about Sen. Reid.)
Troy writes:
"Matt, please comment on Harry Reid's statements
regarding Clarence Thomas."
Well, it seems to me that, at least in this article, Reid didn't say much about Thomas except that he doesn't like him. It's funny that he criticizes Thomas for not making very persuasive arguments, yet he makes a very unpersuasive one himself about Thomas. I thought his distinction between Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia was interesting--they vote together most of the time, but Reid says he likes Scalia better because his arguments are better. Quite often, I think the opposite. Scalia is better at getting his dander up and writing really vitriolic dissents with lots of quotable soundbites, but I think Thomas often comes up with a more reasoned approach, even if it's a little softer. His opinions in 2003's affirmative action cases were particularly good, I thought, partially because of what he was saying about himself as the only black Supreme Court justice, who was perhaps chosen because of some type of affirmative action sentiment.
Justice Thomas is my favorite justice. I find myself agreeing with him more often than anyone else, and once I took an online test to see which justice I am most like, and I am most like Justice Thomas. So I guess my bottom line response to Sen. Reid's comments is: I disagree.
(See the comments section on my "Email Me!" post below for more commentary about Sen. Reid.)
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