Midweek of the Last Week of January 2010

But there was no mistaking [Justice John Paul Stevens’] basic message.  “The rule announced today — that Congress must treat corporations exactly like human speakers in the political realm — represents a radical change in the law,” he said from the bench.  “The court’s decision is at war with the views of generations of… Americans.” – Adam Liptak.

Fascinating article by Liptak (link above) about J. Stevens, in light of the recent Citizens Union case (I’m not necessarily going to read the 100+ pps. decision anytime soon, but the CLE that I attended at the New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting covered it in a pretty serious way – the impact of the decision will have on campaign financing reform remains to be seen).  (plus, this year, the Annual Meeting is at the Hilton, not the Marriot Marquis; less Times Square, more Avenue of the Americas).

Fascinatingly cool item: Slate Poetry Editor/former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky with a poem by Michelangelo about how hard it was to paint the Sistine Chapel.

Is it Friday yet?  Seriously, this week is already feeling too long.