Octokun

I just heard about this from my local news just now. Based on the people they've interviewed on the streets so far, it seems that the cowboys down here are rather upset.
I also can't help but notice the tone of voice the anchors use when announcing this--its as if its the end of the world or something.







( :devil3: )

PopeInTheWoods

I just saw the ABC Evening News coverage, of course they made no mention of the phrase "under God" being added in the 1950's.

Andy

ananias@mac.com

It really should be "under credit rating." That has a hell of a lot more influence over your life than God ever will.

Spenser

This is just replaying what happened before. It will make it to the Court of Appeals then probably back to the Supreme Court.

mga

...it's about time.

Rusting Car Bumper

Here we go again. Here comes Pope Newdow giving us another unwinnable case and screwing everything up for decades to come...

DC

Clutch

Lou Dobbs' web poll is running 50-50 right now.

anevilpetingzoo

I personally would not have a problem with the pledge, if it had been "under God" since inception... For example, I don’t think that we should remove references to god or creator in the Declaration of Independence because they were written as such, and an argument can be made for tradition... But additions in the 50's are fair game.

StrictSeparationist

But of course the DoI is a mere historical document. It does not carry the imprimatur of any government that exists today. And it's not recited in schools across America each morning. My problems with the words "under God" in the Pledge are definitely more substantive than the fact that it's a johnny-come-lately clause.

Anyway, we knew this would happen sooner or later. Now it has happened, and it will go up to the Ninth Circuit. It's not inconceivable that the court will come down the other way this time, as the Ninth Circuit is so large that it has en banc panels rather than having the full court sit on cases. I can't see this ever becoming an overall win for us, unless Kennedy is so incensed by the school context that he comes down on our side (which is fairly unlikely). Recent personnel changes have not affected Newdow's chances; O'Connor was against him. I may be remembering wrong, but I seem to recall that Kennedy came off as fairly skeptical during oral arguments, and even a couple of Justices in the "liberal" fold didn't sound too convinced. I think that if this case ends up in the Supreme Court (assuming the Ninth Circuit doesn't come down on the other side of the merits this time), it will only be bad for the separationist position overall.

sodium

I wish I could look forward to each day with that level of faith in humanity. Realistically, I don't think the votes are there. Remember how the court voted in Bush v. Gore. This is a Republican-majority court, and that's not going to change in the near future.