Recently, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was nominated to become the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. As a result, the candidate has had to appear for several rounds of questioning by the Senate--one half of the two bodies that make up the legislative branch of government. To be appointed a Supreme Court justice, one must first be nominated by the President and then be confirmed with the the "advice and consent," or majority vote, of the Senate. However, there is some question as to whether or not Sotomayor will gain the "consent" of some Republican senators. According the article, while several senators have indicated that "her confirmation seem[s] likely," there have also been a few concerns regarding Sotomayor's political feelings about race and gender--implying that the judge may be biased.
This article is particularly interesting because it is a contemporary display of how part of our government works--specifically, how the judicial, legislative, and executive branches exercise checks and balances on each other. In the case of Judge Sotomayor, she was nominated by the president. However, the Senate has the opportunity to check this power by voting against her. Likewise, Sotomayor has the chance to explain, defend, and speak for herself to the Senate.
Article found on NPR.org
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