Althouse: "Mr. Sacks, a third-year law student at Georgetown, had set himself a goal, now shattered..."

March 2, 2010

"Mr. Sacks, a third-year law student at Georgetown, had set himself a goal, now shattered..."

"... he wanted to be the first person in line for every major argument this term. He brought three advantages to the task. He has no morning classes this semester, he lives pretty close to the court, and he has an unhealthy obsession with it. The name of his blog is a play on his habit of showing up early at the court’s street address."

The blog is First One @ One First, and the student, Mike Sacks, now has it linked in The New York Times. Congrats!

The big case today where he got beaten by "Robert Cumberland and Larken Euliss, two chemists from California," deals with whether the Second Amendment is applicable to the states via the 14th Amendment.

26 comments:

MadisonMan said...: Oh, beat by chemists, of all things.

The shame! The shame!; 3/2/10, 11:04 AM
Triangle Man said...: How stochastic!; 3/2/10, 11:08 AM
traditionalguy said...: Washington is a fun place. The Marine Corps Memorial is there to remind us what it still costs us to have our free life we enjoy.; 3/2/10, 11:23 AM
KCFleming said...: Walt kelly's Pogo had a character who always had to be first:
'First Frisby'.

He was some kind of insect, I recall.; 3/2/10, 11:24 AM
ricpic said...: Why is it always an "unhealthy" obsession? What gets understood or said or done worth a damn without an obsession behind it?; 3/2/10, 11:39 AM
Alex said...: ricpic - what was so important about what this guy was doing?; 3/2/10, 11:53 AM
ricpic said...: Alex, I make a point of commenting without reading the article. In other words my comments address the higher greater truths...ha ha ha.; 3/2/10, 11:55 AM
Alex said...: ah, higher truths indeed. So tell me sport, what are your obsessions about "important things" since you glorify that sentiment.; 3/2/10, 11:56 AM
Mrs. Henrietta Winklemeyer said...: Uh-oh.

The Professor doesn't know how to properly utilize commas. A lack of comma skill could lead to a potentially embarrassing situation. For example:

"Let's all eat Grandma!"

-vs-

"Let's all eat, Grandma!"

________________________________

Elderly Protective Services swoops down and prosecutes....and all because of an errant comma!; 3/2/10, 12:02 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: There was a Cato panel about this last night on CSPAN. (still available for streaming).

I tried following it as best I could; the speakers (for the most part) did very well avoiding some of the complicated technicalities.; 3/2/10, 12:12 PM
Scrutineer said...: "got beat"?; 3/2/10, 12:13 PM
ricpic said...: Hey, Lighten Up Alex

The higher truths just come to me, I'm truly blessed that way;
Some folks get mired in dull details, for me they're mere child's play.

;^); 3/2/10, 12:17 PM
Michael said...: I am thinking of this kid at the head of the line.

You will recall the character in Catch 22 whose fear of death was so profound that he stood in long lines to extend time? When he got to the front he simply went to the rear. He frequented the dentist, he relished any task that was excruciatingly dull. To slow time.; 3/2/10, 12:37 PM
noahp said...: BTW (OT) very early this AM on Coast to Coast (radio normally devoted to space aliens and such) there was an interview with John Lott wherein he discusses his interaction with then instuctor BO about the 2nd amendment. Lott said Obama said he didn't believe that the people have a right to own guns, was not collegial, and turned his back and strode away after abruptly stating his view.

Lott contrasted Obama with Cass Sunstein with whom he had cordially debated 2nd amendment issues on multiple occasions.

Lott also said that Obama was known as a left-wing ideologue, was regarded by the UC law faculty as a lightweight that was given an appointment only because it was understood that he was going into politics.; 3/2/10, 12:44 PM
Tibore said...: And I was embarrased that I stood in line for Star Wars for a few hours. Doing so for a SCOTUS - er, what'd it be called? An 'argument'? 'Trial'? 'Case'? - outgeeks me by at least a factor of 5. At least at Star Wars, I had popcorn and saw a movie.; 3/2/10, 1:04 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I agree that there is a missing comment.

This is a post written in the 5 minutes before the start of class.; 3/2/10, 1:15 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "got beat" is bad too.

Now, I'm going to edit.; 3/2/10, 1:18 PM
David said...: This guy reminds me of the Dragnet theme song.

Dumb de dumbdumb.
Dumb de dumbdumb.
Dumb de dumbdumb.
Dumb!; 3/2/10, 1:37 PM
David said...: comment, comma they,re all The Same.; 3/2/10, 1:39 PM
traditionalguy said...: Oh my god, another young Person's dream shattered. But it was a nice thought: getting to watch all the arguments in person, and later hear the decisions. That activity is what stare decisis from prior decided cases evolved from in olde England.; 3/2/10, 1:54 PM
jayne_cobb said...: This is the law school equivalent of the person typing first at the start of all comment sections.; 3/2/10, 2:05 PM
Wince said...: ...deals with whether the Second Amendment is applicable to the states via the 14th Amendment.

Althouse the polite constitutional scholar is being considerate to avoid using the confusing term "incorporation doctrine."

But it should be noted that it's a well established doctrine used by the courts to apply the US Bill of Rights to the states, not a mere Will-o'-the-wisp.; 3/2/10, 2:50 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This is the law school equivalent of the person typing first at the start of all comment sections.

Only, its easier to be first for the Supremes.; 3/2/10, 3:16 PM
traditionalguy said...: Due Process is long overdue to the citizens deprived by states and cities of lawful self defense by liscensed carry of firearms on their persons. We are not European serfs yet.; 3/2/10, 3:19 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: It seems that maybe a place in line is the most sacrosanct, civil accord standing.

The last time I was last in line at the Motor Vehicles an elderly man came in a taxi cab and asked the cab to wait.. the line was moving but not as fast as a meter running I thought. After chatting up the guy I told him to go ahead of me for whatever it was worth. (the old fellow didnt have a cell phone and there are no public phones around)

The people ahead in line saw and heard the same but no one else gave up their spot.

Upon learning of the young man's quest (they had a lot of time together to find out) couldn't the couple have ceded their spot?

It seems that NO, never, not in a million years was their answer.; 3/2/10, 3:31 PM
Will said...: Upon learning of the young man's quest (they had a lot of time together to find out) couldn't the couple have ceded their spot?

I don't blame them. They only flew all the way across the country to see arguments in a case which was important to them. He came from across town for a blog gimmick. If his quest was really that important, he should have been a bit earlier.

This line bothered me: “I just think it’s neat that citizens can sit here and see law being made,” she said.
That's the problem with the Court, and especially since Roe V. Wade, they're not meant to be making law there. That's supposed to happen across the street in the Capitol Building.; 3/2/10, 3:48 PM