The glacial pace of social change hit a tipping point this week when the Supreme Court ruled that married same-sex couples are entitled to federal benefits and allowed same-sex marriages in California. The victory produced a passionate dissent from Justice Scalia. A victory for sanity? A step in a continuing process? A lost opportunity to declare a human right? Perhaps just what marriage needed to appear cool again. The court also struck down of a part of the Voting Rights Act, setting up contradictory standards for federal versus state rights. The Senate passed a bill that would produce a sweeping immigration overhaul, but House Republicans have declared the bill dead on arrival. Can President Obama fix climate change all alone? He produced a series of executive measures this week that could put climate change at the center of his presidential priorities. Then, an example of two politicians who stand for something -- Wendy Davis and Nelson Mandela.
Joining us today are Byron York (Washington Examiner) with the conservative view, and Chrystia Freeland (Thomson Reuters Digital), rounding out the center.
Banner image: Scenes from a rally in front of the Supreme Court where justices were hearing cases on the Voting Rights Act, February 27, 2013. Photo: David Sachs/SEIU