Attorney
Intellectual Property attorney in private practice in Los Angeles; author of many books; his latest is The Grand Inquisitor’s Manual: A History of Terror in the Name of God. Book Editor for the Los Angeles-based Jewish Journal.
PROFILE
Jonathan Kirsh
Guest
FROM Jonathan Kirsh
To the Point
Does Elena Kagan’s Nomination Mean The End Of Wasp Power? For the first time in history: a US Supreme Court without a white, anglo-saxon protestant member. That’s what Elena Kagan’s confirmation would mean. Today: does religion matter? Is the court’s new makeup a political accident—or a historic moment? Article VI of the Constitution says, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust.” But for 100 years, only white anglo-saxon males were chosen for the US Supreme Court. As the country became more diverse, there was a “Catholic seat,” then a “Jewish seat.” Now, if Elena Kagan is confirmed it’ll be all Jews and Catholics - no WASPs at all. Dr. Diana Butler Bass’s most recent book is, “A People’s History of Religion.” She recently wrote, “Elena Kagan and a Lament for American Protestantism” on Beliefnet.com
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Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.