I recently subscribed to receiving information from directly from President Barack Obama via email. I received the following email this morning, July 14, 2009 7:16 AM: (excerpts)

From: THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington

"Good Morning,

Yesterday, Judge Sonia Sotomayor made her opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee and moved another step closer to taking a seat on the United States Supreme Court.

As President, there are few responsibilities more serious or consequential than the naming of a Supreme Court Justice, so I want to take this opportunity to tell you about the qualifications and character that informed my decision to nominate Judge Sotomayor....

Judge Sotomayor's brilliant legal mind is complemented by the practical lessons that can only be learned by applying the law to real world situations....

In Judge Sotomayor, our nation will have a Justice who will never forget her humble beginnings, will always apply the rule of law, and will be a protector of the Constitution that made her American dream and the dreams of millions of others possible. As she said so clearly yesterday, Judge Sotomayor's decisions on the bench "have been made not to serve the interests of any one litigant, but always to serve the larger interest of impartial justice."

In anticipation of today's first round of questioning, I hope you'll share this email widely, because Judge Sotomayor's confirmation is something that affects every American. It's important for these hearings to be about Judge Sotomayor's own record and her capacity for the job - not any political back and forth that some in Washington may use to distract you. What members of the Judiciary Committee, and the American people, will see today is a sharp and fearless jurist who does not let powerful interests bully her into breaking from the rule of law.

Thank you,
Barack Obama"

The president of pre-emptive moves strikes again.... However, I am concerned with the language, "In anticipation of today's first round of questioning, I hope you'll share this email widely, because Judge Sotomayor's confirmation is something that AFFECTS every American."

The definition of AFFECT is, (1.) "to have an influence on, bring about change, ( 2.) to touch or move emotions of, (3.) to attack or infect, as a disease, (a.) a feeling or emotion as distinguished from cognition thought or action, (b.) a strong feeling having active consequences, disposition, feeling or tendency."

President Obama is obviously wishing that Judge Sotomayor will use empathy and what's in her heart when deciding cases on the Supreme Court. He is a constitutional lawyer who would certainly do just that if it were him. However, Supreme Court justices serve a life tenure. Many have strayed from strict constitutional principles and simply do what they want when they are given omnipotent power. The American people have benefited, but have more often suffered from AFFECTS of such power, contrary to constitutional limitations and judicial restraint.

Judge Sotomayor has answered all of her confirmation hearing critics on the Senate Judiciary Committee by denying any judicial or personal impropriety. But anyone seeking such a powerful position would say anything to fulfill that ambition. Nevertheless, the Democrat Senate house of lords will confirm her in furtherance of their ideological ambitions, and those of their monarchial president.