Hannah

While most Americans tend to think of the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of what the law is, in fact, under our constitutional system of separation of powers and checks and balances, there are circumstances in which Congress and the President can act to overturn a Supreme Court ruling.

Last week marked an important milestone in one of the nation’s longest-running and highest-profile legal disputes. The LA Times reported this weekend that the victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill have begun receiving the first payments of punitive damages – nearly two decades after the infamous accident destroyed their livelihoods.

Matt Drudge apparently failed to listen to the 2001 Obama “redistribution” interview that he misquoted on the “Report.” He also, apparently, hasn’t read the U.S. Constitution.

Apparently ignorant of, you know, the Constitution, Sarah Palin assures Pennsylvanians that a vote for Obama will give him “ultimate” power over abortion rights.

Apparently bored at work, Chief Justice Roberts raised eyebrows this week by writing a dissent in the style of a noir detective novel. Only problem is, the “noir” doesn’t hide the fact he’s still trying to limit Constitutional rights.

President Bush criticizes activist judges, failing to note that his own appointees have made activist rulings.

Though the candidates were spared any questions concerning judicial nominations in last night’s debate, the topic of the Supreme Court and defending the Constitution is likely to come up in the last days of the election.

The Supreme Court begins its 2008 Term today. In response, the Constitutional Accountability Center offers this review of the upcoming cases progressives should keep their eye on.