The big news at SCOTUS today is, of course, the health care arguments. These cases are off-topic for the blog, so we haven't mentioned them here, but I was amused by this story in the NYT by Michael Shear, who obviously does not usually cover Supreme Court arguments.
As all SCOTUS-watchers know, this is standard procedure. Personally, I find it rather refreshing that there remains at least one Twitter-free zone. Sometimes immediacy matters (e.g., when you are having a heart attack), and sometimes it doesn't. Does it matter if you learn about the oral argument an hour after it concludes rather than as it is going on? Not in the least.
No Twitter messages will be allowed. No one in the room will be permitted to make a telephone call. There will be no BlackBerrys or laptops or iPads to blog with.* * *Rarely has so much in-the-moment attention been focused on arguments before the Supreme Court, which stubbornly sticks to traditions that predate the communications revolution. "NO electronics devices," a court memorandum says. "Note taking only material is allowed in the Courtroom (i.e., pen & pad)."
As all SCOTUS-watchers know, this is standard procedure. Personally, I find it rather refreshing that there remains at least one Twitter-free zone. Sometimes immediacy matters (e.g., when you are having a heart attack), and sometimes it doesn't. Does it matter if you learn about the oral argument an hour after it concludes rather than as it is going on? Not in the least.
Now shouldn't the title of the blog post be: "Kickin' It Old-School"?
Probably should have been "Pre-Digital Ink-Stained Wretches."
At least the court lets them use ballpoints and not the quill pens they hand out to the lawyers as souvenirs.