Justice Kagan

So it's official: Having been confirmed by the Senate, Elena Kagan now becomes the newest Supreme Court, replacing 35-year veteran John Paul Stevens.

Some people have made a big deal about how there are now six Catholics and three Jews on the Supreme Court, without a single Protestant. Religious affiliation shouldn't matter, but it does; it's only a matter of time before there's another abortion case, and that gay marriage ruling in California is coming right at the Court, possibly at the end of the coming term.

In any case, Justice Kagan should help to move the Court to the center. Some say she'll move it in a liberal, progressive direction that " the American people" (i.e., Republicans) don't want, but that's only because the conservative majority has pushed it so far to the right that any move away from reactionarism will seem "liberal."

And now that there are three women on the Court, maybe it would be a good time to stop referring to the justices as "the Supremes." It's a stupid thing to do at any rate.