Reason Morning Links: Sotomayor Questioning Begins, Federal Deficit Hits $1 Trillion, New Surgeon General

Radley Balko | July 14, 2009

• Senators take Sotomayor hearings as opportunity to talk about themselves; Sotomayor gives first of presumably many non-answers, says her judicial philosophy is "fidelity to the law."

• After four months, America may soon finally have a new surgeon general. Unclear how we've avoided mass plagues, epidemics, and inadvertently killing ourselves this long without one.

• Federal budget deficit tops $1 trillion for the first time.

• Obama's "car czar" quits after six months on the job.

• Obama pushing Senate to rush health care bill before August recess.