Prof. Bainbridge has a post here about Judge Alito and “the little guy”. I saw the opening of the hearings last night on C-Span and was moved and impressed by the SCOTUS nominee’s brief overview of how he came from humble beginnings. He described how a friend lending his father $50 for “tuition and a used suit” made the difference between his father, an Italian immigrant, working in a factory after high school and going to college. Still, due to discrimination against Italian-Americans, it was hard for his dad to find work after college. Nonetheless, the nominee said that he learned by example from his parents, the virtues of hard work, perseverence, fairness and responsible behavior. His mother was there at the hearings, and she had every right to be proud.