Civil rights

As the Supreme Court looks ready to restrict or eliminate race-based affirmative action in its 2012-13 session, supporters of such preferences have a tool not yet deployed: race-based affirmative action as a means to compensate for the disproportionately negative impact of current-day "legacy admissions" policies on minority applicants.

Brazen resistance to a historic 2009 federal court order is so far met by a yawn - or worse.

It's been clear that civil rights progress would become harder in the new Congress, but most civil rights advocacy groups haven't prepared to fight on the state and local level.