Preserve the Balance
Team Supreme Blog
Dreaming of a right-wing Christmas
Because her greeting cards to the President constituted the bulk of Harriet Miers' official record, I think a card to her at this point is appropriate.
Harriet, we barely knew ye. No hearings, no documents, just a few conference calls with James Dobson and a dizzying fracas of right wing outrage will be your legacy. We know that you were credited with vetting judicial nominees–do not despair that the process did not work for you.
Love, everybody but the Extreme Right
Miers dropped out, and she did so by employing a pre-determined script. A week before her withdrawal, conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer came up with a graceful exit strategy: blame the nomination’s failure on the White House's inability to release Miers' documents without compromising executive privilege. Wow, I bet that’s something the White House never even thought of before choosing Miers! Remarkably enough. Miers and the White House followed the script to the letter.
Scarcely three days after Miers made her graceful exit, the President announced that Samuel Alito would be his next pick. Since Miers was originally in charge of vetting nominees, one has to wonder who vetted him.
By all accounts, it was the right wing–the same anti-gay groups pushing the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment and fighting basic protections for GLBT people.
A very small segment of our electorate feels that they were promised the ultimate gift from this President: a justice who would vote with Scalia and Thomas to roll back reproductive rights and stop GLBT rights in their tracks. This same group was displeased with Miers, and clearly felt entitled to control the nominations process. As of today, they seem to think that they’ve pulled it off.
Third Circuit Judge Samuel Alito, whom the President nominated today, was at the top of their wish lists. It’s not a coincidence, then, that he got the nod.
In fact, they’ve already taken credit! Matt Lewis, of the Leadership Institute and GOPAC, wrote on his Human Events blog that "[Alito’s] very nomination proves that when conservatives become active, you and I can make a difference. Blogs, letters to the editor, and calls to yourCongressman . . . can change history. Conservatives have arrived at a point where we can flex our muscles – not just in campaigns – but also during public policy fights. It’s been a long time coming. Now, let’s fight."
The American Center for Law and Justice—the legal arm of Pat Robertson’s anti-gay empire, called Alito’s nomination the fulfillment of a promise: "President Bush promised that he would nominate Justices in the mold of Justices Scalia and Thomas. In choosing Judge Alito for the high court, President Bush has done just that."
And of course the Concerned Women for America—who opposed Miers nomination—announced that Alito had been one of their top choices right from the beginning.
The Family Research Council proclaimed that Alito is "a promise kept."
So, with research occupying the next few weeks, and hearings sure to stretch into the holidays, these anti-gay groups seem to be looking forward to a Right-Wing Christmas.
What are you wishing for in a Supreme Court justice? Let your senators know.
Harriet, we barely knew ye. No hearings, no documents, just a few conference calls with James Dobson and a dizzying fracas of right wing outrage will be your legacy. We know that you were credited with vetting judicial nominees–do not despair that the process did not work for you.
Love, everybody but the Extreme Right
Miers dropped out, and she did so by employing a pre-determined script. A week before her withdrawal, conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer came up with a graceful exit strategy: blame the nomination’s failure on the White House's inability to release Miers' documents without compromising executive privilege. Wow, I bet that’s something the White House never even thought of before choosing Miers! Remarkably enough. Miers and the White House followed the script to the letter.
Scarcely three days after Miers made her graceful exit, the President announced that Samuel Alito would be his next pick. Since Miers was originally in charge of vetting nominees, one has to wonder who vetted him.
By all accounts, it was the right wing–the same anti-gay groups pushing the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment and fighting basic protections for GLBT people.
A very small segment of our electorate feels that they were promised the ultimate gift from this President: a justice who would vote with Scalia and Thomas to roll back reproductive rights and stop GLBT rights in their tracks. This same group was displeased with Miers, and clearly felt entitled to control the nominations process. As of today, they seem to think that they’ve pulled it off.
Third Circuit Judge Samuel Alito, whom the President nominated today, was at the top of their wish lists. It’s not a coincidence, then, that he got the nod.
In fact, they’ve already taken credit! Matt Lewis, of the Leadership Institute and GOPAC, wrote on his Human Events blog that "[Alito’s] very nomination proves that when conservatives become active, you and I can make a difference. Blogs, letters to the editor, and calls to yourCongressman . . . can change history. Conservatives have arrived at a point where we can flex our muscles – not just in campaigns – but also during public policy fights. It’s been a long time coming. Now, let’s fight."
The American Center for Law and Justice—the legal arm of Pat Robertson’s anti-gay empire, called Alito’s nomination the fulfillment of a promise: "President Bush promised that he would nominate Justices in the mold of Justices Scalia and Thomas. In choosing Judge Alito for the high court, President Bush has done just that."
And of course the Concerned Women for America—who opposed Miers nomination—announced that Alito had been one of their top choices right from the beginning.
The Family Research Council proclaimed that Alito is "a promise kept."
So, with research occupying the next few weeks, and hearings sure to stretch into the holidays, these anti-gay groups seem to be looking forward to a Right-Wing Christmas.
What are you wishing for in a Supreme Court justice? Let your senators know.
Comments
Yes indeed, this one is a crucial fight, and the good news: as of today the Senate is awakening to it, emboldened. So we the people should let them know how we feel, about perserving privacy, and gaining equality. Maybe Christmas will come early.
I have visions of a coalition forming, including those moderate Republicans tired of the charade, so that Alito fails on the up or down vote... before Christmas.
I have visions of a coalition forming, including those moderate Republicans tired of the charade, so that Alito fails on the up or down vote... before Christmas.
posted by | 11/01/2005 7:35 PM | Permalink
If the Democrats don't filibuster Alito, then there's no point in having the filibuster. Clearly, the extreme right wing is in charge of the White House, and we must say "Enough!"
posted by Anonymous | 11/01/2005 8:09 PM | Permalink
All you have to do to figure out how extremely conservative Alito will be as a justice is to observe how the far-right groups' paeans of joy have not ended yet. They are thrilled, and anyone who cares about civil liberties, abortion rights, privacy of any sort -- should be AFRAID. It's not just the GLBT community whose rights are in jeopardy.
Sadly, I think it's a mistake to filibuster the nomination. I would love to rant and rave and demand a pound of political flesh from the senators we have been supporting lo these many years, but it will just make them all less electable for higher office, and will be used to tar Democrats and moderate Republicans with the brush of 'obstructionism'. But we are completely within our rights to demand that anyone who wants to see another penny from us must vote against him, and make clear the source of their disapproval.
Bush won the election, and now America is soaking in his bad decisions, crooked policies, and ineptly managed insanely expensive war. We have to focus on the future, which means building political organizations that can win elections from dogcatcher on up, every year. And filibustering will cost our friends political capital that they need for the future. A filibuster won't keep Alito out of the SC. We were screwed as soon as Bush won his second term.
Sadly, I think it's a mistake to filibuster the nomination. I would love to rant and rave and demand a pound of political flesh from the senators we have been supporting lo these many years, but it will just make them all less electable for higher office, and will be used to tar Democrats and moderate Republicans with the brush of 'obstructionism'. But we are completely within our rights to demand that anyone who wants to see another penny from us must vote against him, and make clear the source of their disapproval.
Bush won the election, and now America is soaking in his bad decisions, crooked policies, and ineptly managed insanely expensive war. We have to focus on the future, which means building political organizations that can win elections from dogcatcher on up, every year. And filibustering will cost our friends political capital that they need for the future. A filibuster won't keep Alito out of the SC. We were screwed as soon as Bush won his second term.
posted by Anonymous | 11/02/2005 3:31 PM | Permalink
I think we can be heartened by the 1971 report, and the hope that maybe these conservative justices, if they do not have a political agenda as they state, can separate the privacy protections offered gay relations in Lawrence from the privacy protections offered in Roe v. Wade, and thus, if they seek to overturn Roe, we don't lose Lawrence with it. But I do agree that we shouldn't filibuster and fight this battle, but focus on the longer term and getting these guys out of DC for good...
Hmmm...how can we not use every tool in the toolbox to fight this nomination, including filibuster?
This appointment won't end with W's exit from office. We (and GLBT equality) will be screwed for decades to come -- as cases work their way to the court -- cases like DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- and hopefully later some kind of ENDA bill and hate crimes legislation that protects our community.
The Supreme Court is our last line of defense. I am hoping and praying we (Democrats, fair-minded Republicans -- anyone who supports equality) get some ammunition and guts over the next nine weeks -- so we can come out fighting.
This appointment won't end with W's exit from office. We (and GLBT equality) will be screwed for decades to come -- as cases work their way to the court -- cases like DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- and hopefully later some kind of ENDA bill and hate crimes legislation that protects our community.
The Supreme Court is our last line of defense. I am hoping and praying we (Democrats, fair-minded Republicans -- anyone who supports equality) get some ammunition and guts over the next nine weeks -- so we can come out fighting.
posted by Anonymous | 11/07/2005 5:29 PM | Permalink
I am incredulous when I watch the national news and do not hear of any women's groups demanding that Bush withdraw the Alito nomination and nominate another woman judge to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.
If American women's groups won't rise up and state firmly and unequivocally that it is not acceptable to replace a female judge with a male judge, then what influence can a LGBT group have?
When are women going to demand five or four women judges on the Supreme Court in the name of gender parity?
Why aren't large numbers of women outraged?
Why are they complicit in their oppression?
Where are the major protests, sick outs, strikes at work?
If American women's groups won't rise up and state firmly and unequivocally that it is not acceptable to replace a female judge with a male judge, then what influence can a LGBT group have?
When are women going to demand five or four women judges on the Supreme Court in the name of gender parity?
Why aren't large numbers of women outraged?
Why are they complicit in their oppression?
Where are the major protests, sick outs, strikes at work?
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