Alito Confirmed

I saw Teddy Kennedy pounding his fist and screaming yesterday. Just think, if he had that kind of passion for secretaries, and he pounded on the windhield half as hard, and screamed for help half as loud, maybe I'd have some respect for him. As it is, I like watching his tantrum. Reminds me of when my kid was three.

 

BroTom,

Assuming your screens look like mine:

--Click to copy the URL you want to paste
--click Post Reply at the top of the BB screen.
--On the next screen, click URL beneath the message window.
--In the little box that will appear, click to paste the URL you copied.
--In the next little box, click how you want it to appear, such as HERE, THIS LINK, or whatever.
--Then click OK.

I hope this helps. If you've already tried the above and it's not working I don't know what to tell you.

And thanks for the good news!

 

He seems like he will be a fine justice, time will tell. I am most grateful that he received an up or down vote. Someone with his fine record of public service deserved at the very least an up or down vote, even he had not been confirmed.

 

G2C,

First of all, I apologize for the pre-judgement. I had not imagined you would have wished him well but figured you would have favored filibustering him. Again, my sincere apologies; I was obviously wrong.

 

If I am not mistaken, Justice Stephens, one of the most liberal ever, is 86. If he were to die or become incapacitated (very little chance he would voluntarily give Bush the opportunity to replace him), what do you think that war would look like?

For instance, let's assume that the Dems pick up a few seats but not a majority. Do you think the GOP will really invoke the "nuclear option"?

If they do, I foresee the next Democratically controlled House and Senate combination bring impeachment charges against conservatives on the court.

 

That means republicans have appointed 8 out of 9 justices. Abortion will stop for sure now. The ten commandments will go up in every school.
Sorry for the sarchasm folks. I just don't feel like anything is going to change. Vain is the help of man.

 

Bro. James,

FWIW, take some comfort in the fact that at least two of those Republicans have been ruling for your side on these issues, Souter and Kennedy.

 

I would hope you wouldn't need a recent history lesson but...

The 1970's left conservatives without a home in the Democratic party. The GOP had a conservative minority that crystallized with Goldwater... and then Reagan. Stephens was appointed by the country club Republican Ford. Souter was the pick of another, Bush Sr.

Reagan and now Bush 2 have been consistent with the conservatism that gained influence in the GOP.

Two things must happen for legal, unrestricted abortion to end in the US and both of them have happened since Christians began to gain influence with the GOP. First, the judiciary must change so that it respects the Constitution and its own constitutional boundaries again. Second, the will of the people must change on the matter. A plurality of Americans now oppose abortion either with no exceptions or very restricted exceptions. A majority believe that abortion should be more restricted than it is now.

If I remember correctly, the pro-life movement has shifted the distribution of opinion by about 7 or 8 points in the last 10 to 20 years.

The thing that is left to do IMO is to finally be graphically honest about what abortion does and about the personhood of the child. It is OK to blow people up on tv and show body parts flying... why would it not be OK to run a simple TV spot where a doctor described what happens to a child in an abortion? Isn't that free speech?

I shudder to think that a strong majority of Americans wouldn't end up pro-life if they knew the specifics and the implications.

 

Scott J,

I wish no ill health on Justice Stevens but I hope that President Bush does get the opportunity to pick his replacement and that he doesn't try to give us another Miers (and I'm still far from certain about Roberts). As before, McConnell is my pick.

As to going nuke, while I certainly hope the GOP is not afraid to do so, they are proven timid souls so I wouldn't hazard a guess, at least not an optimistic one.

I don't think even that bunch of Dems will go for impeachment. As screwy as the results are with judicial review, they know that to do so would tamper far too much with it. I believe it would, and that they know it, cause far too much outrage among the public. The GOP risked much in going after President Clinton so I don't see the Democrats trying it with far much less support. I'm not even sure their base would support them. Plus it would only fuel the fire of some on the Right who have been itching to impeach Justices over Roe and other decisions.


BT,

Thanks for the info re cloture, too. I am a little surprised, except that I hope that means the Dems were seriously fearful of the nuclear option.

 

Scott,

Why would it not be OK to run a simple TV spot where a doctor described what happens to a child in an abortion? Isn't that free speech?

They can't do that now?

 

Didn't you mean Souter and Stevens?

I believe Kennedy is fairly conservative.

BTW, according to this site, the GOP named 7 not 8. http://www.cnsnews.com/Facts/factorama.asp

Five of those are now relatively conservative.


The very liberal and activist Ginsberg and Breyer were appointed by Clinton... of course it could have been worse with Lani Guinerre.

 

I honestly don't know.

But judging from the fact that we haven't seen it... I suspect there is some reason.

Maybe they are afraid we really are that calloused as a people.

 

Scott,

Thanks, I didn't realize Stevens was a Republican appointee. His pedigree as a Ford appointment stands out.

On the three issues I watch the closest (abortion, Establishment Clause, and homosexual agenda) Kennedy seems rather liberal. Remember, he did write the decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, didn't he (yeah, I should probably go look it up, I'm not sure)? I think he also wrote the decision in Romer v. Evans, too, if I'm not further mistaken. As to EC issues, I think he is the one who came up with the "coercion" test, but he has been rather liberal in letting in "psychological coercion" under that label, as with Lee v. Weisman, which struck down a rabbi's graduation prayer.

 

A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA!!!

 

You were correct about Kennedy. He is more of a mixed bag and certainly not the strict constructionist type we need.

I didn't find anything on abortion but he has cited international precedence, ruled against state sodomy laws, ruled against property rights, etc.

 

I guess we are still left with a court that is one short. Breyer, Ginsberg, Souter, Stephens, and Kennedy will preserve the leftist tilt on the court unless one of them goes out in the next year. The Dems will stall for the presidential election if a vacancy occurs in late 2007 or 2008.

I think McCain will be the next POTUS and he is anything BUT reliably conservative.