home

A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito

By Jeralyn, Section Sam Alito
Posted on Sat Nov 12, 2005 at 11:11:46 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

In a Sunday editorial, the New York Times has some wise words for Democrats about Judge Alito.

The Alito nomination comes at a critical moment for the Democratic Party. With President Bush's poll numbers plummeting, Democrats are finding a new optimism about their chances in 2006 and 2008. But to capitalize on the Republicans' weakness, the party needs to show that it has an alternative vision for the country. As the Democrats refine their message for next year's elections, the first thing they need to be able to say to the American people is that they did not sit by idly while the far right took over the Supreme Court and began dismantling fundamental rights and freedoms.

< Italy Seeks to Extradite CIA Agents, Germany Could Be Next | Tom Tancredo Needs a History Lesson >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito | 9 comments (9 topical)
    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:03 PM EST
    This is basically a kind way of calling the Dems to arms with the implied battle cry of: "Find your spines!" I have one word for the Dems: "Filibuster".

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:03 PM EST
    The problem with using the filibuster is that, absent any kind of clear evidence that Judge Alito is a nut-case, the GOP will attempt to portray it as "politics of obstruction," etc. This is why the stories from this past week about Judge Alito's recusal decisions are so important. Whether there was an actual conflict-of-interest or not, Alito told the Senate in 1990 that he would recuse himself from certain kinds of cases (those involving Vanguard, those involving the law firm where his sister worked, and perhaps more). Yet when those cases came before Judge Alito on the Third Circuit, not only did he not recuse himself, he protested when one party in the case called him on it. This gives the reason that the Senate - and this should be true for a Senate controlled by any political party - to reject Judge Alito for any further post: he did not keep his word to the Senate. Whether or not he ever intended to recuse himself on those cases is irrelevant: he told the Senate he would act a certain way on the bench, and then he did not act that way, and protested when he was reminded of it. These are not impeachable offenses, and it should be fine for Alito to retain his seat on the Third Circuit. Yet the Senate, as an instituion, cannot tolerate the promotion of judges who do not live up to their word as given to the Senate himself. If this later comes back to scuttle the nominee of a Democratic president because that nominee also said one thing to the Senate but did another, I think I can live with that. Anyone who cannot keep simple promises made to the U.S. Senate shouldn't be rewarded with a higher position, especially a judge. If a judge can't keep his word, he doesn't need to be a Justice.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#3)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:03 PM EST
    Fingers crossed; soon to be Justice Alito and the newly minted Chief Justice Roberts are in the mold of Justice Thomas, but more libertarian. They’re good for more than running the fed.
    I have one word for the Dems: "Filibuster".
    I think we already know where that ends.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:03 PM EST
    There is already ample proof that Alito is not fit for the high court. Requiring women to tell their spouses about having an abortion is all I need to know. As for the Dems, I said long ago they should've been promoting their own candidate, spending lots on PR and marketing, and showing the country what a reasonable, non neo-con nominee looks and sounds like. But they're utterly lacking the imagination it seems. They're hoping Bush just does himself in. In short, the Dems are still a loser's party, playing not to lose, instead of playing to win. So far, to me, Howard Dean hasn't done a genuinely creative or imaginative thing during his tenure as head of the party. There is no excuse for that. Of course they should filibuster. Right now NOBODY trusts a word or action of Dubya, he has no ground to stand on, and everything he proposes can be easily shot down and exposed as a fraud -- because they are the products of a fraud. But, alas, to repeat, the democratic party lacks the creative and imaginative chops to get the job done. And that won't change soon, sorry to say. Sure they may win some seats, get back the presidency, but that's all transitory. What shouldn't be is what your party stands for and is capable of formulating for the good of the nation.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#5)
    by ras on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:04 PM EST
    Democrats are too spineless to filibuster, buncha posers. And their supporters who pretend to want a fb but lack the guts to really demand one (the pro-forma, speak-truth-to-power, meet-you-at-Starbucks-after crowd) are just like them. Go thru the motions and congratulate themselves for failing is all they ever do.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:04 PM EST
    ras-If you mean that we are not into macho torture policies like the repugs, you are right, but too spineless to filibuster... I think you ought to check out the polls.
    Democrats are too spineless to filibuster, buncha posers.
    hahahah.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:04 PM EST
    When we take political advice from the NYT, that will be a lovely day in hell. When we care what ras, a Canadian, thinks of Democrats, that will be a lovely day in hell. As for Alito, we don't have impeachment rights, so there IS no Supreme Court. Give us our impeachment rights, for then this Bush traitor will be making his next nominations from PRISON.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:07 PM EST
    The Dems have NOTHING to lose and everything to gain by engaging in a filibuster. FORCE the Reps to set the precedent of gutting filibusters so that when the day comes that Dems are in power, they, too, can ram through judicial nominations. People, advice and consent is a dead letter; it's strictly about legislative rubberstamping now. STOP taking the high road because it's high time to get bloody.

    Re: A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:07 PM EST
    Lavocat, with his agent provocateur advice. Zzzzzzzz.

    A Wise Word to Democrats About Alito | 9 comments (9 topical)