Article

2005-10-31 Home Front: Politix

President George W Bush has nominated federal appeals court judge Samuel Alito to the US Supreme Court. He described Mr Alito as "one of the most accomplished and respected judges in America" and urged the Senate quickly to approve his nomination. Mr Alito, seen as a conservative, said the role of a Supreme Court justice was to interpret, not make, the law.

Good

The leader of the Democrats in the Senate has warned Mr Alito may face opposition in confirmation hearings.

Mr Bush's first choice, Harriet Miers, withdrew after Democrats questioned her judicial credentials and conservative Republicans her views on key issues. The new nomination comes at a tense time for the White House, with a senior aide to Vice-president Dick Cheney charged last week in connection with a CIA leak.

If approved by the Senate, the 55-year-old Mr Alito will take the place of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who often held the swing vote in the court. Announcing the nomination, Mr Bush stressed Mr Alito's "extraordinary breadth of experience", saying he had a longer judicial record than any nominee in the past 70 years. He urged the Senate to approve his choice in a quick up-or-down vote before the end of the year. Mr Bush called Alito a "thoughtful judge who considers the legal merits carefully and applies the law in a principled fashion".

He went on: "I'm confident that the United States Senate will be impressed by Judge Alito's distinguished record, his measured judicial temperament, and his tremendous personal integrity." The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the choice of Mr Alito is likely to prove highly controversial.

As a supporter of restricting, if not entirely abolishing, the constitutional right of American women to have abortions, Mr Alito's selection would galvanise the conservative base of Mr Bush's Republican party but horrify the US left. If he gets to the Supreme Court, he will be in a position to join forces with other social conservatives to reshape the culture of the nation, our correspondent adds.

Republican Senator John Cornyn has praised Mr Alito as a "man of outstanding character, who is deeply committed to public service", the Reuters news agency reports. But Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who leads the Senate Democrats, said he was disappointed by Mr Alito's nomination, warning he may prove "too radical for the American people".
Mr Reid and other Democrats had urged the president to pick a moderate, consensus candidate rather than bowing to pressure from conservative Republicans.

Mr Alito is considered a quiet and reserved member of the federal appeals courts, having sat on the Third Circuit in Philadelphia since 1990. He is known for consistently conservative judgements, leading commentators to compare him to current Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The justices of the Supreme Court have immense power and are appointed until they die, resign or are impeached.

In the near future, the court is expected to consider some of America's most bitterly contested social issues, including assisted suicide, abortion, same-sex marriage, human cloning and campaign finance law.

Posted by Steve 2005-10-31 08:05|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The leader of the Democrats in the Senate has warned Mr Alito may face opposition in confirmation hearings.

Gee, my jaw hit the floor on that one. I wonder if the Dims would of raised the automatic objection is GW had nominated say Babs Feinstein

Posted by Cheaderhead 2005-10-31 09:04|| 2005-10-31 09:04|| Front Page Top

#2 Harry Reid : GET USED TO IT!

Posted by BigEd 2005-10-31 09:51|| 2005-10-31 09:51|| Front Page Top

#3 Hey, Reid, Leahy, Bagogas¹, Dodd, Babsybox, Difi....
Someone is smiling at you...

Be afraid.... Be VERY afraid!

Judge Alito

¹Teddy *HICCUP* Kennedy

Posted by BigEd 2005-10-31 10:06|| 2005-10-31 10:06|| Front Page Top

#4 Karl Rove who? Patrick Fitzgerald who? On to the nominations battle...

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-10-31 10:45|| 2005-10-31 10:45|| Front Page Top

#5 The dems/communists will fight like rabid dogs and end up filibustering. Once again the media focus will be all about Roe vs Wade, only this time there will be no question where Judge Alito comes down on the issue. The process goes, "oh, you didn't like the nice lady I nominated, well dumb asses, you'll REALLY love ole Sam! Bring it on!

Posted by Besoeker 2005-10-31 11:19|| 2005-10-31 11:19|| Front Page Top

#6 Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-~~Al-Queda~~Mass., pulled no punches. "Rather than selecting a nominee for the good of the nation and the court, President Bush has picked a nominee whom he hopes will stop the massive hemorrhaging of support on his right wing. This is a nomination based on weakness, not on strength."

If the old Fat Drunk is against him -- he has to be good!

Posted by CrazyFool 2005-10-31 13:54|| 2005-10-31 13:54|| Front Page Top

#7 Please someone enlighten me. Precisely what does Senator Kennedy know about "the good of the nation?"

Posted by Besoeker 2005-10-31 14:05|| 2005-10-31 14:05|| Front Page Top

#8 The Alito nomination makes Bush the Grinch that stole Fitzmas.

Posted by eLarson 2005-10-31 14:12|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-10-31 14:12|| Front Page Top

#9 What's good for Seagrams is good for the nation.

Posted by Edward M. Kennedy, D-Massive 2005-10-31 14:12|| 2005-10-31 14:12|| Front Page Top

#10 Senator Kennedy, what did you know about the drowned dead babe in the back seat and when did you know it?

Posted by tu3031 2005-10-31 14:14|| 2005-10-31 14:14|| Front Page Top

#11 I wrote on this website some time ago that I would vote Republican until the party got "too interventionary in my life". It has done so with this nomination.

President Bush-you are standing for loss of autonomy for women. With a nomination which is unmistakably hostile to reproductive freedom and the majority of Americans who support the legality of abortion, watch the edges of your majority dissolve away-starting with me. I will be now working for the success of Democratic nominees in the elections of next year.

You have principals, President Bush, I grant you that, and you are consistent. But I never before saw you as a man who wants to force women to have children. Now I do. Shame on you.

Posted by Jules 2 2005-10-31 15:31|| 2005-10-31 15:31|| Front Page Top

#12 Jules: Thanks for finally 'coming out' and making infant death - via choice, your litmus test. Welcome to the Democratic party. Neither the Republican party nor 'W' need your bloody vote anyway.

Posted by Besoeker 2005-10-31 15:41|| 2005-10-31 15:41|| Front Page Top

#13 Well, Jules, be as autonomous as you need to be, but please protect the entirely separate life living in a woman's womb, won't you?

I also assume that you are fully against laws that tell women they can't be drunk to get a tattoo or put limits on the age a woman can get her ears pierced.

Posted by eLarson 2005-10-31 15:54|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-10-31 15:54|| Front Page Top

#14 Jules, take some time and actual read what Alito opinioned. It wasn't that a wife had to notify her husband. That wasn't even the case. The legislature of the state had already made that rule. Alito just opinioned, it was not unconstitional for the legislature to pass that bill.

Posted by Sherry 2005-10-31 16:37|| 2005-10-31 16:37|| Front Page Top

#15 btw Jules - if Roe v Wade is overturned you'll still have most states where aborting a fetus is legal. So you can be happy about that. It becomes a state question rather than a fed, as it should be.... a "penumbra of emanations"....*snort*

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-10-31 19:14|| 2005-10-31 19:14|| Front Page Top

#16 I must disagree, Frank. Overturning Roe will be difficult to do on federalism basis alone. When the case is made to overturn it, I suspect there will be strong 14th amendment arguments made about the time at which life begins and rights adhere to the individual. There is a certain inconsistency in convicting Scott Peterson of two counts of murder but allowing abortionists to practice legally, even in Caliphornia. I don't think the justices who are willing to overturn Roe will find this an easy probelm to finesse.

Posted by Chomotch Speth2818 2005-10-31 19:38|| 2005-10-31 19:38|| Front Page Top

#17 Got to agree with Chomotch. The Scott Peterson thing was a no brainer. He clearly killed two not one, and the entire country knew it. The abortion crowd was holding their breath on that one. This 'right to choose' crap has expanded to include women who throw thier kids into San Francisco Bay and pedifiles who rape and murder. It cheapens life for all. If a pregnant motorist dies in an auto accident, a ciscerian is performed to attempt to save the baby. The same is done for livestock. Peterson murdered two, no question about it.

Posted by Besoeker 2005-10-31 20:03|| 2005-10-31 20:03|| Front Page Top

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