The Usual Reasonable Suspects Weigh In On Alito

They only took a day. The first day of the hearings featured opening statements by the Senate Judiciary committee and Judge Alito. The eighteen people involved each spoke for ten minutes. Introductions were in order. Naturally, Reasonable Judiciarium Enthusiasts for Absolute Individualism through down the gauntlet.

The Washington Post has the story here.

First, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) continues the Nixonian bogeyman meme the mouth-foamers have peddled for days:

"In an era when the White House is abusing power, is excusing and authorizing torture and is spying on American citizens, I find Judge Alito's support for an all-powerful executive branch to be genuinely troubling,"

The only thing I find troubling is the continued hysteria the distinguised Senator from MA brings to these proceedings. He protests the President of the United States authorizing the electronic surveillance of US residents that have communicated overseas with suspected terrorists. Can he see just how irrelevent and utterly ridiculous he has become?

Not to be outdone, Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE)played the Feminista card:

Bush had chosen a man to replace O'Connor, the first woman named to the Supreme Court. "Through no fault of your own," he told Alito, confirmation means cutting the number of women on the high court in half. In view of that fact, senators should take a hard look at Alito's views on issues affecting women, Biden said.

Never mind that Justice O'Connor agreed with Judge Alito 75% of the time when he presented cases before SCOTUS! (hat tip to Confirm Them!--AHF) I guess all that matters is the chromosomes. And the NARAL membership.

Speaking of spokepersons, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) had to establish her bona fides: She expressed concern about Alito's approach to "expanded presidential powers" and his potential impact on women's rights, especially the right to an abortion. Although Alito voted to uphold Roe v. Wade while serving on the 3rd circuit court of appeals, Feinstein said, his previously expressed opinions "raise questions about how you might rule if not bound by precedent." Tremble with concern, Ms. Feinstein. Judge Alito will afford poor precident the respect it deserves--a swift overturn! Roe is bad law, and the worst case scenario for a SCOTUS overturn of this horrendus precedent is to free states and the Federal Legislature to actually represent the people's interests on this crucial issue. Heaven forbid people in a Democratic Republic actually express their view through the ballot box! Why, a whole bunch of Fools might toss Moloch out on his kiester! Can't have that, now!

Finally, my own sad senator, Cheesmeister Charles Schumer (D-NY) sees extremists. Again.

Schumer...told Alito that his record of opinions and statements "seems quite extreme." While O'Connor "has been a fulcrum of the Supreme Court, you appear poised to add weight to one side," he said.

"When a president goes too far, will you be a check on his power, or will you issue him a blank check to exercise whatever power he alone think appropriate?" Schumer asked.

A senator from New York chastizes a President that defends the Nation in a time of war from terrorists--after 9/11; has the man no shame? How about a basic grasp of electoral politics?

Judge Alito, on the other hand, is an exemplar of class:

Alito stressed that when he became a judge himself 15 years ago, "I stopped being a practicing attorney" and changed his outlook accordingly. "The role of a practicing attorney is to achieve a desirable result for the client in the particular case at hand," he said. "But a judge can't think that way. A judge can't have any agenda, a judge can't have any preferred outcome in any particular case, and a judge certainly doesn't have a client."

Saying that nothing is more important in America than upholding the rule of law, Alito said, "No person in this country, no matter how high or powerful, is above the law, and no person in this country is beneath the law." He said he had already pledged as a judge to "do equal right to the poor and to the rich" and respect the Constitution. "And if I am confirmed, I pledge to you that that is what I would do on the Supreme Court."

Judge Alito will join Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas and Scalia as true judges. They are not Judiciarists intent on imposing a Reasonable agenda in the sheep's clothing of Prenumbra "rights."

That is why the Judicial Committee mouth-foamers must somehow derail Judge Alito's nomination. Their Reasonable masters can't pass their Agenda through the legislature. They need the Judiciarium to dictate to the nation. For the good of the people, of course. How dare that Fool in the White House believe he's duly elected by the people of the United States? How dare he presume to nominate another Fool that will threaten the Agenda? How unReasonable!

Their sputtering will gain them nothing. Judge Alito will be confirmed. The Fools throughout the United States have spoken. It's time Judges judged. We needed no King at the birth of our country. We need no Privy Council now.

Southern Appeal has some excellent coverage of the hearings. Captain Ed has live-blogged the hearings. Professor Bainbridge spikes the NY Times' latest hatchet job editorial on Alito. He also has an excellent roundup. And don't forget Technorati.

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