I'd like to add that Alito would quite possibly not have been confirmed were this not an election year. The Democrats have hopes of re-capturing part or all of the Congress because of perceived weakness in the performance of the Bush presidency. They know that Americans are essentially conservative on the question of judges and do not want to chance making the court a midterm election issue.
Thus, we have the compromise. Hold a dog and pony filibuster show that allows the senators from safely liberal states and those who wish to audition for the primaries in 2008 to prove their love to the Dean/Moore/Move-On faction. Then, hold the real vote, let a few vulnerable Dems vote for Alito while the rest of the caucus votes no, and go back to "Bush lied, people died."
There's the script. Get ready.
The World Socialist Web Site has a really excellent analysis of the Democrats and their flaccid filibuster gesture. You are right to characterize it as a dog and pony show for the liberal wing of the party. I also call into question the notion that Americans are conservative on judges. Are you implying by 'conservative' that Americans are more aligned with the current Republican conservatism, or just a wariness to get involved with the confirmation hearings? If this is what you mean, then I don't think that Alito is a desired outcome of all this, and I think most registered Democrats are beginning to realize their leadership refuses to represent their best interests.
ReplyDeleteCan't really argue with that. The Democrats as an "organized" political entity are a sad, sad bunch right now.
ReplyDeleteThe Dems have a basic personality problem. They don't know who they are as a party. The post-Vietnam party is essentially socialist without ever admitting it, want judges who will decide the basic questions of national life, and are against a strong America internationally.
ReplyDeleteSo, instead of being who they are, they spend their time claiming Republicans are racists, fascists, or otherwise completely unworthy human beings who pose a threat to the entire American way of life. This has not been a strategy for reclaiming their once completely dominant position, although it has rallied the activist wing of the party.
In other words, Bush Lied is not anywhere close to a program and won't work any better than Billy Had a Cigar did.
On the other hand, the GOP has done a nice job of creating a personality problem of their own. A government driven prescription benefit doesn't make sense to the GOP identity at all and was a cynical election-time ploy.
ReplyDeleteConnie, what's bizarre about calling the Democrats socialists? If the party were located in Western Europe it might well style itself a socialist party. The appellation is death in America, so they don't use it.
ReplyDeleteIf the Democrats were in Europe, they would be far from socialists. They would be a political coalition within parliament encompassing socialists, independents, greens, labor, reformers, and plain old centrists and religious moderates. They lack the central identity of the Republican party, and this is their downfall.
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