Katrina Thrusts Government's Role to the Fore in Confirmation Battle

[G_j]

Katrina may spur some lively questioning, but we appear to be cursed with a future of further racism at the top.
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http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0906-06.htm

Published on Tueday, September 6, 2005 by Knight Ridder

Katrina Thrusts Government's Role to the Fore in Confirmation Battle

by James Kuhnhenn

WASHINGTON - By opening questions about poverty, race and government policies, Hurricane Katrina has made landfall on Washington's deliberations over vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court and threatens to make John Roberts' confirmation hearings for chief justice a contentious test of conservative thought.

<snip>
Democrats have long advocated a more activist government, while conservatives have pressed for a smaller federal bureaucracy that gives more power to the states. Democrats believe that Katrina has focused attention on a broader function of the federal government - not only in rescue, relief and rebuilding but also in setting policies that protect the most vulnerable.

<snip>
But Sen. Edward Kennedy, who already was prepared before Katrina hit to spend his hearing time questioning Roberts about civil rights, was expected to emphasize the racial disparities revealed by Katrina's destruction.

Kennedy, D-Mass., is expected to zero in on Roberts' internal memoranda while he was a young lawyer in the Reagan administration, when he advised the White House to fight efforts to expand the reach of anti-discrimination laws and the Voting Rights Act.


..more..

[dweller]

1. GO TEDDY!

make them squirm.

dp