Not just Roe - Think Progress gives ALITO's awful civil rights positions:

[Nothing Without Hope]

Please also see this thread, which has both an overview from the Booman Tribune and a link to a petition to fight Alito at PFAW (People for the American Way):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2204776
thread title (10/31): Why Alito? Booman explains: Roe destroyed, Bush’s crimes buried. Petition:


This is the kind of Bush SCOTUS nominee we feared - a total abomination intended to gut the last branch of government left standing and appease the hard-right Bush base that thought Miers wasn't bugnuts-crazy enough to see their agenda through. You can bet there was behind-the-scenes vetting of Alito and that the Fristians LOVE him.

Mods - I am including all the points brought out by Think Progress in the message because they are an advocacy organization and WANT the message spread on this. This is not like a newspaper or blog that is concerned about copyright issues.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america

Samuel Alito’s America

CNN reports that “President Bush will nominate 3rd Circuit Appeals Court Judge Samuel Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court.” {http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/31/scotus.bush/index.html} Who is Samuel Alito? ThinkProgress has the facts:



ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE: In his dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito concurred with the majority in supporting the restrictive abortion-related measures passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in the late 1980’s. Alito went further, however, saying the majority was wrong to strike down a requirement that women notify their spouses before having an abortion. The Supreme Court later rejected Alito’s view, voting to reaffirm Roe v. Wade. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=505&invol=833>

ALITO WOULD ALLOW RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION: Alito dissented from a decision in favor of a Marriott Hotel manager who said she had been discriminated against on the basis of race. The majority explained that Alito would have protected racist employers by “immuniz an employer from the reach of Title VII if the employer’s belief that it had selected the ‘best’ candidate was the result of conscious racial bias.” http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=3rd&navby=case&no=971559p>

ALITO WOULD ALLOW DISABILITY-BASED DISCRIMINATION: In Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, the majority said the standard for proving disability-based discrimination articulated in Alito’s dissent was so restrictive that “few if any…cases would survive summary judgment.”

ALITO WOULD STRIKE DOWN THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) “guarantees most workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one.” {http://www.cs.umass.edu/%7Eimmerman/play/IfBushChoseTheSupremeCourt.html} The 2003 Supreme Court ruling upholding FMLA http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=01-1368> essentially reversed a 2000 decision by Alito which found that Congress exceeded its power in passing the law. http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/3rd/003140.html>

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT (It would seem that this is in fact a blog that is interested in copyright issues, because the page is very clearly copyrighted. Furthermore, I see no indication on the page that they give permission for anyone to violate that copyright. --Skinner)

More...

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america

[Tom Joad]

1. Very important to call Alito on other issues

so there will be broad opposition. Also, the Democrats/and others should be seen as having something other than one-issue focus.

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. Absolutely true. If we focus ONLY on reproductive rights, we overlook

the broad range of issues that Alito would torpedo. He's nothing if not consistent, and his stands are monstrous to any lover of civil liberties. He's an activist partisan of the very worst sort.

[Nikki Stone 1]

2. KICKED AND NOMINATED

;;

[PDittie]

4. "Sloppy Seconds Scalito" eom

[texpatriot2004]

5. Thanks for this info on Scalito's civil rights record. n.t

[ikojo]

6. What about the 40 hour work week?

Where does he stand on that?

[Hardrada]

7. And child labor?

[durablend]

10. How about SS and minimum wage laws?

Abolish those as being unconstitutional?

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. It would be consistent with the rest for him to oppose them too - we

need to find out and get documentation. Many bloggers and human rights organizations will be digging - we need to find and share the facts about Alito's positions. He is an activist ideolog with personal ties with Bush, so it can be predicted that he will have taken appalling stands on many established rules of law repugnant to the extreme radical wing of the GOP.

[HockeyMom]

8. Abortion/Vasectomy Notification

When my husband got a vasectomy in 1984, I had to sign a form giving my permission. I told the doctor that I objected to doing so because it was HIS body and he could do with it as HE wished. It was ABSURD. I should not have control over his body, anymore than he should have control over mine.

The same applies to a woman having to ask her husband's permission to get an abortion.

[Tom Joad]

11. Ideally, such decisions are best discussed...

but it should not be enforced by the rule of law. The government should keep its hands off this matter, which would be between the family members.

[Nikki Stone 1]

9. kick

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. Let's add OTHER documentation of Alito's civil rights positions to this

thread and make it a RESOURCE.

Booman at his excellent Booman Tribune blog documented Alito's postion on reproduction rights, as I excerpted in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2204776
thread title (10/31): Why Alito? Booman explains: Roe destroyed, Bush’s crimes buried. Petition:

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. ESSENTIAL to BROADEN documentation of Alito's positions BEYOND ROE:

Many sincere, honest people oppose abortion on religious or other grounds. They need to be made aware that there are many other positions taken by Alito that are fundamentally opposed to civil or even human rights.

Consider again the titles of sections of the Think Progress documentation in the opening post of this thread. The list starts with reproductive rights, but goes on from there in a very consistent pattern of suppression of civil and even human rights:

ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE:
ALITO WOULD ALLOW RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION:
ALITO WOULD ALLOW DISABILITY-BASED DISCRIMINATION:
ALITO WOULD STRIKE DOWN THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT:
ALITO SUPPORTS UNAUTHORIZED STRIP SEARCHES:
ALITO HOSTILE TOWARD IMMIGRANTS:

And this list is just a START. We need to further organize documentation of these and other clear examples of how this man could never be an impartial SCOTUS judge - he is closely tied to Bush and he has shown clearly that he would be an activist judge who would undermine established civil rights law and promote the erosion of liberties and basic human decency in future confrontations over issues such as Patriot Act abuses, torture, and virtually every other potential horror.

We need to gather together documentation of Alito's positions on other important issues as well. Based on what has already surfaced, it's likely that he would work to undermine civil and even human rights in many additional areas. Minimum wage? Social security? Torture? Right to representation and fair trial? Protection from Patriot Act abuses? Separation of Church and State? First Amendment rights? We need to document his stands on these and more and make our case in the media, to our representatives, and in our communities.

This man is a disaster in the making.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. ***TWO PETITIONS to fight Alito's confirmation: PFAW and MoveOn - LINKS:**

Link to PFAW (People for the American Way) petition in OP of this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2204776
thread title (10/31): Why Alito? Booman explains: Roe destroyed, Bush’s crimes buried. Petition:

Link to MoveOn petition in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2207213
thread title (10/31): MoveOn Emergency Petition to Stop Alito! 250,000 signatures in 48 hours

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. ***Much more on Alito's case history and nomination already at Wikipedia**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Alito

I suggest you go there and download links to documentation from time to time as the entry evolves. You know that the freepers will be trying to bollix it, so downloading links to key info is a way to be sure you have access to the facts.

There is a separate Wikipedia entry for Alito's SCOTUS nomination:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Alito_Supreme_Court_nomination

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. Another related thread: "Women, we have work to do. Must oppose Alito."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2199840
thread title (10/31): WOMEN, WE HAVE WORK TO DO. MUST OPPOSE ALITO.

But as I have said above, I believe it would be a major error to concentrate ONLY on Alito's stand on reproductive rights. Many people in this country sincerely and profoundly oppose abortion but would be appalled by some of Alito's other policy positions.

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. THREE MORE ALITO THREADS from the DU Home Page:

(No info other than the name in the OP on this first one, but it was the first up and has extensive discussion):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1889112
thread title (10/31): Samuel Alito Named Nominated Bush for USSC.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2203367
thread title (10/31): Dean: Bush shouldn't use nomination of extreme conservative to distract.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1889258
thread title (10/31): Parties Set Stage for Showdown on Ct. Choice (Reid warned Bush on Alito)

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. Here is Walt Starr's Alito thread with 124 votes -so far- in 12 hours:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2202281
thread title (10/31): Message to the Dems: SHUT IT DOWN!!!!

Here is what he says in the OP - though don't let this spoiler keep you from going and voting and adding to that discussion:

Talk is cheap. Time to pay the piper. These are extraordinary circumstances. Filibuster and force a nuclear confrontation. If the GOP nukes, SHUT IT DOWN!!!

No more money for anything. No more legislation on anything. No more nothing. Shut down the goddamned governement for as long as it takes. Force every last bill and every last amendment to be read in full on the floor of the Senate. No more unanimous consent, recorded votes on every last procedure every last time.

SHUT IT DOWN!!!

We are not playing any more. We are deadly serious. This far and no further. Fight or die. There is nothing left to lose. Fight or die.

SHUT IT DOWN!!!

Of course, he is absolutely right - this is the confrontation we feared and now must stand up for. No weak-kneed Dems, no Republican in Congress ignored with petitions and blasts of attention.

THIS IS IT.

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. I'm disturbed by the "just give up on fighting Alito" threads popping up

The posters of these threads may well be sincere in their views and mean well, but I find the negative comments - which are not accompanied by any solid information, only personal opinions and hearsay - off-putting and disturbing. These kind of comments make a lot of heat too, but little light. And though without a real argument, they aim to dishearten.

here's an example - see how it strikes you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2201905
thread title (10/31): I have bad news for you regarding Alito

This is a fight we can't win. Feel free to call your senators and tell them to filibuster if you want but I'm telling you now that guys like Schumer are going to bluster but in the end Alito will be confirmed.

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. ***Direct Links to 3 Petitions - Moveon, Planned Parenthood, & PFAW***

gathered by Shaliah - thanks!


MoveOn:
http://www.moveonpac.org/stopalito

People For the American Way
http://www.savethecourt.org/alito

Planned Parenthood
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/sc_round3_oppose

Please sign if you have not already and pass along.

[Nothing Without Hope]

23. Strong agreement on "NOT JUST ROE" and advice to use it as a STRATEGY:

The excerpt below is from Steve Gilliard's excellent blog. The poster's take on this situation is actually fairly optimistic in terms of a fight that can be won. A key is to NOT focus SOLELY on Roe v Wade but to publicize the wide range of basic civil rights that Alito is on record as having attacked. The piece ends with a re-wording of some of the points made in the Think Progress piece excerpted in the opening post in the current thread.

We REALLY need to attack this candidate on a WIDE front, NOT just Roe vs Wade. And he is VULNERABLE - he has taken radical positions on a variety of civil rights issues. We need to organize and present the information so that even Americans who oppose abortion will see what an extremist he is, and how he would work to further erode our already dangerously diminished civil liberties.

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/11/cry-for-help.html
(posted by gaije, Mon Oct 31, 2005 at 03:28:53 PM PDT)

(snip)

With this nomination, Bush is forcing Republican senators to go on record for or against Roe, as they enter the 2006 campaign season. Two thirds of Americans support Roe v. Wade. The Senate knows that. Any senator who votes for Alito will be saying good-bye to all those votes. Moderate republicans, swing voters, countless previously apathetic voters, will be going Democratic. The Democratic party will be galvanized around a single issue like it hasn't been in years, and its coffers overflowing. For a GOP senator, that's no good, it's no good at all.

Vote against him though, and they'll alienate the religious right. All that reliable fundraising, voter turnout & volunteer manpower down the drain. That's no good either. Apparently, someone forgot to tell Bush he's not supposed to put them in this position (Maybe that was Scooter's job.).

(snip)

Democrats are not going to be able to get behind this one, unless they're looking to retire. Roberts they had to give a little benefit of the doubt, but this one's just impossible. The nuclear option's not going to fly on this one either. Frist's power is somewhat diminished, thanks to that pesky SEC investigation (so many investigations these days, so hard to keep track!). The GOP rank and file are caught between a rock & a hard, hard place here. They may just be thinking a fillibuster's their best out. How many do you really think are going to be willing to fall on their swords for the least popular (and worst) president ever? Their much vaunted "message discipline," has been slipping away for weeks, as they've realized Bush's ship is sinking, and they'd better jump off well before November 2006.

The thing to do here, is to base our opposition to Alito on everything but his anti-Roe potential. It'll take the GOP by surprise, they'll be all prepared with their "litmus test," talking points, and defenseless in the face of other questions. It also offers them some cover for a no vote.

(snip)

[Nothing Without Hope]

24. Related thread: To Dems: "Either Alito is filibustered or you are DONE"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2202108
thread title (10/31): This is it, Democratic Party, either Alito is filibustered or you are DONE

[Nothing Without Hope]

25. Related thread:"Reid on Alito-He's locked and loaded. Give 'em Hell Harry"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2203089
thread title (10/31): Reid on Alito--He's locked and loaded. Give 'em Hell Harry

Partial excerpt:

“The nomination of Judge Alito requires an especially long hard look by the Senate because of what happened last week to Harriet Miers. Conservative activists forced Miers to withdraw from consideration for this same Supreme Court seat because she was not radical enough for them. Now the Senate needs to find out if the man replacing Miers is too radical for the American people."