Anyone listening to the Judiciary hearing?

[whometense]

I :loveya: Teddy K!!!!

[TayTay]

1. Just started.

I loved Uncle Ted too! He really got right into the question of why Teddy voted FOR Alito for the lower court and has severe questions for him, based on what he did on that lower court, for the SCOTUS appointment.

Uncle Ted is great!

[whometense]

2. Do ya think today's talking points

might have contained something about "Don't forget to remind Alito not to tip his hand on anything important"? Every single repug has said something to that effect already.

As if he were likely to forget....

Edited to add - they appear to be afraid of a filibuster. Grassley has brought back the ever-popular UpOrDownVote. :eyes:

[TayTay]

3. Lindsay Graham has just thrown down the gauntlet

on the filibuster. He is one of the 'Gang of 14,' is he not? He is threatening, in all but clear words, to abandon his involvement in that and his protection of the filibuster.

This is gonna get good. That is the 3rd Senator to say that Alito is not an 'extraordinary circumstance' that would allow the judicial filibuster. Hmmmmm. I heard today, probably on DU, that the Rethugs want a diversion from the Abramoff scandal and another fight over the filibuster might just do it. It would tie up the Senate, that's for sure.

[whometense]

4. The dems are sounding

pretty damned hardass on this one.

My son just called, so I missed the past half hour or so. Anything good? I thought Biden's statement was excellent.

[TayTay]

5. The Dems have been consistent

in their telegraphing of what they are going to ask tomorrow when the hearings really get going. They have talked about Roe, how RW Alito is and about the NSA stuff and how Alito sees the checks and balances in the Constitution. That is a powerful hand to play. No wonder L. Graham was so angry. (Also, I couldn't listen when that smarmy jerk Sessions was talking. I'm only human and I just couldn't take him.)

[whometense]

7. I'm happy to hear

your impressions are similar to mine. Graham was pretty PO'd, wasn't he? The dems have certainly been up front about what they plan to ask.

[jillan]

16. Biden was excellent

Was he the one that brought up Harriett Myers, and how it was a whole new ballgame?

That was the best.

[fedupinBushcountry]

6. Schumer is good

Brought out why those on the other side were against Meirs, but so in favor of Alito, wants to see the "flip flop".

Mentioned Miers did not get an "up or down vote".

Said a president is not a KING.

:popcorn:

[whometense]

8. Cornyn

is a stupid, disingenuous, lying sack of crap.

[TayTay]

9. Cornyn is 'one of them'

and a very dedicated Rethug. Sigh! He parrots the RW Talking Points on Alito very well. BTW, I think I am going to get very tired of the Ginsberg/Breyer thing by the end of the week. It was not the same.

Be careful of Brownback. He sounds nearly reasonable, but is every bit the REthug Cornyn is. (And more. He has Presidential ambitions.)

[_dynamicdems]

24. Maybe I'm just ornery, but I would like to see a filibuster. ]; > n/t

[TayTay]

10. Tom Coburn.

Sigh! Poor Oklahoma. I wonder if he brought another crossword puzzle with him. Maybe he has graduated to Soduku by now. Honestly, this man is one of the worst excuses for a pol ever. Sad. sad. sad.

Yeah Tom we all have disabilities that you can't see sometimes. Some, more than others. Ahm, I think we can actually all see yours though buddy.

[jenndar]

11. He made my blood boil.

I can't believe he referred to people with Down's Syndrome as a class of people. Or to court decisions as "schizophrenic". If I lived in DC, I'd hunt him down and pants him.

[TayTay]

12. You know, I really like you.

You got fire and spunk. I love it! (pants him, hahahahaha!)

What a moran. Honestly, he did everything but bring up Terry Schiavo. (Cuz that worked out so well for the GOP didn't it.) As if these people are for people with disabilities. (Hey, how about somefunding then. What, no way, get lost, we have millionaire tax cuts to get to. Oh, sorry I asked.)

[jenndar]

17. Thank you, TayTay!

That is very kind of you to say. I retract my pantsing threat, though; Coburn embarrassed himself enough today when he turned his opening statement into an ideological harangue. He may have actually hurt Alito with his remarks. Oh, well!

[StoryTeller]

14. What did he say about people with Down's Syndrome?

My sister has Down's Syndrome. So I'm curious, of course.

[jenndar]

15. He said that "a whole class of people" had been

aborted for convenience, then revealed that he was talking about fetuses who tested positive for Down's Syndrome. I understand his problem with that practice, but is that an appropriate way to discuss a genetic disorder?

[jillan]

18. One of my daughter's has something similar.

I love how they care so much about the fetus, but under-fund their special programs when they are born. Grrrr. How old is your sister?

[StoryTeller]

21. She's 21...

And you made a great point--the government totally under-funds programs for these citizens. My sister has been on the waiting list for a group home since she was 15 years old! And because of the lack of funds, there's no telling how long she will have to live at home with my parents before a place in a group home comes up. She could never make it independently, but she's able to understand that most other 21 year olds have their own apartments or are working towards that, and it bugs her a lot. However, I will say that because she was adopted, her state of birth subsidizes any medical expenses relating to the Down's Syndrome. And she qualifies for Medicaid, so it's not like there's no funding at all.

My parents adopted her, and obviously I have strong feelings about the practice of aborting babies who test positive for Down's Syndrome. Partly, it's because the tests aren't always the most accurate. I've had friends whose tests came back positive for DS, and their babies were perfectly fine. In the meantime, the angst and worry it caused them was horrible. But mostly, it's because it sends a message that people with Down's Syndrome are not worth as much or not as worthy of being allowed to live because they don't match up to what the rest of us consider "perfect" or even "normal." And that sort of value judgment really makes me mad because I see my sister and see someone who has a lot of joy and love to offer. Knowing her has helped shaped the person I've become and has taught me a lot about tolerance and unconditional love. And that's priceless, in my opinion.

I also know that there is the issue of the emotional and financial cost of caring for these individuals, so I'm not trying to sound judgmental. I just wish everyone would get their focus off the abortion issue and start being more proactive and practical about teaching people the value and worth of all individuals--no matter their IQ or physical abilities. I also have a niece with Down's Syndrome. She's not adopted, and it has been a very good lesson for my husband's family in how to relate to people with disabilities and in learning to accept and love those who are different.

So, back to the topic--I think I understand that Alito was trying to refer to the group of people who have Down's Syndrome. Using the word "class" was probably stupid at best because "class" usually refers to a socio-economic hierarchy, which doesn't have anything to do with a chromosomal disorder. And it would have been more appropriate to choose words that would have placed the emphasis on the individual, instead of lumping them all together as if they are all alike without unique characteristics. But lumping-together happens all the time, on a variety of different issues, so it doesn't surprise me.

[jenndar]

23. Just to clarify

it wasn't Alito, it was Senator Coburn. Alito hasn't commented on the issue in hearings.

[TayTay]

26. We have talked (and will talk) about this in here more.

This is in and of itself an emotional issue and it also knocks on the door of other and equally volatile and emotional issues.

There is an article on the front page of the Boston Globe, my hometown paper about the loss of 10 million female fetuses in India. (Some at six months.) Ahm, that is deeply, deeply disturbing no matter how you come down on the abortion issue. Oh heck even writing that phrase 'come down on the abortion issue' is misleading. In other cases when this issue has come up here, we find people with very, very mixed feelings on this. My own is that I believe in what Pres. Clinton said, safe, legal and rare. But that even that doesn't cover my own difficulties with the subject. Sigh! I believe in the right to choose. I wish we never had to exercise it. Oh dear. (I wish I could be clear on every subject, but it's not going to happen. Sometimes I sound muddled, cuz I am muddled. Sigh!)

Back to topic, I hope your sister does find a good group home. Your parents sound like awesome people and it would be good for them to know that their daughter is in a good situation, should anything happen, and that she is on the road to a good future. (As a parent, those would be some of my concerns. What would happen to my daughter if anything happened to me?) This is part of the idea that people with disabilities have rights and have the right to some respect. Sigh! (The funding helps in so many ways.)

[TayTay]

13. PFAW sent me this.

http://www.savethecourt.org/site/c.mwK0JbNTJrF/b.1330911/k.2C91/Cracking_the_White_House_Codebook_Separating_Spin_from_Reality_in_the_Alito_Hearings.htm?msource=rwxxxsupxb&auid=1325740

Nice work. (That's why I gave them money. Nice to see they spent it wisely.)

BTW, did you notice how Frank Lautenberg's intro was less than 'rah rah! Poor Frank.

[jillan]

19. Did anyone hear my asshole Senator Kyl

tell Alito what to say?:spank: :spank:

[TayTay]

20. Watch your blood pressure.

It's only day one. It will get worse. (And better.) Concentrate on what the Dems say, especially when they bring up the NSA stuff and exactly what Alito thinks of the concept of checks and balances. The Rethugs and Repubs have to play defense on this very volatile issue and it is going to get real interesting in that hearing room.

Did anyone else catch the news tonight about the RW wanting to raise a ruckus about the Dems and Alito? They are pushing the idea that the Dems are being mean and disrespectful toward Alito in hopes of having a fight. They need the distraction after the recent Abramoff events. These people are shameless. They want to provoke a fight over Roe. That is just pathetic and shows how bad off the REthugs are at the moment.

[wisteria]

22. CNN has been promoting the hearings for tomorrow just about all

afternoon and evening. The Situation Room is suppose to cover them all day tomorrow. They are certainly promoting a "showdown". Have you also noticed all the commercials-both con and pro over Alito. Tay Tay, your saying this is just the beginning? How long can we expect these hearings to continue?

[whometense]

25. Specter jumperd right into it -

A woman's right to choose and executive power. Go Arlen.

[TayTay]

27. Arlen did a good job.

He really got into whether or not Judge Alito considers Roe settled law. And he got into the whole privacy concern and if that is a part of the law.

Do you consider the Constitution a 'living document.' (More liberal.)
Sort of. (Hmmm, that is the srtict constructionist argument. Hmmm.)

[karynnj]

28. Kennedy again!

He just talked about wanting America safe, but that our children shouldn't live in a country where the President can ok torture and spy on Americans.

Kennedy is fantastic. (He has also looked younger every time he's been on in the last week) Do the MA Senators have a secret? (Promising to make it public after a Nov 08 win (for President) of either could lead to a win - Either has my vote.)

[whometense]

29. I was just noticing that too -

He does look wonderful. It must be the Massachusetts water. :D

[whometense]

30. Morning observation

Biden is way, way too much in love with the sound of his own voice.

He was really good yesterday - today, not so much. firedoglake liveblogs the hearing:

BIDEN FIRST ROUND QUESTIONING: Biden starts with getting to the heart of Vanguard and cutting through GOP spin: did you keep your word or not? And then goes on about CAP. Makes point on ROTC being back on campus, contrary to what Alito said – and then ruins it by going on and on with Biden’s own personal history. SIGH Blah blah blah Roberts blah blah blah O’Connor fulcrum real world blah blah blah history of real world discrimination blah blah blah. (RH: Did I mention the miracle that is coffee?) Judge, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’d like to talk again instead of getting your view on discrimination. (RH: Man, I’m sorry. I try not to harp on my own team, but for the love of pete...Biden’s staffers pulled two great illustrations of discrimination opinions from Alito that deserve questioning, and I’ve lost the ability to pay attention because Biden is just blathering. What a way to head into lunchtime.)

[karynnj]

31. If it were JUST loving his voice, I could take it

but his tangents drive me nuts - I did not need to hear that he didn't consider Princeton because he was Iris Catholic or that his 2 sons considered it and ended up at the University of Pennsylvania. I think in the last year I have heard Biden refer to being Irish Catholic at least 10 times too many. Here it had nothing to do with anything.

Now why is there a single person on DU that refers to his succinct answers? (usually as part of bashing Kerry.)

[TayTay]

32. He's always all over the map.

A lot of his stuff on SFRC drives me batty. He does love the sound of his own voice. He 'homespun' stories of ordinariness just don't really work. (He's Irish Catholic, why I had no ideer :eyes: )

[karynnj]

33. I had never heard them util listening to the Rice confirmation

hearing last year. I was put off by his looooong story about little "Johnny" telling the priest about stealing and then losing a chain for a watch, neglecting to say he also stold and still had the watch. He then retold the same (not really relevent) story on the Senate floor. When he then topped off his story about telling the whole truth by then voting FOR her I was so confused.

His waitress story - she like him and couldn't understand Kerry was just disgusting. While with Kerry, the more people see him, the better he seems, the more Biden is seen the more people will likely run away.

[MH1]

34. Agree.

Allegedly Biden's going to take a shot at the pres nom in 2008. I say go for it because he'll pull votes from Hillary if anybody. And he has no chance. Cuz like you say, the more people know of him, the less they like.

[TayTay]

35. Good memory.

I remember Joe's homespun story and I thought that I prefered the pointed questions from the tall guy with the good hair. Who didn't vote for Condi. Twice.

Oh for those more innocent times. This was before I found how much I can't stand George Allen (Sen. Barfbag.) It was during those hearings that my dislike really came out. (Iraq is not like a football. Okay, it is for the Bushies, but it's not to normal people.)

[karynnj]

37. That's true both Coleman and Allen almost made Biden

seem ok. I knew I hated Coleman as soon as he started his time by nastilly say he was happy Kerry was back (in a tone extremely different than Lugar's kind words) Many people I had no preconceived view of but I actually thought more of Kerry and Lugar afterwards and less of Biden and Coleman.

I also was put off by Biden naming his fictious boy, "Johnny". It struck me as weird that he chose the name of someone in the room - because I think you usually don't.

[whometense]

36. Dewine?

What's he on?

"I don't believe Roe is super-duper precedent. Precedent, but not super-duper precedent."

I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I feel like sticking a pencil in my eye.

[jillan]

38. That picture should be the new symbol of the democratic party.

I don't know about you, but that is exactly how I look when I listen to repugs.

[TayTay]

39. Whome, you rock!

Yeah, that is how it feels to watch these hearings. I reserve that pic for listening to Sen. Sessions, who has a very weird voice and is dumb to boot. Everytime he comes on my TV I want to scream out: Yeah, but you voted FOR torture, you dumb f*ck, what do you know.

Okay, I'm better now.