Stuck Between Scalia and Thomas: Democrats Drop the Ball - Again

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Published on Sunday, January 15, 2006 by CommonDreams.org
Stuck Between Scalia and Thomas: Democrats Drop the Ball - Again
by Ralph Nader

The right wing columnist for the Wall St. Journal, Daniel Henninger, in a mocking column on the Democrats' performance during the Samuel A. Alito Jr. nomination hearings called them "intellectually exhausted and politically befuddled." Overall, with some exceptional moments, his description was not that far off the mark, though he also could have applied this description to the Democrats letting through now Justices Scalia and Thomas in years past.
Justice Scalia was confirmed 98-0 with every Democrat voting for him. The two absentees were Republicans. Justice Thomas was confirmed 52-48 in a Senate controlled by Democrats when eleven Democratic Senators crossed over and voted for him, despite a record either mediocre or terrible.

It was not always this way. The Democrats rejected Nixon's nominees Judge Carswell and Judge Haynesworth and then confirmed Justice Harry Blackmun who wrote the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade. The Democrats blocked Judge Bork and then confirmed Justice Kennedy who has turned out more recently to be comparatively moderate.

Not so anymore. Judge Alito's record is clearly one that has favored in most instances big government and big business against the little guys. His judicial philosophy tends toward downgrading the role of Congress. His belief in a very powerful "unitary Presidency" should send shivers up the spines of self-described conservatives in the age of King Bush. But then they have their own version of political befuddlement these days.

more at:
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0115-27.htm

[chimpymustgo]

1. STFU Nader. This was your goal right? Mission Accomplished.

You and Chimpy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Ralph, take a hike. We're still paying for your 2000 nonsense.

Go run for dog-catcher somewhere. Give us a call in 2050 or later. Maybe we'll talk then.

[sharp_stick]

3. Nader can go to hell for all I care

That POS is a big reason chimpy was able to steal the election in 2000.

[bahrbearian]

4. Nader telling it like it is, once again.

[sallyseven]

10. Bull shit that bastard should dig a hole and

crawl into it and pull the dirt in with him.

[madfloridian]

5. Nader should give back the money he took from

anti-choice groups and ultra conservative right wing groups during the campaign. Dean called him on it in the debate. Still up at C-Span. If you think I am not telling the truth, I will find it for you.

[DemGirl7]

6. Though I'm not a fan of Nader, But I have to agree with him a little

I'm someone who describes myself as a proud Democrat, but the Democrats in congress really do need some kind of party discipline. You see that over at the Republican side, they mostly all march in unison, but on this side everyone is all over the place, and to top it all off you have people like Ben Nelson, who call theirselves Democrats, but continuely stab the other Democrats in the back. And we can't even block nominees like Scalia & Thomas when the Democrats were in control of the Senate, it is pretty BAD. The Democrats can try to block Alito if they work together, but they don't. There needs to be some changes made, because if not, this will be a one party state soon. And I want to have at least some kind of hope for the future.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Ralph aint it.

Shithead let his ego sell us all down the river. I'm not terribly interested in what he has to say.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. You have a point, Ralph. Now fuck off, since a lot of this is arguably

YOUR FAULT, shithead.

Why don't you tell it to those right-wing, spoiler-minded republicans you let manage your 2004 state campaigns?

Asshole.

[bpilgrim]

9. Thank you St. Ralph for continuing to fight the good fight

we all know politicos can't stand the truth but it is time to speak up and demand our leaders change course before it is too late.

peace

[sallyseven]

11. He is no gd good. He is a lier and a cheat.

[Dr Fate]

12. It's 100% true- I met some of those GOP/Nader people....

One of their tactics was to take over street-corners that we fundraised and campaigned from.

You could see from their over-the-top comments exactly what they were up to.

[Dr Fate]

13. opps!- should be a reply to post #7. n/t

n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

14. "St. Ralph"

Good one! That's really funny.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Sssshhhh, Ralph! The truth upsets the DLC "moderates".

The sound of Dems rolling over is much more to their liking.

[oasis]

16. Ralph's the character in "Sixth Sense" who doesn't realize that he's DEAD

:boring: