If our Senators fought harder over Roberts, * wouldn't have picked Alito

[Czolgosz]

There are some differences between Roberts and Alito (Roberts was less evasive during his confirmation hearings than Alito, and Roberts record was not as long and so not quite as decisive), but there are creepy similarities:

Ethics:

Alito unethically failed to recuse from the Vangard case.
Roberts unethically failed to recuse from the Hamden case.

Congressional Authority:

Alito ignored 70 years of precedent to hold Congress has no authority to enforce the Family Medical Leave Act.
Roberts ignored 70 years of precedent to hold Congress has no authority to enforce the Endangered Species Act.

Lies About Membership in Right Wing Societies:

Alito denied any recollection of his membership in CAP despite the fact that he proudly bragged about his membership in his 1985 job application.
Roberts denied any recollection of his membership in the Federalist Society (after falsely denying his membership) despite holding a leadership role.



Sadly, if we had fought harder against Roberts, I believe Bush would have chosen a less radical nominee instead of Alito.

[leftstreet]

1. Bush chose Harriet Miers

The neocon darth vaders and fundy preachers went ballistic. Bill Kristol was on tv 24/7 telling her to withdraw her nomination. Poor woman never even made it to confirmation hearings.

Then the crime syndicate told Bush to nominate Alito.

[Czolgosz]

2. Where were the "up or down vote" shitheels on the Miers nomination?

There were candidates who would have met the Christo-fascists' litmus test but who were not as wholly immoral as Alito (say, for example, either Harvie Wilkinson from the Fourth Circuit or Edith Clement from the Fifth Circuit).

[leftstreet]

3. It was all very bizarre.

Rove and Bush were temporarily severed, and he comes up with Harriet. Makes me wonder how well Bush really understands the Grand Plan of his handlers.

[MrSlayer]

4. Miers was a ruse the entire time.

She was never going to seriously be considered. The idea was to make the idiot kool aid drinkers feel like they had some power. An intentionally bad nominee that served her purpose.

[mikelewis]

5. And to make the debate solely about the Resume and not the person...

It was fucking brilliant.