It's important to have a strong progressive Democratic vote against John Roberts. If there is a vigorous opposition, that will send a signal on the next vacancy that there could be a contested nomination. |
John Roberts has spent the last three days trying to hide the ball from senators who are charged by the Constitution with evaluating whether to entrust him with the nation's most powerful legal job for the rest of his life, |
John Roberts would endanger much of the progress made by the nation in civil rights over the past half-century. If John Roberts replaces Sandra Day O'Connor, the balance of the court will shift to the right for decades to come, imperiling Americans' constitutional rights and liberties. |
Law-abiding Americans deserve to know that their government will not secretly tap their phones, read their medical records, access their library accounts or otherwise invade their personal lives, with no oversight or accountability. Law-abiding Americans also deserve to know that when law enforcement can show an impartial judge clear evidence of criminal activity or a threat to national security, swift and decisive action will be taken to protect the public. That is the balance we must achieve. |
Like Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a consensus nominee. Orrin Hatch told President Clinton that Ginsburg was acceptable before she was nominated. She had a long and detailed record from her time as a federal judge. In her case, there was no need for extended hearings. |
no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust. |
Obviously, there's the temptation to sit back and smile, ... But there's so much at stake, we have to do our due diligence. |
Of course membership in or participation in Federalist Society events doesn't disqualify someone from office but it can help people understand the judicial philosophy of the nominee, ... The Federalist Society likes to pretend it's just a debating club, but for last 20 years it has been at the forefront of the efforts to push a right-wing counterrevolution in the courts and undo decades worth of precedent. |
Of course, that could be part of it, |
Once again, Pat Robertson leaves us speechless with his insensitivity and arrogance. |
One of the worst consequences politically would be for the majority of Democrats to vote for someone who, in the near future, would overturn well-established precedents on clean air, clean water, privacy, equal opportunity and religious liberty. |
Part of the story at this point is keeping the next nomination in mind. We want to be sure we're talking about the right issues. |
Replacing two justices at the same time will have an enormous impact on the court and on the lives and liberties of all Americans for decades. |
Replacing two justices at the same time will have an enormous impact on the court and the lives and liberties of all Americans for decades. |
Terrence Boyle is a judicial disaster. He has the worst reversal rate of all the district judges nominated by President Bush. Senators should take a careful look at Judge Boyle's record and vote to stop him from taking a powerful lifetime appointment on the appeals court. |