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Friday, October 07, 2005

Conservatism demands Excellence

When Norm Coleman ran for office - as conservatives objected we were told - We need his vote in the Senate so we can get our conservative judges confirmed.
When Arlen Specter was being supported by the White House against the wishes of conservatives - We were told - We need his vote in the Senate.

And now the President had a chance to nominate someone to be a true constitutional Judge and instead gives us an unknown who we are told can get confirmed because she has no record - So why did he need the votes?

We wanted a candidate who a record of Constitutional writing and judgment.
We have had other justices who were not judges, but they had a long and distinguished careers and writings in Constitutional Law. Something this candidate lacks.

Some say it is because she is not from an Ivy League School or because she is a woman, but many of the other candidates being suggested are not from Ivy League Schools and many are women - It is sad to see a "conservatives" play the gender and eliteist card.

And what does the nomination of a stealth candidate tell conservative legal scholars, judges and law students?
That even when we have a "conservative" President and control of the Senate - you had better not stand up and show your conservatism - because only those who say nothing can get appointed.


But the thing that worries me the most is we are told to not worry because the president knows her and trust she will be a "constitutional" judge.

The same President who told us he believed in a limited government - and then signed the Campaign Finance Law - A direct attack on the First Amendment.

The same President who talks about fiscal conservatism then went on TV to tell me how much money the Federal Government was going to transfer to New Orleans.

Conservatives have said - She will be the swing vote we need on "Roe".
I don't want a vote - I want a Judge.


She may turn into a reliable conservative vote on the bench - but the outcome does not justify the selection.

As a conservative, I seek excellence and for the Supreme Court I want an excellent Constitutional Scholar - We did not get it with this candidate.


As another nominee said, the Supreme Court is about calling Balls and Strikes.

On this one President Bush was told the swing away and instead we have a called strike - with the bat still on his shoulder.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Harriet Miers for Supreme Court

I have been holding my tongue on this issue, because so many others have been going off emotionally on the nomination of Ms. Miers. The conservative punditry was quick to condemn the President on his choice and the ensuing noise from the echo chamber has been deafening. From the National Review, to Michelle Malkin, to the Powerline gents (whom I have great admiration for), the conservative world is abuzz with disappointment. Those who take a more positive approach (Hugh Hewitt for one) are sometimes taken to task for their "blind support" of the President. The hue and cry has been so overwhelming that President Bush had to hold yet another press conference today to try to calm the base a little bit....

Now I will not pretend to be an expert on Consitutional Law. That is why I admire the Powerline gents and Hugh Hewitt so much. They know the law and they can translate it so that a lay-person like myself can understand it. I would (however) like to comment on the hysteria that has been coming out of the vast right wing conspiracy (of which I am a card carrying member) over the last 24 hours. It seems to me like we are doing it again....we are fracturing ourselves over an issue where we simply do not have all of the facts. Yes, Ms. Miers is a judicial unknown. However, the days and weeks leading up to the Senate Confirmation hearings is where we will get to know her judicial temperment better. The nay-sayers say she has no judicial experience. True enough - but neither did 19 other seated Supreme Court justices. She has had the administrative experice of running a large legal enterprise that has to make tough decisions and do it in a way where all parties feel that they were given the opportunity to make their side heard. That is a good thing in my book.

All I am saying, dear readers, is let's back away from the feeding frenzy of self destruction and wait until we have all of the facts, before we make a snap judgement on whether Ms. Miers is an acceptable candidate or not. We have time, let's not jeopardize the 2006 mid-terms over an unknown.