I am more than a little shaken up by the Supreme Court vacancy, which will probably become two or even possibly three within the next several months (although the fact that Rehnquist has been quiet up until now is interesting, all signs point to him being physically unable to continue much longer).
Needless to say, I don’t have any faith in Bush choosing anyone I would support. I’m particularly spooked about the idea of Gonzales being rewarded again for his tireless work for the administration with a seat.
What almost bothers me more is that everyone is already gleefully gearing up for what looks like a really nasty fight. I imagine that’s what it will be too. It doesn’t have to be. I am hoping that our president will display what he hasn’t shown in the past – a willingness to consider other points of view. Frankly, I see this as coming down to two groups that Bush is beholden to – the religious right and the libertarians. If only the libertarian flavor of Republicans can pull his choice a little more in their direction, then someone like Gonzales and his creative interpretations of the Geneva Conventions can be pushed out. I wouldn’t like who they would want in the seat I’m sure, but it would be a long sight better than who the religious right would want. In the past though, Bush hasn’t seemed to shy away from promoting very divisive folks, and I doubt he’ll change for this, his chance to influence the nation for a very long time.
So it looks like we will be in for that fight. I’ve been heartened by Bush’s falling numbers, but just as in the presidential race, it seems that although people really don’t like what he’s doing or what he is saying that he will do, there are no other attractive options. I have fantasies of the Democrats putting up a unified and thoughtful defense, but frankly, I don’t have much hope for that. The fight, if there is one, will most likely come down to a filibuster, with the Democrats and hopefully a couple of maverick Republicans hanging on while the administration decries the interference of the do-nothing congress. All the while, the issue groups are going to be spending billions to the delight of the TV and radio stations and the advertising industry. It’s going to get ugly.
Lots of folks around the web are saying that this is the death of Roe v. Wade, too. I think that’s a bit premature, but if I were convinced that my god saw abortion as murder, then I’d be building a case to take to the courts as soon as that seat is filled. On the other hand, I do believe that if it were knocked down, it would simply become a matter for the states. It might be harder to fight against abortion laws in the deep red states, but I bet it would be easier to do even in the borderlands of the purplish states. Even if Roe v. Wade goes down, the abortion fight will be nowhere near over.
2 comments:
Yeah, Gonzales sucks, but he's not nearly so bad as some of those who might be nominated, which is why the dems would have a hard time deciding what to do with his nomination. The libertarians won't get a shot at this at all. Which of Bush's close advisors can really be called a libertarian? No, I fear it will be a choice between Gonzales or someone even worse.
Ick.
The only real hope is with the moderate repub senators—those who might decide that now is the time to draw the line on the repub theocrats.
Yeah, it's pretty much hopeless.
\*/
yeah, I'm reading that Gonzales at least isn't anti-choice, so I guess that's something. I can't believe that I would even be considering him as the lesser or evils...
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