Worrying about Alito

Ok, I’ll admit it, my early wait and see attitude toward Judge Samuel Alito was probably based in large part upon my relief that Miers was out of the picture. While I was perfectly aware that this might have been precisely the strategy, after an initial review of Alito’s decisions, while it was clear he was conservative, I didn’t see any evidence that he had much of an agenda.

Now the AP report on the contents of some papers written by Alito during the Reagan administration has me a bit concerned. Actually it has me more than a bit concerned. Alito is quoted by the AP as saying “I am particularly proud of my contributions in recent cases in which the government argued that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion,”

Coupling this statement with the AP's report that Alito told a group of senators in a private meeting “that he had ‘great respect’ for the precedent set by the 1973 Supreme Court ruling, Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion, but he did not commit to upholding it,” implies a lot more than his dissent in Casey that Roe v. Wade might be in big trouble with Alito on the bench.

Maybe he has promised his aging mother to overturn the case.

Even more troubling are reported statements to the effect that he supported “the legitimacy of a government role in protecting traditional values” and disagreed with Warren Court decisions in the area of the Establishment Clause.

I’d for damn sure like to know WHAT Warren Court decisions in the area of the Establishment Clause he disagreed with and why as well as what is his definition of “traditional values?”

#2 daughter reports that in private assessments, rather than public pronouncements, some of the faculty at Seton Hall is saying that while Alito is a nice guy, he’s SO conservative that he thinks poodle skirts and bobby socks are the height of risqué fashion.

Here’s hoping our hero, Sir Russell of Feingold, shall, shining armor all aglow, advance to do battle with the Alito! Hazzah Sir Russell! Nah, only kidding, I’m still keeping an open mind here, but I am a lot more nervous now than I was before and I'll be watching the performance of the Judiciary Committee with fingers crossed that they do the right thing by the American people. We don't need another justice with a personal agenda like Thomas and Scalia.

Is it possible that Alito is a WORSE choice than Miers? No, I don’t believe that as I’m sure Alito’s qualifications are a lot better than simply admiration for Dubyah’s special brand of incompetence. The idea of a Supreme Court Justice going around saying “Oh George, you were simply the bestest governor and now you’re simply the bestest president in the whole wide world” made me nauseous.