Hyping Alito

An application for a promotion in 1985 is being touted as providing insight into the "leanings" of Samuel Alito. Protesters stand on the steps of the Supreme Court, and a "lefty" Alito aid says Alito is fair and unbiased. I have kept silent on the debate about who Alito is, and how he may rule once he sits on the Supremes. Why? Because the whole issue is distracting. What I know is that any person that Bush puts forward to the Supreme Court is going to support his "policies." Those policies? They will favor corporations over people and the environment. They will support more power and secrecy for the executive branch. They will think that the citizens of the United States have too much freedom. They will see that equity issues - such as civil rights and affirmative action - have gone "too far." They will lean towards controlling women's bodies - whether that be Roe v. Wade, or prioritizing the fetus over the mother. I also know that it is not in the political interests of the Right (or the neo-cons) to overturn Roe v. Wade outright, nor to end the debate on the rights of homosexuals. These two issues have been, and will continue to be "cash cows."

I have no question about the leanings, nor likely rulings, of Samuel Alito, or Harriet Miers for that matter. The Bush cabal is just that. They promote from within a closed circle of "vetted" people who not only share an ideology, but are loyal to "the cause." Bush (nor any of the administration) will select anyone for anything from outside "the circle."

Alito, like most of the cabal, entered "the circle" during the Regan Administration. Lots of people, from politicians to judges were strategically placed under Regan, Alito was one; Roberts was one; and Miers squeaked in through service to the Bush's. The "cabal" did not start with George W. Bush. It simply came to official control with the stolen election of 2005, and was only possible because the cabal was already in place.

It may be intellectually interesting to debate the possible rulings of Samuel Alito after he is confirmed (and I have little doubt he will be confirmed), but it is an exercise with no goal in sight. We would be better served by knowing what his connections are to the inner circle than arguing about whether there are questions about how he might vote on one issue or another.