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Sotomayor Sessions on Race and Judicial Activism [updated]

Democrats should own race-based injustice label after Supreme Court nomination hearing

[For Update/Second DeVine Law report on Sotomayor hearing, see
Sotomayor as Toto-deny-or]

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution demands equal protection for all persons. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a society based on character content judgments and supported the 1964 Civil Rights Act which prohibits discrimination against individuals based on race or sex in a wide variety of areas in public life, including employment.

Monday’s start of the Senate hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace the retiring Justice David Souter presents the Republican Party and DeVine Gamecock Law (pictured) with a rare opportunity to expose the Democratic Party’s long-practiced opposition to a blindfolded Lady Justice in favor of race and gender based injustice, that they call “social justice”.

Blind Justice vs. Race/Sex-based Injustice

Given the starkly racist statements of Judge Sonia Sotomayor coupled with the replacement of Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, there is every reason to believe that the political landscape in 2010 and 2012 will finally include a more informed American electorate on the perils to their Liberty from Democratic party judicial nominees.

Homey don’t play dat

This is a hard issue to crystallize for voters, but it appears the sheer toxicity of the nominee’s “wise Latina” remark has already taken a dramatic toll on her reputation as the most recent Rassmussen poll recounts:

In a poll conducted May 2627 Rasmussen found that likely voters wanted to confirm Sotomayor by the margin of 45% to 29%. This was an underwhelming margin, to be sure, given all the laudatory media coverage, and may have been an early warning sign that Sotomayor could be vulnerable.

A month later that 16-point advantage has disappeared. Rasmussen’s June 2930 survey found that support for her confirmation has fallen 8 points, to 37%, while opposition has risen 10 points to 39%.

The cross tabs tell an interesting story. The biggest movement against Sotomayor comes from the following voter groups:

Women: In the May poll women supported Sotomayor’s confirmation 45% to 24%. Now they oppose it 31% for to 40% against. Feminists take note. That’s a dramatic, and unexpected, 30-point turnaround.

Age 30-39: In May this age group supported her confirmation by a two to one margin (49% to 24%). Now these 30-somethings oppose her promotion to the High Court – only 29% support her now while 47% oppose her – a decisive 43-point negative shift.

Independents: (Note: Rasmussen refers to unaffiliated voters as “other.” I’ll refer to them here as Independents.) In May, Independents gave Sotomayor about the same level of support as the country as a whole (41% to 29%); now they oppose her by more than a two-to-one margin, 23% to 49%, a 38-point turnaround for the worse.

By race: Though blacks still support her by a solid margin, 57% to 13%, that margin is down from 71% to 4% in May, a 23-point drop. Similarly, the racial group Rasmussen calls “other” (which presumably includes Hispanics and Asians) supported her 48% to 25% in May but now opposes her confirmation 32% to 43%, a negative swing of 34 points.

Rasmussen also picked up a negative movement in her favorability ratings. In May, a few more voters checked the “very favorable” box (20%) than the “very unfavorable” one (17%). By late June, she was upside-down on this important measure, with only 14% very favorably disposed toward her and 24% very unfavorably disposed.

What happened as Earth tilted past its Summer solstice? Americans learned of one of the hottest opinions of the first Hispanic nominee to the nation’s highest court:

I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.

The vast majority of Americans are repelled by such bigoted ideas anathema to what America stands for, especially given what we have achieved to overcome our segregated past. The disgust is multiplied exponentially when such ideas are brought to bear against one’s ability to earn a living by working hard and playing by the rules.

Obama’s hubris and Over-Ricci

So it should come as no surprise that the Sotomayor is so unpopular given the revelation of her Second Circuit Court of Appeals vote to deny promotions to non-black firefighters earned via testing because no black firefighters passed the test.

Thankfully, the court to which Judge Sotomayor aspires reversed the Ricci case. Now the only question is whether the white dyslexic fireman will be “Borked” or subjected to another Democratic Party “high-tech lynching” ala Clarence Thomas, when he testifies.

Un-Hatched Sessions

The President surely knew the nominee’s record and racist statements but nominated her anyway. No doubt he was counting on a beleaguered GOP to resort to the old “Hatch” strategy that treats life-time appointees to the Third Branch of government like deputy Agricultural secretaries since “elections have consequences.”

But Jeff Sessions’ election to lead the opposition will also have a consequence as the junior senator from Alabama reveres the Constitution he and Supreme Court nominees swear an Oath to uphold more than ABA ratings and co-starring guest spots on Sunday Shows.

There will be no Hatch-like boasting years from now about near unanimous GOP votes for judicial activists like Sotomayor’s soulmates, Breyer and Ginsburg. Sessions has been eloquent in recent floor debate concerning the solemnity of the Oath and disqualifying judicial philosophies that treat the Constitution as no more binding than the European public opinion that the nominee has cited as proper authority for making policy from the bench.

The experienced trial lawyer that spend most weekends in Alabama instead of the Georgetown cocktail circuit knows how make witnesses own their own words in a very pleasant, Southern gentlemanly sort of way, and has the courage to do so.

Judicial activism defined

The Democratic chairman of the committee, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) when asked recently about the nominee’s “wise Latina” remark, expressed his hope that Republicans judge Sotomayor on what is said in the hearings.

This comment is quite revealing of the general modus operandi of Democrats as well as their “living Constitution” judicial philosophy that allow them to re-invent the world each day to suit their agenda.

In other words, they lie. In fact, most times when you hear them speak of how “smart” or “intelligent” is one of their own (Bill Clinton comes to mind), it is usually a euphemism for their ability to obfuscate their true positions, i.e. lie.

It takes a barrage of words to pass off oligarchical usurpations of power as constitutional, that is, when they even bother to mention the world’s oldest governing document. For just as they want Sotomayor judge solely by her hearing script explanations of her past rather than the plain meaning of her past utterances, so do they also exalt their modern, enlightened social preferences over the plain meaning of words ratified two centuries ago. Hence their denial and projection even over the meaning of the term “judicial activism”:

Anyone who believes that only “liberal” judges are “activists” should read Justice Clarence Thomas’ dissent in last week’s Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder.

If an activist is a judge who wants to use the power of the courts to substitute his preference for the will of the people’s elected representatives, then Thomas fits the definition.

Astounding the new found liberal exaltation of the preferences for majorities given that their resort to judicial re-writings of the law was necessitated by their inability to persuade majorities to endorse their loony views, but I digress…or do I. Maybe the ObamaDem hubris and overreach is informed by their belief that the mainstream America that elected Obama has come around to their view. As we pointed out above, Rassmussen indicates another reality.

But we shouldn’t be surprised when a liberal defines judicial philosophies without any reference to the Nation’s Governing Document. For them, it is merely a obstacle they must navigate in imposing their policy preferences no matter is they subvert the will of super-majorities ratifying Constitutions and their amendments; referenda by We the People or statutes passed by legislators.

Judicial activism has one meaning and one meaning only: intentional subversion of the written law thru misinterpretations. It is the re-writing or amending of the Constitution from the bench, rather than via the required amendment process.

Finally we have a stark example of what liberals and Democrats have been doing to subvert the Rule of Law on an issue and in a forum in the fullness of time that promises to change the political landscape.

Even most liberals resent being denied the fruits of their hard earned labor. Most Americans are not racist and eschew race-based decisions. They can read the English language and had thought that Democrats and judges were as literate. They also revere the courts. But now, they catch a glimpse of what liberal judges mean by “interpret the law” as applied to a law they know well, i.e. the Constitution’s blood-drenched demand that the law be color blind.

ObamaDems are playing with fire and should soon learn the wisdom of their past stealth nominees as they get burned with an un-wise Latina.

And getting burned does not require that Sotomayor’s nomination be defeated. In fact, they would probably get charred less if she were defeated because then they could re-habilitate themselves a bit with a stealth nominee as a replacement that could denounce Sotomayor’s record.

No, the GOP understands that no matter who Obama nominates, they will rule the same from the bench. The burning, which appears to have already begun, is from the publicity of Sonia’s racist views and actions. The Democrats will finally reap the racial seeds of poison they have sown for the past 40 years.

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com and Minority Report columns

“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

Originally published @ Examiner.com, where all verification links may be accessed

COMMENTS

  • David123

    if different men are treated differently under the same law?

    see Plessy v Ferguson

    and now …

    New Haven firefighters

  • pilgrim

    Of the current SCOTUS the Rs have only had 2 of those 9 appointed by a D President. Under Orrin Hatch’s misguided directions the Rs performed badly with those two. The Rs gave them both a big pass to the SCOTUS, and the Ds never ever have reciprocated. The other misconception is that the pressure Ds always put on nominees would hurt them with the voters. That did not happen to them, and it will not happen to Rs. Another thing to consider is what a bad signal we sent the current President when no heat was put on Ginsburg and Breyer. It just emboldens him to pick the most bigoted sexist lefty judge for his nominee. After all, the Rs do NewTone;&trade.

  • DONTREADONME

    “So it should come as no surprise that the Sotomayor is so unpopular given the revelation of her Second Circuit Court of Appeals vote to deny promotions to non-white firefighters earned via testing because no black firefighters passed the test.”

    Shouldn’t it say “…vote to deny promotions to white firefighters earned via testing because no black firefighters passed the test.”

    just checking to see if that is right? Maybe I am wrapping myself around the axle on this?

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    The latest on the Democrat?s attempts to shield SoSo from scrutiny of her Radicalness is that 1,200 pages of Memos withheld by Clinton Administration archives regarding Sotomayor. That one won?t have alot of Prime-time airplay or Newsprint coverage. more

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    the 30 point poll swing since her racist statement and Ricci decision became known. It is quite profound.

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    Then we MUST go at them full bore to replace them for their cowardice!!! We can ill afford to lose any seats now (yeah, go ahead and whine “purge now” crowd) but they cannot be allowed to NOT pay for their lack of backbones beyond any point they are only merely “useful” to US (Conservatives) as a means to Majority Caucuses and then must be removed!!!!

    It’s always, THROW THE BUMS OUT, EXCEPT MY BUM…. We have to THROW ALL OF THEM OUT but we can’t accomplish it all at once is all I’m saying. Once we do finally start mobilizing and targeting them a few at a time and MAKE THEM PAY WITH THEIR JOB BEING LOST that we will get others to LISTEN! We’ve had this discussion, of course, many times and it is certainly correct that some of these folks consider themselves SAFE no matter what they do TO US and we must prove them wrong (but we cannot shoot ourselves in the reclaiming majority foot at the same time doing so / BALANCE, sucks but is reality).

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090712/OPINION01/907120317/1036/Opinion

    excerpt:

    If confirmed, Sotomayor will have the power to define the meaning of our Constitution for the entire nation. This is an awesome responsibility – determining the rights and freedoms for every man, woman and child in America.

    This is our one chance to get it right.

    Supreme Court justices do not face elections or term limits. It is essentially a lifetime appointment.

    That’s why we must have a national discussion about the role of a judge and what kind of justice we ought to place on our nation’s highest court.

    We must look to what has made our legal system the envy of the world. At its heart is the Constitution. While the courts of many countries run roughshod over people’s rights, American courts are tightly bound to the words of the Constitution and must defend the rights of every single American – regardless of a judge’s personal or political feelings in a case.

    Courthouses across our country feature the image of a woman with a blindfold weighing the scales of justice. She wears the blindfold so that she can judge her cases without bias or favoritism of any kind. This ideal is emblazoned on the Supreme Court building with the words “Equal Justice Under Law.” Blind, equal justice is the foundation of our remarkable legal system and the bulwark of our shared freedoms.

    But Obama and Sotomayor have expressed a very different view of judging. This view says that justice should not be blind, that it should not be based only on the law and the Constitution, but that it should take a judge’s own personal and political feelings into account.

    Obama says that when “constitutional text will not be directly on point,” the critical ingredient for judges is the “depth and breadth of one’s empathy,” as well as “their broader vision of what America should be.” But when a judge shows empathy toward one party in a courtroom, do they not show prejudice against the other?

    Sotomayor has stated her belief that impartiality may not be possible in “all or even most cases,” that “personal experiences affect the facts judges choose to see,” and that judges “must not deny the differences resulting from experience and heritage but attempt … continuously to judge when those opinions, sympathies and prejudices are appropriate.”

    But if you or I step into a courtroom, shouldn’t we be able to do so with confidence that we will get a fair day in court no matter our background, experience, or politics – and no matter the background, experience, or politics of the judge?

    We should keep this in mind as we consider Sotomayor’s one-paragraph ruling in the recent New Haven firefighter case. Eighteen firefighters studied for months to pass the city’s promotion exam. They did. But the city junked the results because officials didn’t feel the outcome met the appropriate racial quota. Sotomayor sided with the city and even denied the firefighters a trial.

    The Supreme Court rejected Sotomayor’s ruling and determined that the city’s action to abandon the legitimate promotion process violated the legal rights of the firefighters – who had played by the rules.

    For years, Sotomayor was a leader at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund while it fought aggressively to pursue racial quotas for city hiring – just like in New Haven. Is Sotomayor’s ruling against the firefighters an example of her failure to set aside her biases and rule impartially?

    Contrast the philosophy Obama and Sotomayor have advocated with the plain words of the judicial oath:

    “I do solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.”

    Every day that Americans enjoy the extraordinary blessings of freedom, they do so in part because of the words and principles in that oath. Empathy-based rulings, no matter how well-intentioned, do not help society, but imperil the legal system that has been so essential to our liberties and so fundamental to our way of life.

    MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE THE RIGHT SENATOR FOR THIS JOB!!!!

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    usually Sessions. There will be no mass vote for Sotomayor from Republicans as under Hatch, esp given that the polls show women and Hispanics OPPOSE her now, before the hearing.

    She is toxic and Sessions will reveal the toxicity like the good trial lawyer he is.

  • bk

     

  • ColdWarrior

    Sen. Cornyn informed me of all that he and the NRSC was doing to “protect the courts.” You can go here

    http://www.ProtectTheCourts.com

    to submit questions you’d like asked of Judge Sotomayor!

    You can donate money there to the NRSC! (Or not!)

    I?m sure our courageous, steel-spined Republican ?leaders? on the Judiciary Committee will ask Sotomayor tough questions.

    Or not.

    I?m prepared to be sorely disappointed. But I’ll pray that their actions meet or exceed their rhetoric for once.

    Thank you.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    Accurately quoting her is all that is necessary! Questions?

    We have the answers!

  • BooBooKitty

    Thomas Sowell made an interesting baseball analogy- you may be interested in this article:

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/09/a_tangled_web_part_two_97328.html

  • ColdWarrior

    Look at all the appointments with tax problems.

    Look at all the lobbyists he said he wouldn’t hire.

    Look at his failure to not raise taxes.

    Look at his failure to have transparency.

    Look at his failure to stem job losses.

    Look at the failure TARP.

    Look at the failed Porkulus bill.

    We need Teleprompter Boy to fail at picking a proper supreme court justice.

    I will be calling and faxing every Republican Judiciary Committee member on this one.

    Keep it up!

    Thank you.

  • 6eorge Jetson

    only to be replaced by another like-minded nominee.

    That’s not the goal. The point is to continue to expose Obama and the Dems as the micro-managing control freaks they are.

  • SirGladiator

    Do we as Conservatives run the risk of making the same mistake the liberals made when they went after Harriet Miers, the pro-abortion liberal Bush tried to appoint to the Surpreme Court a few years or so back? They went after her because they hated Bush, and in the end we Conservatives got what hopefully will be an awesome vote for decades to come, instead of being saddled with another liberal feminist ‘Republican’ in the mold of O Connor. I know we don’t actually know where Soto stands on abortion, but isn’t it a sure thing that if he appointed somebody who we DID know their position on abortion, they would be very strongly in favor of it? Isn’t the fact that we even have a CHANCE to get a pro-life Supreme Court pick from Obama something worth celebrating? The liberals had their chance to get a pro-abortion pick from Bush, and they blew it, happily for the rest of us. Certainly Soto is a very flawed candidate, and on the merits of her racist statements alone she doesn’t deserve to be confirmed, but to be honest if she votes to discriminate against me because of my skin color, but also votes to save the lives of millions of unborn children, I would gladly allow myself to be discriminated against. I know that Jay Seculow, the #1 Christian legal defense lawyer in the entire world, said that he has argued a number of cases before her, and she always ruled in favor of Christians rights. We also know she ruled the pro-life way in a case back during the Bush administration, although that was an abortion funding issue rather than a pro-life vs pro-abortion issue. But what we do know seems to be VASTLY better than we could’ve ever expected out of Obama. And we can’t forget that if, somehow, she does vote to protect life, she would most likely be the 5th vote, the decisive vote against abortion, so its not like she would be a ‘nice vote to have but not really relevant’, she likely would make ALL the difference. Of course if she does turn out to be pro-abortion I would be kicking myself for not opposing her when I had the chance :) . So I guess the point Im making is, let’s just think real hard about this, in case we might be about to make the same mistake the liberals did with Harriet. There are a lot of innocent lives at stake here, and no doubt if Obama picks again he will almost certainly pick somebody who is pro-abortion all the way, this could be our only chance. Lets make the most of it.

  • http://www.redstate.com/britcom/ Britcom

    .

  • bk

    Liberals never really went after Miers. Sure they started out saying she was a Bush lackey of course, but mostly they sat back and watched in glee as conservatives went after her. Then once she was dead the liberals acted as though she had been the greatest nominee in the history of the country only to be killed by conservatives.

    Certainly she would have been better on the SC for the liberals, but all they cared about was that it caused infighting on the right.

  • bk

    and it’s way more than that.

  • bk

    They can argue they are not planning a permanent filibuster – just until 1) all requested materials have been turned over and 2) there has been sufficient time to review them.

    Let the Dems medivac in Kennedy and Byrd and force every single Dem to vote for her. And heck – you never know what Byrd would even do anyway.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    all that I know that oppose Sotomayor, do so because of her unconstitutional judicial philosophy.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    HE IS NO HATCH!

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    to say this. God bless this man.

  • nessa

    http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1

  • mom2oneson
  • mom2oneson

    I feel bad for her watching this. She looks so sad! What is with all the photographers on the floor?

  • bk

    I never trust the Dems when it looks like something is a coincidence….

    I wouldn’t put it past Obama/Holder/Reid/Pelosi to be sending the message to McConnell and Boehner that if these hearings on Sotomayor get nasty, the Dems will kick into “oversight” mode and go after anyone and everyone in the Bush administration and try to make the GOP look as bad as possible.

    I sure hope that’s the case, and the GOP says “screw you; bring it” – People are tired of that crap and it would backfire on the Dems in a major way.

  • ColdWarrior

    her face looks like that when she’s in the middle of . . . I’ll stop there, but the continuing thought involves a “number two.”

    Thank you.

  • penguin2

    For those of us who can’t catch some or any of it? I missed Sessions, and I would like your take and impressions on the big picture.

    Thanks. $peciallist said you are “money” as in right on the money. I give you 99.9%of the time. :-)

  • eburke

    would pick *anyone* for the SCOTUS who is wasn’t *positive* was pro-abortion…..weill, I’ve got some prime real estate in the Everglades for you.

  • Rod_Patrick

    Just how? Sigh.

    GC, this diary is quite excellent.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    is to join them or commit suicide.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    it is also the case that all republicans are politicians and most are scared of the media.

    Some aren’t: Sessions, DeMint….having trouble now…

  • mom2oneson

    that memorized their memory verse for Sunday School and got a sticker.
    What is with that? They sound like they are talking to a very young child not somone that is a peer on their level.. I just heard it again with Sen Whitehouse. They just have this kind of tone to it, I can’t really describe it in writing. I wouldn’t communicate my pride to any child over 5 with that tone..it’s demaning.

  • izoneguy

    It’s for the cameras. In the age of YouTube no politician wants a soundbyte that will live in infamy….

  • mom2oneson

    it shows something about our country that you are here or however they are phrasing it. I would be totally upset. I am not for her being SC justice but this stuff would be very disrespectful towards like any human standing there.

  • http://politics4all.com/users/davidshockey thersites

    I like the idea of throwing the bums out. But, I think we should keep Sessions. He very rarely disappoints.

  • mom2oneson
  • eburke

    and believe in a core set of values more than they desire to have cocktail circuit invitations?

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit
  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit
  • Flagstaff

    SoSo must get at least one Republican vote to emerge from the committee? If so, can Sessions keep Graham in line when it comes time to vote, or is this whole thing just a show for Civics classes of the future?

    Those Senators who have commented on it have missed the significant parts of the “wise Latina woman” statement. First, it was made more than once, not just on that one occasion. Second, the key to the racism is not that SoSo claims to be better than white folks, but that her ethnicity would enable her to make better decisions than would a white male judge. This is by definition a racist statement, and by definition her belief in it makes her racist. She did not say that her ethnicity would help her make better decisions than without it, she said her decisions would be qualitatively better than would those of someone of different ethnicity.

    She needs to explain how she didn’t mean it. She needs to explain why she said it if she didn’t mean it. She needs to explain how a judge, whose words need to be clear so as to avoid misinterpretation, could make such an obviously racist statement if that wasn’t what she meant.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    he knew she didn’t misspeak. No, the hearing is not about that her past raises questions. No! We have the answers. The hearing is about educating the American people who she is, who Obama is and who the dems are so that they will have one more reason to never give them power again.

    It is the dems that admire cute explanations of alleged misspeaks, not us.

    But, btw, I would not want her defeated in committee unless it were with at least one dem vote. I do think she should get an up or down vote and that all Repubs (and dems for that matter) should vote against her.

  • INC

    This should be highlighted:

    The hearing is about educating the American people who she is, who Obama is and who the dems are so that they will have one more reason to never give them power again.

  • Flagstaff

    I’m glad that he nailed her on the multiple times statement in support of racism. I didn’t mean to imply that she COULD answer the charges, only that she should be made to dwell on it, in the hope that it would be clear to the non-involved public just how the Dem appointment and thought process work.

    Maybe I’ll have a few drinks and watch the Alphabet news broadcasts tonight to see how or if they cover it all.

    It would be best to defeat her on the floor of the Senate. It’s possible she wouldn’t be an ideologue; at least she might not be worse than Souter. So it might be worth seeing how Senators will vote. A defeat in committee with one Dem vote would also be good.

    That all may be wishful thinking.

  • Flagstaff

    The other misconception is that the pressure Ds always put on nominees would hurt them with the voters. That did not happen to them, and it will not happen to Rs.

    While the results are not symmetrical because of press bias, R’s shouldn’t be afraid to do what is right. They’ve lost much more by trying to appease everyone, thereby appealing to nobody.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    to always say, anytime dems are accurately quoted, that it “raises questions”. This was especially annoying during the past campaign with respect to Obama’s statements and associations with Rev Wright and that terrorist he hung with.

    I actually think its best for the future of America that Soto’ not be defeated, but that she barely pass as if the dems were to get to replace her, they could partially rehab themselves with a stealth nominee.

    My goal is that the dems be clearly seen as the lawless bigots they are for the next two elections.

    They need Soto around their neck but for that to happen most repubs must vote against her.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    have consequences” excuse to vote for all but a convicted murderer.

    Yes Lindsay, and when republicans are elected to the senate it should have consequences, and so should the prospect of a judge that won’t uphold the Oath. Listen to Sessions and get your beltway suckup mind right.

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    Patronizing

    other potential contenders: Dull, Placating, DISTRACTION, …..

    Very little was foreshadowing anything of real merit, but we can hope. Actually, we must do more than HOPE, we must call all Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and let them know we expect REAL HEARING with REAL HARD QUESTIONING and….. you know….. Call them, and drop them a BTW we want their Nae on HC and CapAndTrade this week too.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • Flagstaff

    when republicans are elected to the senate it should have consequences

    That’s been the problem with Republicans when they were in the majority. We/they just refused to do what they were elected to do.

    And

    so should the prospect of a judge that won?t uphold the Oath.

    That wise Latina can just lie through her teeth and they’ll believe her, or maybe pretend to.

    Lindsey can make such good position statements when he wants to: “Don’t spend any more than you take in,” today on Greta’s show, On the Record. Then he forgets he said them.

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    Graham said: Unless you have a meltdown you will be confirmed – seems more the attitude when he should have said: Confirmation is never assured and I/we will take these hearings seriously and weighing all materials heavily.

    I don’t care how they do it, but they SHOULD absolutely kill this confirmation — but they won’t. It would be great if they’d grow ‘em and prove me wrong.

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    Like I said in my earlier diary about distractions What Obama Does NOT Want You Paying Attention To [revisited/updated] ROLAND BURRIS dog and pony show will also be trotted out as needed to play up the RACE-BAITING by the MSM to help ensure focus stays on THE WISE LATINA’S RACE and the again historical (read: hysterical) nature of the nomination. How/Why this never backfires on Democrats/MSM irks me beyond words can express.

    partial quote from What Obama Does NOT Want You Paying Attention To [revisited/updated 7/12 2am] Diary:

    It is sad that Democrats are looking to play Hispanics as fools with all the Race-baiting. What will be more shameful is if Republicans equally avoid going at SoSo rather than challenging her on her Rulings and countless dumb comments (and that it is NOTHING to do with her Gender and/or Heritage) and RESPECT them enough to know/understand where the Racism really resides. To fail to examine her ?fairly,? meaning with the same and proper scrutiny as Republicans could/should/would go after any other nominee for their ?lack of ?concern? for the Constitution…..

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    For the last 30 minutes I have been watching Sessions tear Soto and even Leahy new ones, in a very real way. He has been relentless in quoting Soto in question after question that is destroying her credibility and he directly accused Leahy of misrepresenting the facts on Soto with a change in her quotes on wise Latinas.

    Now, as to killing the nomination, that would require 51 votes.

    I do expect that Graham will ask very good questions and certainly hope that all Republicans and really all Senators should vote against her and unlike many here, I do think it is possible to defeat her.

    However, given that any replacment judge would be just as bad as Soto, only just stealthy, I do see defeat of Soto as critical and certaibnly do not favor a filibuster even if we could muster 41 votes for same because her opinions are not “extraordinary” circumstances under the precedent of the gang of 14 standard since the majority of the legal community does accept the liberal view.

    I believe that such a view would require Impeachment, but my Jeffersonian-Jackson-Lincoln view is not the majority view.

    Please continue the conversation as I think this is important. Please see my earlier comments as well above and in the other major threads on the frontpage columns as I have answered some of your other concerns there.

    more later

    I am writing 2-3 columns for the AJC this week on this matter btw

  • Rod_Patrick
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    he will be both! He will be a great questioner with devastating logic. I just hope he eschews the hatch bull and votes against her.

    I am pretty sure Hatch will vote no and has learned his lesson now. I expect a very large vote against her with maybe even a few dems…

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    a kinship of politicians/public figures who want cover in their lazy moments or when they have accidentally told the truth.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    opening statement yesterday. This has caused Soto’ to give THREE different re-interpretations of the wise Latina and policy making statements. Sessions is the first I have sen to be so blunt in this way. He also called Leahy out for mischaracterizing the facts of her statements today that nearly made Pat pee his pants.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • Spartan4Life

    Either way she seems unfit for the Supreme Court.

    If she wants to take back what she said that is one thing but to baldly sit there and say she believes the opposite and we are supposed to just ignore what she said previously? That strains her credibility. Isn’t there a latin term in the courroonm for when you are caught in one mistruth that it is OK to assume that everything else you say may not be trusted, either? I don’t think Ms. Sotomayor can be trusted to ever tell the truth, therefore disqualifying her.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • Menlo

    Why isn’t there a bigger fuss over circuit court nominees when they are, to quote SoSo, “where policy is made?”

    Since the early 90′s, the Supreme Court has become a figurehead having deny certed itself out of relevance. It now grants cert mostly to cases that, in practice, impact very few people in very limited ways. I predict this trend will not only continue but also grow, especially once Obama and Congress do all the activism for the judges.

    For that reason, we should be glad that SoSo will have a far more limited impact in “making policy” and worry more about who will replace her (and decide many more cases over the same time).

    In any case, the Constitution is a lost cause. Almost no elected or appointed official has followed it for well over a generation, and 80+ percent of voters would not elect or support the nomination of anyone who did. Unconstitutional measures pass routinely with unanimous support from both parties.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    and probably a treatise of cases at least 200 pages thick.

    I am a speed reader, so have at it.

  • Menlo

    Numbers used to be more than double, and percentages were higher.

    Regardless, it’s always been too few, and the whole certiorari process ought to be abolished and the court restructured accordingly.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    be more aggressive on judicial nominations for district and appeals courts? no doubt

    see Estrada et al

    But I would need to know of specific cases where there is a split in the circuits on particular issues that are having actual effects on liberty to evaluate your claim.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    J Ant Kennedy 5-4 case on nat sec and the Schivo cases where they ignored jurisdictional mandates. What do you propose re cert rules?

  • Menlo

    Either abolish the Supreme Court entirely, require it to hear every single case that comes to it, or merge the circuit courts into one Supreme Court.

    Otherwise, I’m not sure what you are asking. It has nothing to do with circuit splits. My problem is that the Supreme Court is in 99.99 percent of cases saying, “we don’t know if the lower court was right or wrong, and we don’t care.” I don’t believe that to be compatible with equal justice under the law.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    it would not solve the problem posed by the physical world, that you seem to imagine can be overcome!

    My best answer to your frustration is one of my classics:

    Its all been damage control since Eve bit the apple and will be until Jesus returns and

    Our system is the worst except for all the others that have been tried east of Eden.

  • Menlo

    The merger would work since you would have the same people deciding the same cases. Their ruling would simply not be geographically bound or subject to review by a higher court. Similarly, the Supreme Court could be expanded (on the order of more than ten times its current size) such that cases would be divided among many more judges. As I said, restructuring would be needed. However, I think the best option may simply be to abolish it.

  • David123

    I prefer following the written letter of the Constitution, but if I gotta have a living constitution I’d rather have one that crawls a little bit instead of one that does marathons and contortions. :-)

    Judge Sotomayor manages to get it wrong on individual second amendment rights, racial equality under the law, Roe is “settled law”, and probably Kelo. I’d be amazed if Obama nominated someone who thought Roe was decided wrong – however, conceivably he would pick a judge who is wrong on Roe but right on kelo, 2nd amendment rights, and racial equality. A judge who pretty much believed in following the written constitution but who felt the Roe precedent was important enough not to overturn.

    Sandra Day O’Connor supported Roe, but at least she got kelo right.

  • OccamsRazor

    Yep.

    From a political context, this MUST be the price paid by the Democrats for this particular judicial vetting.

    Our Repubs need to make the definitions and context CLEAR, while they have the chance, with wiley Overton overtures wherever amd whenever possible against Sotomayor and what we all know she/they stand for in her heart.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    must wait for 2010 and 2012

  • alabamaconservativeson

    was when he cited Cederbaum as a source on how judges should be impartial and not care about race or gender.*

    And then Cederbaum showed up and said she supports Sonia.

    * Cederbaum and Sessions were both nominated by Ronaldus Magnus but only Cederbaum got voted for the appeals position, since Sessions was a racist.

  • portabello77

    Specifically, in racial discrimination cases. Alito once said:

    “When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account.”
    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/15/valerie_jarrett_cites_double_s.html

    Doesn’t this undermine the accusations against Sotomayor regarding her Alito-esque comment? If the “two wrongs don’t make a right” argument is to be invoked, have we given Alito a pass by not criticizing his words?

  • $peciallist

    http://www.redstate.com/e_pluribus_unum/2009/07/15/her-lies-show-that-sotomayor-knows-the-truth/

  • keeper

    that because Sotomeyer is lying her race/ethnicity based interpretation of the Constitution is a bad thing but since Alito was honest that his race/ethnicity based interpretation of the Constitution is acceptable? I can’t buy that.

    But I’d say that Sotomeyer’s comment specifically compared the performance of two separate race/ethnicities, latino and white. While Alito’s comment does not, he is saying his first hand knowledge of discrimination is useful to him. That’s a huge difference.

  • $peciallist

    and I would add that he take it as Gospel….

    Did you read it?

  • firedup

    re: “Judicial activism has one meaning and one meaning only: intentional subversion of the written law thru misinterpretations. It is the re-writing or amending of the Constitution from the bench, rather than via the required amendment process.”

    1. In the second sentence, are you speaking rhetorically? I mean, the constitution isn’t literally rewritten from the bench, is it? I’m assuming that you mean that rulings from the bench twist the original intent of the constitution to achieve an outcome that is contrary to what the Framers had in mind?

    2. This is regarding your first definition. Given that a unanimous SCOTUS decision on any given case is nearly unheard of, doesn’t that suggest that many laws can be interpreted differently by different individuals? And if so, how then can we tell the difference between “interpretation” and “misinterpretation”?

    CAVEAT: I’m not a lawyer, so, admittedly, a lot of this legal stuff that’s second nature to Mike and Erick (and others) is a bit taxing for me. I’ve always struggled with this concept of judicial activism.

    Thanks for any insight.

  • David123

    1. It is meant figuratively, not literally. The printed words of the constitution remain the same unless it is changed through the amendment process.

    2. Read the constitution for yourself to identify obvious mistakes. For example the 14th amendment says no state can deny any person equal protection under the law. Yet 8 judges got this wrong in Plessy v Fergusson where they said it was ok for Louisiana to force white people and colored people to ride in different train cars. So little white kids with white mothers could ride in the same train car with their mothers, but if Barry Obama and his mother had taken a train trip in Louisiana [when the law was still in effect] he would have had to ride in a different train car than his mother. So the supreme court denied Barry Obama and any other mixed race child with a white mother equal protection under the law, flagrantly violating the written constitution and establishing the awful doctrine of “separate but equal”.

    There are some other cases where the errors are less obvious than in Plessy v Ferguson and some cases where reasonable interpretation could go either way, but whenever judges go the opposite way of the written constitution that is flagrant judicial activism.

  • firedup

    Yeah, I totally get that (about my second question), and that makes perfect sense. I guess the truth is that, as you mentioned, there are so many cases that aren’t as obvious (to the non lawyers among us) as Plessy vs. Fergusson, and I guess I get lost in the morass of legal jargon.

    Thanks for your help.