Alito Nomination Good Pick
by Daniel Arendt

When Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination, I hoped someone like Justice Cantero, Judge Garza, Judge Prado, or Judge Snow would next be nominated to further carry on Justice Roberts' pro America style of Constitutional interpretation. I believe in global trade, but I also believe each nation should interpret its own Constitution, weighing foreign laws to see if they mesh with the plain words of a Constitution, and without deference to the laws of other nations.

My hopes have come true now that President George W. Bush has nominated Judge Samuel Alito for the Sandra Day O'Connor vacancy. I am familiar with his background from the time he received unanimous Senate confirmation back in 1990 (when I was a publicly elected GOP central committeeman in Multnomah County, Oregon), and have seen his record and current diverse endorsements.

That People For The American Way (PFAW) today emailed me, to warn me Judge Alito upheld a Pennsylvania law requiring wives to at least inform their husbands of intent to abort, is merely quizzical. That hardly seems extreme to me and should not affect his qualifications.

I hope this time Democrats will accept that President Bush has nominated a fair jurist, and not delay scheduling of confirmation hearings for Judge Alito. If he was good enough for Democrats (and Republicans and conservatives) before, and has broad support of his profession, the only reason will be sheer partisanship.

Daniel C. Arendt, Chicago, Illinois

Who's Afraid of Sam Alito?
by Tim Shaw

Within moments of Sam Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court by President Bush, the leadership of the Democratic Party and left-wing interest groups made clear they would oppose his confirmation. A graduate of Princeton and Yale law school, with a 15-year career on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, nobody honestly believes he lacks the required experience or intellect. What, then, are they afraid of?

For starters, if confirmed, Alito may revisit the ridiculous ruling that American citizens have property rights.  Despite the current court majority, which found Americans have no right to keep their property in the Kelo v. New London case, Alito may find that everyday Americans have the right to buy, use, and keep property.  Imagine the horror on the left if Alito rules that the pledge of allegiance is legal.  How would Americans react if he rules that a 10 commandments monument can be put in a courthouse?  In an ultimate slap in the face to every good liberal, he might rule the Boy Scouts of America has the right to reject homosexual scoutmasters.  Imagine an America where traditional values are upheld!!!

When asked about his judicial philosophy, Judge Alito may say he believes the original intent of the Framers should be adhered to when considering the constitutionality of a law.  If he rejects the notion that the constitution is a "living, breathing" document full of penumbras, the left will surely demand a 'no' vote from their loyalists like Senators Schumer, Kennedy, Durbin, Boxer, Clinton,  et al.

To those who are spitting nails over the Alito nomination: if you want your Supreme Court nominees to be chosen from the membership list of the A.C.L.U., all you need to do is start winning some elections.  

The Constitution gives the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, the power to put people on the bench.  So, to get more MoveOn.org types in black robes, simply convince a sufficient number of your countrymen to vote for a left-winger for president.  Having recently failed at that endeavor, it now falls to the electoral victor the right to nominate the next Supreme Court Justice, in this case Sam Alito.  Better luck in '08.

Tim Shaw, Sacramento, CA