pudge's Journal: Pull the Other One, Leahy

Democrat Senator Leahy, along with Senators Durbin and Kennedy, and a few others, are saying they oppose Judge Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States because they are worried about his views on the power of the executive branch.

I watched almost all of the hearings. OK, half-watched. But my ears perked up for most of when they discussed this topic, and Alito gave the best answers possible: while refusing to comment on specifics of what Bush has done (as required by judicial ethics), he said he would use the Constitution as his guide, and if the President had a power granted by the Constitution, he wouldn't prevent him from exercising it, but that otherwise, Congress had the authority to limit the executive's power. What better answer can there be?

And it's not inconsistent with his record, either, as he has shown time and again he is willing to check the power of the executive.

I can't help but think there is simply no way the Democrats giving this line actually believe it. They are merely trying to score political points by lying about what they really think. And the ill-informed citizenry we have will buy it, hook, line, and sinker.

Long legacy of Kennedy

[Dark Coder]

It pains me to see Sen. Kennedy stain his family livelyhood and spirit with his particular firebrand of ultra-liberalism.

I've always thought that Joseph Kennedy was a conversative. What went astray in the Kennedy family politics?

Sometime I wonder if Ted was underwater for far too long, possibly caused some brain damage (???) that fateful day (long ago).

Re:Long legacy of Kennedy

[Cyberdyne]

I've always thought that Joseph Kennedy was a conversative. What went astray in the Kennedy family politics?

So was JFK, if you look at his fiscal policies - perhaps it's just Ted who got short-changed in the genetic lottery?

Sometime I wonder if Ted was underwater for far too long, possibly caused some brain damage (???) that fateful day (long ago).

Could be...

Re:Long legacy of Kennedy

[ncc74656]

Sometime I wonder if Ted was underwater for far too long, possibly caused some brain damage (???) that fateful day (long ago).

Could be...

You'd think all of that scotch would've had a preservative effect, given how he practically mainlines the stuff. OTOH, alcohol is known to have its own effects on people's mental state...

so?

[tf23]

Dems: Alito would fail to check executive power [cnn.com]

So you think the Democrats honestly do believe what Alito's said. Yet they spout off differently about it to the Media, hoping to make it seem that they are actually doing something for their party/constituents by disapproving of Alito? Thereby garnering votes from their less-informed constituents?

I guess I had never thought about their actions that way.

I don't consider myself a Dem, nor a Republican. I know I am not what people would term a conservative. Howev

Re:so?

[pudge]

So you think the Democrats honestly do believe what Alito's said.

There is nothing in his record or statements to reasonably suggest they should not, so yes, I believe they do.

Yet they spout off differently about it to the Media, hoping to make it seem that they are actually doing something for their party/constituents by disapproving of Alito? Thereby garnering votes from their less-informed constituents?

No, it goes deeper than that. They are setting up the 2006 and 2008 elections as referendums on the "GO

nope

[eglamkowski]

Read the Constitution closely - Congress has NO authority to limit the powers of the Executive branch.
None.

Of course, the Constitution itself imposes its own severe limits on the powers of the Executive. If the President over-steps the bounds of his constitionally granted authority, Congress has the power to impeach him.

Frankly, we should have had a LOT more impeachments in our history than we have.

Re:nope

[pudge]

Read the Constitution closely - Congress has NO authority to limit the powers of the Executive branch.

Of course it does. But only in regard to those areas where the President's powers are not granted by the Constitution. For example, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is part of the executive branch. But it operates under rules set by Congress, which has the Constitutional authority over patents and trademarks.

"Impeach Earl Warren"

[Roblimo]

Those signs were all over Orange County (Calif) when I was a kid, sponsored by the John Birch Society.

Earl Warren was a liberal activist Supreme Court Chief Justice who did evil things like making it easier for Negroes (remember Negroes?) to vote and send their kids to the same schools as white children. Conservatives howled for his head. How dare he!

Warren was appointed as a conservative.

Justices often change their attitudes once they get onto the Court. And more of them tend to trend liberal than the othe

Re:"Impeach Earl Warren"

[pudge]

Let's also remember that NOW and other groups came out and said women will die if Souter is confirmed, because of his supposed opposition to abortion.

subject line

[nocomment]

For some reason your subject line forced me to picture you holding a finger out saying something like "try pulling this one".