Alito Hearings to begin today.

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Al Norris

Moderator Emeritus
Today, at 11:30am EST, the Senate Confirmation Hearings will begin on Supreme Court Nominee, Samuel Alito. C-Span will carry the hearings live. If you don't get C-Span on your local programming, you may watch the proceedings at http://www.cspan.org (a quick search will take you to the correct portion of the site) and you have the choice of watching via Real Player or Windows Media Player.

Samuel Alito has a long history in the Judiciary. There is much to read about him and his thinking processes. his Judicial stance, etc.

Consider his arguments in Doe v. Groody, they are extremely persuasive to my mind. Then there is Doe v. Groody where he just appears dumb... Not entirely up on his facts. Then there are those cases where he seems to defer to the government and just not ask the questions, Riley v. Taylor, Banks v. Beard.

I;m beginning to think that Alito is not the constitutionalist that we need in the Court. Rather he is more like Souter. I hope I'm wrong. Regardless, what I don't expect is the fancy footwork we saw with Roberts.
 
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Wildalaska

Moderator
Let the political posturing begin!

Im not going to watch it.....seeing more than a 5 second soundbite of ant Senator (especial kennedy or schumer) scars me mentally for life.

WildwouldratherworkinasewerthanshakehandswithakennedyAlaska
 
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Redworm

Moderator
I don't really understand half the stuff they're talking about but I'm listening to it anyways. Maybe I'll learn something.
 
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Fremmer

New member
No need to watch the Hearings. Here is what will happen:

It will start with opening statements. Those will be a combination of certain Senators being "deeply troubled" because Alito is not a liberal Judge ("out of the mainstream"), combined with "grave concerns" about the President (as though somehow Alito and Bush are the same person).

When the questioning actually begins, those certain Senators will be rude and attempt to bait Alito into losing his temper, while misrepresenting his record and cutting him off so that he can't fully (or even partially) answer. Oh yeah, and don't forget the assertions that Alito is a racist, sexist pig. And I wouldn't be surprised if a "surprise witness" is called to testify about the terrible things Alito did years ago, but that he or she was "afraid" to report -- until now, because the terrible things must be reported for the 'good of the Country.'

Then, if Alito doesn't take the bait and lose his temper, or if the stuff doesn't stick, those same special certain Senators will attempt to fillibuster the nomination.

Sorry, but I don't think the fact that Alito is not a carbon copy of Justice Ginsburg (or Judge Bork) provides a sufficient basis for voting against him.
 
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Weeg

New member
Just another chance for losers like Patrick Leahy and Charles Schumer to spew their verbal flatulence.



.
 
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dolanp

New member
Already I've seen a TV ad against him from some "Independent Court" organization, talking about how terrible he is on individual freedom. They were sure to put their spin on that case about the frisk of the 10 yr old girl on the subway or whatever it was.
 
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Rob P.

Moderator
I;m beginning to think that Alito is not the constitutionalist that we need in the Court
Click to expand...

What i've been saying for a long time now....

The issues will be Roe, war powers, exec immunity, and some other very important things like individual liberties. If Alito answers sufficiently well, he'll get the nod. If he tries to stonewall (as he's been doing all along) he'll get a filibuster.

So, the overriding question is this: Will we get a SCOTUS justice who is open and forthright? Or will we get some secretive SOB with a possible hidden agenda? Only Alito can show us which it will be.
 
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MoW

Moderator
Is there anybody alive that gives any credence to what Ted Kennedy says?:barf: How in God's name does this guy EVER get elected to public office--I would love to hear from somebody in Mass. that actually likes this guy!:eek:
 
A

Al Norris

Moderator Emeritus
After watching the start of the shenanigans, all I can say is that partisan politics is alive and well... As usual (nothing new here!).

Roe will be an issue on both sides of the aisle. Partisan issues will be legislative authority and those mentioned by Rob.

I have to admit, that it was refreshing to see that Alito was actually nervous in front of the committee. Unlike the highly polished Roberts, this actually unnerved the man. This made Alito seem more human, down to earth and likeable than the show that was put on by Roberts.

Gonna be an interesting tomorrow!

Hey Wild!, you should have heard Kennedy! A couple of misgivings about Alito (OK, they were more than misgivings. They were outright attacks!) and then on to bashing Bush! What a ... :eek: ... I'm not permitted to say what I feel about this goon.
 
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Waitone

New member
The fact that he is nominated regardless of the party shows he is not a deep down constitutionalist or originalist. Anyone considered for the gig will not do anything designed to reduce the power of the presidency. Neither will they have any part in rollback of the socialist welfare state.

Low expectations keeps the blood pressure within healthy limits. :p
 
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MoW

Moderator
Feinstein Gets It Wrong Again

What a surprise:rolleyes:
Sen. Diane Feinstein (D.-Calif.) followed the lead of her committee cohorts by first kissing the floor that Justice O'Connor walks on and then slamming Alito by misrepresenting the facts of a past ruling.

Her remarks were based on Alito's stand in U.S. v. Rybar:

“Your dissent argued that Congress lacked the authority to ban the possession and transfer of machine guns based essentially on a technicality that congressional findings from previous statutes were not explicitly incorporated in the legislation.” [Note: Actually, Judge Alito said only that Congress could not ban mere possession of firearms, not transfer.]

But...it turns out Judge Alito was only following precedent set forth by Justice O'Connor and her Supreme Court colleagues. For example:

In the case of United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549 (1995) Justice O’Connor joined Chief Justice Rehnquist’s majority opinion, which invalidated the federal ban on firearm possession in the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 because it exceeded the scope of Congress’s commerce power. It is difficult, then, to fault Judge Alito’s position: if possession of any firearm in Lopez was not commercial activity, the possession of firearms in Rybar was not commercial activity either, at least under Supreme Court precedent at the time—and Justice O’Connor’s position.

Although it is true that the Court changed course 9 years later in Gonzlaes v. Raich, Judge Alito is not a mind reader. More important, however, Justice O'Connor (and two others) dissented in Raich. Thus, if Judge Alito is extreme for thinking possession is not "commerce," then so is Justice O'Connor, the “model justice” for Committee Democrats
 
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JR47

Moderator
Feinstein, Schumer, Kennedy, et al, don't really care about his stand in this. They are out to discredit him, period. By "shotgunning" his reputation, and calling up decisions made, and spinning them, they hope to be able to make him an "untouchable". If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with Bull, comes to mind here.

The ability to fill a sound-byte with rhetoric, instaed of reason, insures that you're never called upon to prove what you say.:barf:
 
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TheEgg

New member
The facts don't matter, Feinstein, Kennedy, Shumer, et.al. will never vote for Alito. Doesn't matter what he says - they are dancing to the tune that their money people (Soros and friends for example) are playing.
 
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yorec

New member
Reason from the reasonless... I'd not expect it now anymore than yesterday.

These people are simply trying to find a way to regain the power they're losing. The Constitution or even Right and Wrong mean nothing to them - only power. They'll do anything and everything to find a way to exert authotity and dominion over the people - including thumbing thier noses at the congressional rules and traditions - if it means they can stop someone who doesn't spew thier same ideals and power lust from attaining a position of authority.

Fineswine - :barf:
 
A

Al Norris

Moderator Emeritus
All threads dealing with the Confirmation Hearings of Judge Samuel Alito will be merged with this, the main thread.
 
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Wildalaska

Moderator
Ill handle the whole thread:

1. Democrat windbags whine, lie and obfuscate
2. Alito shows some class
3. he gets confirmed

WildanythingelseAlaska
 
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