Posted on 10/08/2005 9:52:18 AM PDT by Allen H
Since Im sure there are still many conservatives out there who are still upset and whining about Bush not nominating who they wanted, Im wondering. Do you wish Bush had nominated who you wanted, even if it meant them not being confirmed and Bush being forced to pick a milk toast? I dont think anyone can argue about the fact that the Republican majority in the Senate havent exactly acted with a spine or any kind of united strong conservative voice the four years theyve been a majority. And it seems the larger their majority gets, the more its spine gets watered down.
This is a reality lesson in life. There are two ways to stand strong to your convictions and beliefs and not waiver. You can go about your life, putting your beliefs into practice, never bending, never breaking, never compromising, and whenever anyone asks what you believe, you tell them, politely, civilly, like how Miers has done it. OR, you can do it another way. You can be all those same things above, and you can also be very vocal, very "in your face", very confrontational, outspoken, and be very well known as to what you believe and stand for, so that if you come up for a position like Supreme Court Justice, its known immediately which side of the court you will always come down on. The Scalia / Thomas side, or the Ginsburg / Stevens side. The latter is the kind of person that Michael Luddig, Pricilla Owens, Edith Jones, or David Pryor, who I would sure support. Frankly thats the kind of person I am, and I was hoping they'd of gotten this nomination. Im not quite "in your face" with liberals unless confronted, but I also will not sit like a wall flower while people say stupid liberal things in the face of reality. I wouldnt expect to be nominated for the SCOTUS either. Being that way is not bad in any way, but it is a problem. Its guaranteeing a nasty, long, drawn out, ugly fight that would not even guarantee ALL the Republicans standing with the President. If Bush thought that the Republican majority in the Senate actually had a spine and would stand up to a fight, I think he would have likely put up someone like Juddig or Jones. I think this pick is an indictment on the complete and total lack of conservative will in the Senate majority. Heck, this woman he did pick stands as a solid conservative nominee with all those who have endorsed her, and not all Republicans are backing her. The bottom line is, Harriet Miers WILL be confirmed, and she much more likely than not, will prove to be a conservative, indications show she will be much like Scalia and Thomas. And if you voted for President Bush both times, like I did, or just one time, then you have to trust that he will keep his promise on Judges, like he has so faithfully kept it to this point. There hasnt been one single Judge on the district, appellate or federal court level that Bush has nominated that hasnt been a strong unbending conservative. And this is one fact I STILL cant get around that frustrates me with those opposing Miers. Miers was pivotal in choosing ALL the Judges that Bush has nominated to all the courts the past five years, all of which have proven to be good solid conservatives that all the conservative voters have liked so much. Yet somehow the person who found, supported, and brought all those good conservative judges to the President, somehow isnt good enough to be a judge herself when shes accomplished all the things shes done in her life? That is simply the stupidest thing Ive ever heard. Especially after its been proven she said now she was worried that perhaps John Roberts might not be conservative enough. And some conservatives are still not supporting her? ARE YOU FRIKKEN KIDDING ME??? THAT is just simply elitism and nothing else.
I was worried initially, because I desperately wanted an Owens, or Luiddig, or someone just like them, someone that was nose to the wind, finger pointing and shaking to the left, well known vocal hard conservative, BUT, if the person put up instead of them is just like that, with the same conservative ideological beliefs, just isnt a well known confrontational person who will unite all liberals and democrats and milk-toast weak RHINO Republicans against them, then I will choose the Miers over the Owens or Luddig EVERY TIME, because frankly I have NO FAITH in the Republican Senate majority, and while I am more like the judicial Luddigs and Joness, Ive still seen nothing that yet shows shes any less conservative than they are. When she gave money to algore, he was pro-life and hadnt taken the pink liberal without reason pill yet, and since then she has been nothing but a conservative loyalist on all levels, professionally, personally, and religiously. She voted for Reagan in 84, she voted for the first Bush in 88. Once she became a registered Republican she stayed Republican and voted and worked and donated that way even when clinton was President, even in 91 and 92 when the democrats controlled both Houses of Congress. Not one person who really knows her has come out against her nomination. Frum is the only one Ive heard of who has worked with her and doesnt support her, and that was years ago and its not as though Frum doesnt have his own agenda. None of Bushs judges has disappointed. Theyve all been proven to be very conservative constructionist judges, and there is no reason to believe Miers will be any different. The arguments is stale and smacks of elitism at this point. I prefer someone who hasnt been indoctrinated by the snobbery of Yale and Harvard liberalism, and has lived most all of her life in very conservative Texas. Even when Texas was majority Democrat, it was conservative and had nothing in common with the radical New England and left coast liberal bases of operation. Instead of being a judge shes been actually arguing law from the conservative perspective, not sitting on high on a bench disconnected from reality. What is so wrong with that? She will be confirmed, and more and more, I believe she will prove herself to be a dedicated defender of the Constitution and what it REALLY says, not what stevens and souter and ginsburg wish or think it says. Her votes I believe will consistently fall right with Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas and John Roberts, and when that time comes, I hope all here who eviscerated her just because shes not some elitist insider snob, or a speak first think second hothead that would inflame all democrats and RINOs in the Senate, will remember just how vacuous the opposition to her really was, and just how wrong it has proven to be. Given the past 20 years of her life, I cant see any rational way she will betray all she has proven to stand for the past two decades. And if you voted for and supported W. Bush last year and in 2000, then for Petes sake, show just a little faith and trust in the guy and believe that he would have gotten to know this woman the past 10 years hes had a close relationship with her. Have a little faith. With faith as small as a mustard seed, a mountain can be moved. I choose to have faith and pray that Harriet Miers will be the conservative strict-constructionist Justice that this nation desperately needs right now, and pray that she will have the strength and wisdom to adjudicate in that way, and continue to display and enforce the beliefs and convictions on the bench, that she has so strongly lived in her life.
Oh come on Laz, I know better than that. You don't know cheese.
I know a little about moose cheese. My bitten sister told me.
My conservative values have been long established in this forum ... all the way back to October 31, 1998 and my participation in the FR "March for Justice" in Washington DC. Not only are you new to this forum dweeb, your immature rants lead me to believe that you probably don't have your drivers license yet. Stick "totally" where the sun don't shine ... a**hole.
I would rather have a libertarian on the Supreme Court than a politician any day of the week.
And if you voted for President Bush both times, like I did, or just one time, then you have to trust that he will keep his promise on Judges, like he has so faithfully kept it to this point. There hasnt been one single Judge on the district, appellate or federal court level that Bush has nominated that hasnt been a strong unbending conservative.
Appointing Supreme Court judges was the cornerstone of GW's 2004 campaign. He told us over and over again the importance of finding judges who were strict constructionist - as he said somebody who looks at the words of the Constitution for what they are, somebody who will not legislate from the bench, which means that a constructionist judge will adhere to the meaning of the words in the Constitution the same way as it was originally intended no room for spinning. All along GW has made good on his promise by nominating conservatives judges and he hasn't failed, so why doubt him now?
What's the point of getting a monumental judge who would put up an extraordinary fight leaving Democrats speechless due to his magnificent answers while we conservatives clamor and cheer patting ourselves on the back only to see him defeated?
After all, as the President he gets to pick who he thinks is qualified to do the job, because he knows her better than the critics and better than us. And she'll go through the Senate confirmation hearings, and we we'll get to trash her some more. But she'll be confirmed, and therein lies the difference between a monumental judge and Harriet Miers.
Great post! Thanks for the ping.
Thanks.
PS As if to highlight your poor reading comprehension, you also missed the fact that I was asking YOU to explain it, and not Allen H.
Do you even actually read this stuff?
Prove that Miers is not in the mold of Scalia and Thomas.
I believe Ms. Coulter also railed against the "liberalness" of Justice Roberts before she had all the facts. The comparison of some to children seems apt.
Hear, hear.
Thank you. That was my whole point in posting this thread. I have no interest in getting into a "I'm more conservative and been a Freeper longer than you" argument like has been the case with a couple on here. I thought it was possible to disagree on ONE THING with other adult conservatives here, without it being a name calling insult string of posts. Through all the name calling and insults, those opposed to Miers still haven't given me any of the explainations I was looking for and asked for. I don't know which I'm more disappointed in. The fact that some conservatives are so willing to turn on their own when they don't get something they want, or the fact that some of the posts by two of the people her are what I'd expect if I was still in middle school, not on a conservative Blog like FR is. Very disappointing.
Clinton really didn't accomplish much in his eight years, got no real substantive legislation through Congress. The two lasting things Clinton did was clear crop the military, which is STILL paying for his total lack of competence, and the fact that he proved that the President can be just as immoral and lying and deceitful as anyone else. Two wonderful accomplishments to be sure, any liberal will forever be proud of him. My wife's grandparents still think Lewinsky is all a lie and that the Republicans made it all up even though Clinton admitted it in his own book. You can't get through to people with the liberal needle surgically attached to their arms, so it's not even worth trying.
But this with Miers could well turn into the end of the conservative majority if people aren't careful. Liberals are frothing at the mouth over this divide over Miers. And I would have never thought it would have happened. There are a wide divergence of views in the Republican party. I prefer to call myself a Christian conservative rather than a Republican, because I never have felt comfortable with strict party line ties, though I only vote Republican and see nothing in the Libertarian or Constitution party that would make me vote for them over any Republican. It's tossing a vote in the toilet far as I'm concerned. I just hope this goes away quickly. It is not good for the conservative movement. I'm just hoping that all those opposed to Miers have their primary objective as the continued strengthening of the conservative Congressional majority, and not getting exactly what they want how they want when they want. The latter will surely end the conservative majority.
Your turn.
She's voted Republican like Scalia an Thomas. She's lived her personal life much like Scalia and Thomas. Kept in the same kinds of circles like Scalia and Thomas. And she's brought to the table a couple hundred Judges for Bush to nominate the past five years, who are all in the same mold as Scalia and Thomas, if not at the very least judicially conservative. There are apparently many more similarities between Miers and Scalia and Thomas than there are differences. Beyond the fact that he was a man, Renquist was quite similar to Miers when he was nominated by Reagan. He wasn't a judge either, and most of what showed him to be a conservative was from his career as a lawyer and personal references from people who stood up and sang his praises as a conservative, which has happened in Miers case. Sure I still wish Bush would have picked Owens or Jones or Luddig for the spot. There's lots of things I've wished for, but wishing for something doesn't make it so. The choice has been made, and I still believe all that's left is to pray and hope that Bush's judgement on her is as right as the 300+ other great conservative judges that he's put in the courts the past five years. Behaving that was i this situation is certainly better for the most important thing, which is contining to advance the conservative social and ideological agenda, and grow the Republican majority in the Housee and the Senate. That IS the most important thing here, and this divisive conservative divide is counter productive to that end, and serves only to embolden the liberal democrats on the other side. And that's not Bush's fault, it's the fault of the people allowing this nomination to become more important than the continued conservative majority.
The one thing I do know for certain fact, is that I havent busted my butt every political season the past 16 years making calls, volunteering for campaigns, being a delegate at conventions, and doing whatever I could to help further the conservative movement in the country, just to see it implode on itself because some in it create a huge rift because they didnt get the Supreme Court pick they wanted. Lets talk about that. I havent gotten tighter border control or the military on the border that I want from this President. I havent gotten stricter immigration policies from this President. I havent gotten much tighter budget discipline to cut pork and other spending from this President that I have wanted. There are several things I have wanted from Bush and havent gotten, but the big picture is far bigger than George W. Bush. The big picture is making sure the majority conservative movement in this country continues, and the liberals dont get control of the country again. This divide over Miers is the surest thing to bring liberals right back in to power. All the people saying how theyll "leave the camp" and "take their vote elsewhere" is proof of that. Meanwhile the democrats sit snickering the past week enjoying this immensely. Is that what conservatives want? Putting their personal desires above the continued conservative majority in the House and Senate?
If this silly internal conservative split continues, as it has the past week, I can very well see the democrats reclaiming the House in 2006, the Presidency in 2008, and the Senate in 2010, if not 2008. All because some in the conservative movement didnt get exactly what they wanted in one Justice nomination. The sad thing is, this time next year, if Miers doesnt step down, she most likely will have proven that she is a Judicial conservative like Thomas and Scalia. Thankfully, if thats the case, it would be before the 2006 elections, and that would give time for the conservatives who do not support the Miers nomination to admit they were wrong about her, even if the admission is only to themselves in silence, and get back to fighting to further the conservative agenda, adding more seats to the Republican majority in the House and the Senate. The problems is, that unified spirit, in spite of not getting every single thing you want, is needed NOW, not next year. Because Tom DeLay, a proven Christian conservative leader is under attack by the liberals NOW, not next year. Under attack and indicted for doing things that democrats have done for decades, but its not illegal for them to do it. And Bill Frist is being attacked with a bogus SEC investigation NOW, not next year. And the media is just dying to indict and convict Rove and Libby NOW, as they have been for over a year now, not next year. The whole conservative movement is under attack on every level by the mainstream liberal lapdog media and their democrat political masters, and it will only get worse the next year and one month. There is a reason someone came up with the saying "Go along and get along". If you are someone who voted for Bush last year but dont like the Miers nomination and dont trust his judgment on this, then why did you vote for him last year? What has happened in just ten months that you have no trust in him whatsoever when he has appointed ONLY strict constructionist conservative Judges the past five years. That is what I dont understand. Like I said in the beginning, there are plenty of things I want that Bush hasnt done, but he IS the leader of the conservative movement right now, and he does more that I like than I dont.
The war is the single biggest thing going on in this country and the world right now. And a conservative split over a Judge will not help in the aggressive administration of this war. Its still not too late, but its getting there. I wish that Bush would have nominated Jones or Owens or Luddig, but he didnt. Theres nothing I can do about that, and theres nothing anyone else can do about it. Seemingly, she seems a safe pick, with strong conservative values. Surely shes a safer pick than kennedy, oconner, or souter, so in any case, the court will be more right of center with her than oconner, and thats a net win. Or at least it would have been before all of this conservative dissent helped embolden the liberals in the country for 06, because that will be the lasting legacy of this nomination even if she turns out to be more conservative than Thomas and Scalia. The democrats got what they needed to fire up their base from the conservatives upset over Miers being nominated. And that is a huge threat to the conservative agenda on the whole. That energy should have been directed to defending aggressive conservatives under attack like Tom DeLay, who I know and went to church with for over ten years. Instead, there are more conservatives upset about Miers, than are upset about DeLay being hit with trumped up conspiracy charges by a known liberal political hack. That total misdirection of energy on the past of so many conservatives could end up destorying the conservative majority if it doesnt STOP and NOW! And its not Bushs fault, its the fault of the conservatives who are choosing to pick a fight within the conservative movement, instead of continuing to get along to further the conservative agenda on the whole, even if its not 100% how you wanted it. Thats the reality of this situation. At this point, Im not encouraged about the 06 elections if this continues. If Miers is confirmed and proves she is a judicial conservative by this time next year, or if she withdraws and someone the conservative dissidents gets the nomination in her place, and that person somehow gets by the united liberal democrat Senators and the weak kneed Republican majority Senate, then this can be fixed and the Republicans can add to their House and Senate majority. Short of those two things, it doesnt look good. And I never would have thought that conservatives feeding on their own would be the end of the conservative majority. Very disappointing, and it makes me wonder what the heck Ive spent so much of my personal time on politics for, when I could have been furthering my own life and pursuits. Very disappointing.
Your turn.
For it to be ez's turn to answer, wouldn't you have actually had to respond to him when he asked you to prove that Miers was not in the mold of Scalia and Thomas? You never did list any facts that prove she doesn't share the same legal or ideological philosophy that Thomas and Scalia do.
I don't know how to prove a negative.
"You never did list any facts that prove she doesn't share the same legal or ideological philosophy that Thomas and Scalia do."
Show me some cases she's decided and opinions she's issued, then I might be able to "prove" it one way or the other. She has no track record of cases like Scalia and Thomas. Her statements, remarks and observations are useful but are merely like dicta, not the same thing as judgments.
Your comments in #356/#357 show you have put in a great deal of thought and analysis on this issue. Some of your points are good ones and well argued. The one significant point I would caution you about is attempting to paint conservatives as "divisive", disloyal to Bush and likely to be the cause of the destruction of the conservative majority. You may feel this way, but that doesn't mean you are right. In fact, you are wrong. Conservatives have every right, indeed are obligated, to question the wisdom of this particular nomination. Remember, it was Bush who promised to appoint someone in the mold of Scalia and Thomas. Many of us question whether he has in fact done so. Under the circumstances, it is not unreasonable to do so. Unfortunately, for "trust me" to work, Bush would have to have a far better conservative record than he does. That is not the fault of conservatives.
I agree that the ABA should be neutral. I'm not sure that neutrality on abortion is "consistent with the Constitution," which protects the inalienable right to life. The stance of the Texas Bar Association is not something in which I am tremendously interested, and was not one of the major points of my previous post. I was simply stating that Miers has not made activism against abortion her life's work, as you seemed to have claimed.
Responding to your second point, "if an entity can be made to be against what you are against, it can also be made to be for what you are against. Where do you go from there?", Would you then suggest that we should not try to pull the Supreme Court to the Right, as it could eventually swing Left again?
How is opposition to abortion "morally wrong?"
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