Posted on 03/06/2009 9:15:49 AM PST by EternalVigilance
In a move that should give social conservatives great pause, Governor Sarah Palin has appointed a former board member of Planned Parenthood to the Alaska State Supreme Court.
Palin appointed Anchorage Superior Court Judge Morgan Christen to the state’s highest court on Wednesday. Along with Christen’s former board member status with Planned Parenthood.
There is no disputing Palin’s appointment of Christen will cause the Alaska Supreme to lean left and will ensure a more activist court when it comes to gay marriage, and abortion. The Christen appointment is key because she replaces justice Warren Mathews, one of the dissenting votes striking down the parental consent legislation.
The Governor, who early on won the support of Alaska liberals after she pushed through an enormous, unprecedented tax increase on the oil industry, seems to be back in their good graces with this appointment.
ADN liberal bloggers responded to Palin’s Supreme Court appointment writing,
“Ohmigawd!??The governor's been taken over by space aliens.??What an improvement!”
“Wow. Way to go Palin! I can't believe I just said that. But hey, credit where credit is due.”
“Glad to see a woman in the position to balance out the court. Good for Palin for keeping bible thumper beliefs out of the court system and honoring the separation of Church and State.”
“This is the one good action that Sarah Palin has taken over the past three years. And I have no problem admitting it. Great pick!!!! So even if the wing-nut parental consent bill passes, the state Supremes now have enough votes to overturn it as unconstitutional.”
Granted Palin would have had to put up a fight to block the appointment of the far left Christen to the court. Under Alaska law the judicial council made up mostly of liberal lawyers gets to filter out candidates who do not hold a leftist background. The governor must pick from the names forwarded.
But former governor Frank Murkowski during his term fought the process and at first refused to name any of the names submitted to him. The liberal media beat him up pretty bad over it and he eventually caved.
If Governor Palin would have taken on this fight, it probably would have ended up in court. If she had taken up the fight and asked for all the candidates’ names that applied to be forwarded, it would have brought to the public’s attention that trial lawyers control the third branch of government in Alaska. But with the governor refusing to spend any political capital on this issue, it is sure to disappear from Alaska’s political landscape.
The governor caving into trial lawyers also guarantees an activist court will continue to push its agenda on the people of Alaska. It will continue to stand between you and your child, continue to redefine marriage and block development.
Palin appointing Christen kills any move by the legislature to pass parental consent legislation. The new court with Christen on it will surely strike down any new laws. This is one of the reason Palin’s caving is confusing. Just recently held a news conference standing side by side with conservative lawmakers sponsoring new parental consent legislation.
Refusing to fight for parental consent laws is risky for Palin. It clearly will help her avoid controversy from the liberal media. But conservatives supporting her won't like the fact she appointed a former Planned Parenthood board member to Alaska’s highest court.
Many of the governor’s conservative supporters have ignored her high taxes and liberal anti free market policies. They support her simply because she says she is pro-life and is open about her faith. But the Christen appointment proves that while the governor lives the pro-life message in her personal life, she is not willing to spend political capital on the issue in her political life.
And yet, she has no legal recourse under Alaska Law no matter what any individual has to say about demanding anything from the Council.
She has no choice under Alaska Law, she has to select from the candidates given to her by the Alaska Judicial Council.
Nice try, though, on trying to besmearch Sarah Palin.
I’d give you the benefit on the doubt on this one, but as the other links on this thread prove, this issue has already been thrashed out and she did the right thing.
Silly me for thinking that the Governor of a state has to abide by the law. I forgot that the uber-pure crowd demands illegal actions in pursuit of their objectives, because their motives are so pure.
Get over it, Gina! We've already explained the law and the context here, and if you can't accept the truth, then you need to get off this thread.
Sarah Palin on World News with Charles Gibson
September 12, 2008
CHARLES GIBSON: In the time I have left, I want to talk about some social issues.
SARAH PALIN: OK.
GIBSON: Roe V Wade. You think it should be reversed?
PALIN: I think it should, and I think that states should be able to decide that issue.
Thanks for fighting the good fight and trying to reduce the nonsense
Stop trying to defend the indefensible Virginia. We don't want abortionists for anything including dog catchers.
You don’t know what the hell you are talking about...!
The trolls are out in full force today. The Messiah must have given them a day off yesterday to use their food stamps.
Sarah Palin is pro-life and has a special needs child. If that doesn’t establish her pro-life credentials in stone nothing will. Is the Pope Catholic?
In addition Sarah is supported by Team Sarah, a pro-life group with over 70,000 members.
And finally even the MSM, after all they have done to smear Sarah, is not even claiming that Sarah in not pro-life.
Trolls, move on to a different issue. You’re not on solid ground here.
Remind me how you get a Constitutional Amendment? Oh yea, 2/3ds of Senate, House, and States.... If the States take the issue, you know you can get it as a Constitutional amendment once 2/3rds of the States get it, in the mean time, you are reducing abortion State by State.. all a matter of strategy. It is dishonest, and bearing false witness to accuse someone of being pro-abortion because you don't agree with the strategy.
The “supporting information” is the Alaska Constitution. You can Google it and read it as well as I can.
...trying to wonder if you’re being sarcastic there...
If not, then consider that - by Alaska Law - she can only pick appoint those forwarded to her by the judicial council. She had the pick of a hardcore leftist liberal...and a regular liberal, by the looks of things.
Who do you think she’s going to choose?
Unalienable rights are unalienable everywhere.
“If it is true that Alaska is stuck with a choice between only these 2, why not pick the old dude with the beard because he won’t last as long for one thing. Also, he might not be an abortionist. The abortionist woman looks very young and spry. She can do alot of damage.”
Sure, there are tons of rabid barking moonbat hippies that are staunch pro-life advocates.
Why post anything if you don’t have a clue about it?
Bearing false witness doesn’t seem to be a problem for some Christians..
Study facts, not MSM articles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.