Posted on 05/03/2009 8:06:56 AM PDT by reaganaut1
President Barack Obama has tried to hold off debate on contentious social issues such as abortion, immigration and gay rights as he focuses on the economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Supreme Court vacancy will make that harder to do.
Political battles over new justices tend to center on those types of social issues far more than on economic and foreign affairs, which have dominated the opening months of Obama's administration.
Some liberals have criticized Obama for postponing efforts to revamp immigration laws, protect access to abortion and allow gays to serve openly in the military. The president has taken the heat from his political base, hoping to avoid getting bogged down on a volatile issue early in his term, as President Bill Clinton did on the question of gays in the military.
The strategy has worked so far. Even the grumbling liberals are, on balance, happy to have Obama in the White House after eight years of Republican George W. Bush. And the economic distress has preoccupied Congress and the general public.
But the process to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter could pump new oxygen into national debates over abortion, immigration, minority rights, limits to privacy and other matters.
"There's no doubt these debates are coming back," said Matt Bennett, vice president of the centrist Democratic group Third Way. They might create more noise than suspense, he said, because there is little doubt that the Democratic-dominated Senate will confirm Obama's eventual choice. Liberal activists will "fall in line" even if they are not entirely satisfied with the administration's progress on their pet issues, Bennett said.
Obama has tried to push several of these social issues to the political background. At his news conference Wednesday, he said [FOCA] is not his highest priority.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
New justice may reignite social issues
I say good to that.
Remind all those fine Christians that voted for obama that they’re supporting abortion, gay marriage, etc.
” ...as he focuses on the economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Forgot to add SWINE flu
“Ignite” is an interesting word!
They want to make it easier to swap precious bodily fluids ~ outside of that they have no issues at all.
The people are the highest court in the land — and even SCOTUS must answer to us.
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