Posted on 01/31/2006 5:48:48 AM PST by ken5050
Edited on 01/31/2006 5:55:34 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
Good morning, all.
Join us today for the final victory lap, the vote to "confirm Samuel Alito, of New Jersey, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court."
It's all over except the final vote tally.
Lots of surprises yesterday at the HUGE vote to impose cloture, so perhaps there are still some surprise votes to come?
What is this? After you just about sell me, you're not going to close the deal? Just push your chair back a little bit farther from the monitor, that'll keep you outta those glasses for a little while longer.
Dang, he was sworn in off-camera? I wanted to watch!
Thanks. But she is an easy target.
Old news...he has been sworn in. He is on the Court NOW.
They said he would be there. But where there I am not sure.
Understood...it was a DU comment. Well...my reply then is to the DU poster.
LOL
But my arms are too short to type!
Thanks for the info!!
John Roberts was also sworn in off camera. All appointees are sworn in off camera. The Supreme Court is very private. There was never a chance we could watch. Now, there is to be a CEREMONIAL swearing in at the WH tomorrow, so I hear.
At the State of the Union Speech tonight, during a joint session of Congress (House and Senate), in the House chamber. He will attend along with several other members of the Court. It is traditional.
Is that what I was thinking of then, in the Roberts case? The ceremonial swearing in?
It's confusing because hubby said the Fox banner just a minute ago said Alito is to BE sworn in.
?
Look, once again, I have nothing but the foulest contempt for Robert Byrd. He said once:
I will never submit to fight beneath that banner [the American flag] with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.
These words are simply unforgiveable. That Byrd is a respected icon of the Democratic party after this utterance is beyond shameful.
However, his speech in favor of Alito was praiseworthy. Read the whole thing here, but here are some excerpts:
I regret that we have come to a place in our history when both political parties exhibit such a take no prisoners attitude. All sides seek to use the debate over a Supreme Court nominee to air their particular wish list for or against abortion, euthanasia, executive authority, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, wiretapping, the death penalty, workers rights, gun control, corporate greed, and dozens of other subjects. All of these issues should be debated, but the battle lines should not be drawn on the Judiciary. They should be debated by the peoples Representatives in Congress.
However, too many Americans apparently believe that if they cannot get Congress to address an issue, they must take it to the court! As the saying goes, If you cant change the law, change the judge!
This thinking represents a gross misinterpretation of the separation of powers: it is the role of the Congress to make and change the laws; Supreme Court Justices exist to interpret laws and be sure that they square with the Constitution and with settled law.
...
I refuse to simply tow [sic] the Party line when it comes to Supreme Court Justices. Of course, I am a registered Democrat. But when it comes to judges, I hail from a conservative state. And, like a majority of my constituents, I prefer conservative judges - - that is judges who do not try to make the law. In fact, I was once approached by Richard Nixon to be a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. But I declined in order to continue to serve the people of West Virginia.
...
I believe strongly that the Senate has a responsibility to provide its advice and consent with respect to a particular nominee based on the merits or demerits of that nominee not on focus groups, celebrity endorsements, binders filled with innuendo and slanted analysis, or White House photo opportunities.
...
In the end, the heavy duty bourne [sic] by members of the Senate to evaluate and reject or approve the Presidents nominees for the high court should come down to each Senators personal judgment of the man or woman before us, augmented, of course by such judicial records and writings as may exist. I know not exactly what kind of Justice Samuel Alito may actually be - - no one does. But my considered judgment from his record, from his answers to my questions, and from his obvious intelligence and sincerity, leads me to believe him to be an honorable man, who loves his country, loves his Constitution, and will give of his best. Can we really ask for more?
Say what you will about Byrd -- and believe me, I do -- but these words are positively conservative. I will never ever forgive him for his disgusting racism, for his avowed declaration that he would rather see America utterly destroyed than see blacks in the military, but I'll still give props where they are due, and here they are.
Wireless keyboard & mouse...[see when I'm sold, I'm sold.]
I agree. I find it to be a bad idea...When the executive branch has too much power over the judicial. This is not what the founding fathers planned.
No, I am not liberal, But it is not right. Everyone should have a say. 100% of anything is not good.
All I can tell you is, I heard on the hourly Radio news during Rush's break that Alito WAS JUST SWORN IN MINUTES AGO. Then Howlin reported that Fox News said he has been sworn in. She put it in a huge font. Now as to what the crawler is still saying I do not know. Am not watching it. Bottom line: he has been sworn in and is a member of the Court. My info is that there will be a ceremonial swearing in tomorrow at the WH. And yes, there was a ceremonial swearing in for John Roberts.
Wireless....yes!
Latest Marist Poll shows 62% of registered New York voters say Hillary cannot win Presidency! (per Rush)
Bush said in a statement, "Sam Alito is a brilliant and fair-minded judge who strictly interprets the Constitution and laws and does not legislate from the bench. He is a man of deep character and integrity, and he will make all Americans proud as a justice on our highest court," said Bush.
Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said the swearing in of Alito occurred around 12:40 p.m. (1740 GMT), and that it was attended by his wife, members of the court and their spouses. Alito is expected to align himself with the court's solidly conservative bloc and could affect the outcome of votes on key social issues such as abortion and civil rights.
And on the last sentence, from Reuters lips to God's ears.
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