[syriacus]

I finally heard back from Schumer--here is his reply:

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 Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals.  I am truly sorry for the delay in my response.

   When considering candidates for lifetime appointments to the Federal bench, I have three standards:  excellence, moderation, and diversity.  
By excellence, I mean legal excellence--they should be among the best the bar has to offer.  

Moderation means that there should be balance on the bench and that, ideally, judges should not be too far left or too far right.

Judges who are ideologues–either on the right or the left–tend to make law rather than interpret it, as the Founding Fathers originally intended.

Finally, diversity should be properly accounted for in the nomination process.

   There is no question that Mr. Estrada is an excellent attorney and there is no question he would add diversity to the D.C. Circuit Court.  Some have suggested he would bring an activist agenda to the bench should he be confirmed.  

I do not know whether that is actually the case, but I believe when such red flags are raised, the Senate has the duty to ask appropriate questions and the nominee has the obligation to answer.

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[syriacus]

Schumer: Judges who are ideologues–either on the right or the left–tend to make law rather than interpret it, as the Founding Fathers originally intended.

With all due respect, Senator Schumer, please spare me the history lesson. (You should realize that when you make this argument you are only pointing out your own flaws.)

50% of the American voters know you are an ideologue who is busily attempting to interpret undermine the Constitution.

You may not be in the Judicial Branch of the government, but you are obviously attempting to control it from the Legislative Branch.

[syriacus]

Schumer: I do not know whether that is actually the case, but I believe when such red flags are raised, the Senate has the duty to ask appropriate questions and the nominee has the obligation to answer

• Interesting that you chose the descriptive phrase "red flag," when the phrases "straw man" or "red herring" would be more appropriate
• And your particular unanswered questions to Mr. Estrada are which ones, Senator Schumer?

[votelife]

I love how Schumer is worried about judges who are too far left. Ask him for an example of one too far left. Does that mean left of Castro?