Judge Alito Needs to be Grilled.
14 November 2005 6:41 pm by Taylor Marsh
Judge Alito Needs to be Grilled
“I am particularly proud of my contributions
in recent cases in which the government has argued in the Supreme Court that
racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution
does not protect a right to an abortion.” A leading Republican
involved in the nomination process insisted that this does not prove Judge
Alito, if confirmed to the Supreme Court, will overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark
1973 Supreme Court ruling that made abortion a constitutional right. “No,
it proves no such thing,” said the Republican, who spoke on the condition
of anonymity. “In fact, if you look at some of the quotes of his former
law clerks, they don’t believe that he’ll overturn Roe v. Wade.” Judge
Alito sided with abortion proponents in three of four rulings during his 15
years as a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia,
usually based on existing law and technical legal issues rather than the right
to abortion itself.
Alito
rejected abortion as a right
David Boies nailed it: This is about who belongs on the court
and does the Senate want to put Judge
Alito on it? No one should be shocked that he’s a conservative who is
against abortion. You expect it. But if Judge Alito believes that precedence
doesn’t count that’s a different matter all together. When it comes to abortion,
it’s about a right to privacy for me. So, when I read words so stark as “the
Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion,” it means one thing.
Judge Alito seems to be targeting a woman’s right to choose through using
the word “abortion” specifically, to drive his point home. It’s
not privacy that’s the issue for him. It’s all about abortion. Okay, fine,
but does that mean that settled law of Roe is his target? The language in
the memo seems strident in the extreme to me. Now, I personally believe there
should be some limits on abortion, especially with all the contraceptive choices
we have, which is why I’m also very strong on making Plan B available over
the counter. I’m just not a pro-abortion at all costs gal. (I’m in favor of
parental notification, too.) With feminism and sexual liberation comes responsibility,
but a woman should always have the right to choose. Roe v. Wade is the law,
so anyone on the court who doesn’t respect that, or hints they don’t, needs
to be asked detailed question with regard to ruling on precedence. Sure, settled
law can be challenged and overturned, because it has been before. But a serious
conversation needs to be had, especially
in light of his ethical problems on financial matters relating to Vanguard.
Alito promised one thing to the Senate, then did another. Not good. Oh, and
then there’s that
other thing about him. But it’s hardly the worst thing. It’s just a sad
day when the only qualified conservative woman Bush can find to put on the
court is Harriet Miers. I still don’t understand why female conservatives
are putting up with it.
