This was so completely predictable, wasn’t it? The religious right is exploding in expected fury at President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court. Nevermind that the first President Bush appointed Sotomayor as a federal disrict judge. The religious right was determined to oppose any Obama nomination, whomever he chose (although Republicans have some difficult choices ahead).
Rick Scarborough, head of Texas-based Vision America, is one of the first religious-right pooh-bahs to jump on the war wagon:
At age 54, Sotomayor could be a member of the United States Supreme Court for the next 20 years — or longer. As a dedicated liberal, we know her views on abortion, gay marriage and reverse- discrimination — whether or not she’s ruled directly on these issues.
That much power simply can’t be bestowed by a compliant Senate. This nomination must be stopped dead in its tracks. Sonia Sotomayor isn’t a ‘centrist,’ she’s a disaster at every level.
We’ll keep an eye on what other other Texas religious-righters have to say about the nomination. But there is little doubt that we’ll see an avalanche of righteous indignation intended to stir up the base (and open wallets for donations).
The Religious Right is incredible. She is only modestly to the left. He could have nominated an extreme Liberal. They don’t expect a Democrat to nominate a conservative. But she was conservative enopugh to be initially nominated by Bush I.
The best the RR could hope for is a moderate on the left, and that’s what they got. They should count their blessings.
Analysis: Ethnic politics boost Sotomayor chances
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press Writer Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Associated Press Writer – Tue May 26, 5:39 pm ET
Excellent article. Click this link.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_confirmation_fight_analysis;_ylt=AvOOuH5x.qRiRInynrS3THSs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJ2c2NtNXAwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNTI2L3VzX2NvbmZpcm1hdGlvbl9maWdodF9hbmFseXNpcwRjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzcEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDYW5hbHlzaXNldGhu
Here is an Excerpt.
Republicans, at sea as a party and having lost ground with Hispanic voters, the fastest-growing segment of the population, will have a hard time defeating the woman who would be the first Hispanic justice. And the inevitable partisan fights over Sotomayor’s nomination hold heavy risks for a party striving to draw beyond its mostly white, Southern and conservative base.
Said Maria Cardona, a Democratic strategist who helped found Hispanics for a Fair Judiciary, a nonpartisan group: “Republicans are going to have to tread very, very carefully on this one. They have already alienated 70 percent of the Hispanic community in this country with the whole issue of immigration.”
Lionel Sosa, another GOP strategist who advised President George W. Bush on Hispanic outreach, said: “Republicans would be idiots for opposing her. … It would be one more nail in the Republican image coffin.”
Regarding Rick Scarborough’s quote: “At age 54, Sotomayor could be a member of the United States Supreme Court for the next 20 years — or longer. As a dedicated liberal, we know her views on abortion, gay marriage and reverse- discrimination — whether or not she’s ruled directly on these issues.”
The same could be said of John Roberts. Given his young age and the usual expected life span of Court justices, the Court will likely remain the “Roberts’ Court” for the remainder of my life. Being more objective than Mr. Scarborough, however, I shall leave the prediction of Justice Roberts’ future decisions to the remarkable prognosticative ability of Mr. Scarborough himself rather than attempt my own predictions.
I wonder where Mr. Scarborough is getting his facts from. In fact, we DON’T know what her views on all of these issues will be. In fact, particularly in the matter of abortion, it would seem that she is more opposed to abortion rights than in favor of them.
Mr. Scarborough, apparently, has a great deal of confidence in his powers of clairvoyance. I wonder if he would be so kind as to advise me on choosing the next lottery ticket.