SCOTUS Not A Political Appointment

From The Washington Post SECONDS AFTER President Bush announces his choice to replace Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- whenever that happens and whoever the nominee is -- liberal interest groups will release a blast of e-mails promising a "rollback" of American liberties if the person is confirmed. Conservative groups, at the same moment, will blitz with e-mails proclaiming the nominee a modern John Marshall. Ads will appear on television. Journalists will be hit with distorted "reports" attacking or defending the nominee's "record," as groups release their opposition research or their defensive spin. Both camps, in short, will unleash the huge sums they have raised in what will be, for all intents and purposes, a political campaign -- a political campaign, unfortunately, for an office that is meant to be not merely apolitical but actively insulated from politics. While I totally agree that politics should not play a part in this appointment, the writer of this opinion piece must also believe in the tooth fairy. Look, the fact of the matter is, Bush has a huge debt to pay to the wingnuts of the religious right (or at least they think he does), so unless the progressive based organizions push and push damn hard, the US will be brought back into the 50's if not further. Those Ozzie and Harriet days may appeal to some, but there is no place for those times in this the 21st century. If Roe v Wade is overturned, many believe women will be forced to return to "back alley" abortion. The there is also the debate that is beginning to rage over stem cell research. The religious right is already painting the use of these embryo cells as "embryos are people". What may very well be a cure for many diseases that could be found with this research will fall by the wayside if they get their way. Just these two examples alone are reason enough for making the appointment a political fight. MORE.....