One of the most appalling aspects of the letter that was written by the "Gang of Four" was the complete disregard of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's reasons for stepping down...her husband, the care of her husband, and the fact that he has Alzheimer's disease.
The other shocker was the fact that these four took it upon themselves to make their plea based on the assumption that Justice Rehnquist will be vacating his seat that they already have O'Connor filling...
The lengths that these 'political jokes' are willing to go to avoid any real and serious discussion about how the highest court should be populated is really disgusting.
When did the members of Congress sink to such depths? According to this article, The senators said they plan to take up the matter with Bush.
IT ISN'T UP TO BUSH! O'Connor has already resigned!
Bill Kristol, wrote in the Weekly Standard: For that seat, President Bush would improve the Court by appointing any from a long list of well-qualified women. Among them are federal appellate judges like Edith Jones, Edith Brown Clement, and Priscilla Owen on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Janice Rogers Brown on the D.C. Circuit, Karen Williams on the 4th Circuit, and Alice Batchelder on the 6th Circuit; distinguished law professors like Mary Anne Glendon, Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard, and Lillian R. BeVier, John S. Shannon Professor of Law at Virginia; and state court judges like the impressive Maura D. Corrigan, who served on the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1992 to 1998, and has been on the Michigan Supreme Court since then, including a stint as chief justice. And the list goes on.
There ARE plenty of women - well qualified women - to pick from, if that really is the Gang of Four's concern...
But, I think it is a smoke screen...I think they are really shirking their duty -- and they are verifying that fact by the letter they wrote to Justice O'Connor.
Memo to Gang of Four:
- It isn't always about making campaign promises that you promptly forget once you are back in D.C.
- It isn't always about using the talking points when you are on the Sunday talk show circuit
- It isn't always about YOU
YOU need to take this job seriously for once in your lives!
Roll up your sleeves and get to work -- REAL WORK -- and take this responsibility seriously instead of trying to find ways to get around it.
If you think your colleagues are going to filibuster and this is your cute way of trying to make an end-run, get serious. We see it for what it is.
If you think your colleagues are going to filibuster and you don't agree with them -- take a stand...
TAKE A STAND AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
DR
