Throughout recent history the poli/social 'Right' has strategically shaped the U.S. Supreme Court such that it has become a judicial instrument of Right Wing ideology and adjudication. One need look only as far back as a few months to find evidence of how a conservative Court influences our lives and sets a path for the nation. (corporate sponsorship of political campaigns, Chicago handgun laws)
[Note: I am very much an owner of handguns and a rifle.]
From Reagan through Bush (Dubya) each conservative President has successfully contributed to a synergistically conservative court. (Right
Wing Flag wavers: Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy, Alito ,and Roberts). The sum of the judicial decisions of these five people starkly define and illustrate the oft used conservative smear: 'judicial activism'. Both Alito and Roberts went before Confirmation Hearings and vilified judicial activism while their committee hearing (conservative) cohorts boldly offered questions that implied such 'activism' is endemic only on the political 'Left'. A charade to say the least.
While you have probably observed the video segments posted below, I offer them up for a reason: contrast, politics, and the asininity from the Right
Does the nation truly accept the shallow oral strategies and drivel from Right Wing committee members (who probably cannot stop Kagan's confirmation to the court)?
One notable piece of inane drivel is the consistent babbling about prior experience as a federal judge. I distinctly remember the Clarence Thomas hearings. I also remember that Thomas was confirmed as a federal judge not very long before he was taped to replace the statesman like Thurgood Marshall as the only ethnic minority on the then Court. Yes, Bush (H. Dubya) gave the nation nothing more than a Anton Scalia rubber stamp with the nomination and eventual confirmation of Thomas.
(Wiki exert: After one year of service on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Bush nominated Thomas to fill the seat on the United States Supreme Court being vacated by Thurgood Marshall. http://en.wikipedia.org/...
I assert (my opinion) that Thomas was a well developed plan to replace the aging Marshall. One year circuit judge, plucked from the ranks of the EEOC. A federal appointment that offered opportunity to show his 'deep' rooted conservatism.
I posit that the first day of the Kagan Confirmation Hearing was nothing more than an exercise in Right Wing rhetoric with opposing comments from the LEFT. " To be expected..."? Well, yes but I noticed what I call a recipe for Right Wing mantra that included temerity, unmitigated Gall, and (a heavy dose of ) audacity.
The Republicans
Senator Jeff Sessions (Rep. Alabama)
Senator Lindsay Graham (Rep. SC.)
The Democrats
Senator AL Franken ( Dem. Minn.)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Dem. Rhode Island)
Senator Charles Schumer (Dem. NY)
While the video provide biased perspectives from the Right and the Left, I find it impossible not to think in terms of Far Right temerity, unmitigated gall, and audacity.
We have a Supreme Court that is clearly comprised of a majority of Right wing ideologues. Yet, the first day of the hearing was peppered with far right mantra in the face of the fully developed Right Wing Supreme Court.