A while ago, Ed Kilgore noted that the O'Connor appointment represented the balloon payment on a longstanding mortgage that the movement conservatives have held on the Republican Party. Up until today, the Republicans have been let off the hook on advancing the wingnut agenda--in particular, the pro-life agenda--because it was the fault of the courts, and of the Court. Nothing could be done, short of constitutional amendments, they said. In fact, they used those very judges as reasons to vote for them.
The deal was--and the President has been particularly clear about this deal--that if the Party kept getting elected, they would fix the courts, and the Court, and get Roe v Wade reversed. Well, the balloon is due and the Republicans have mailed back the keys.
They would also, just by the way, restore prayer in the schools and otherwise institutionalist the evangelist message as part of public policy.
Bush got a pass on Roberts. He seemed conservative enough. It was a conservative seat anyway. He's catholic. Pro-life wife. And Bush's folks worked the wingnut hustings.
Today was supposed to be the payoff. The democrats cannot stop the appointment of a Justice who will reverse. Period. The deal was sealed, and now was the time for the Republicans to stump up.
And they delivered--a former Dallas City Councilwoman with no judicial experience.
The wingnuts have been jobbed. They've been played for suckers for over a generation. Bush just lifted the shell off the table, and there's no pea.
My advice?
Shut up. Let the fractures deepen. Let Brownback say "WTF?" Let Dobson turn to his congregation and say "We trust this man. Look at all he has done for us so far......"
Anyone who can do arithmetic knows that reversing Roe v Wade would be curtains for the Party. So they're not taking any chances. Let the wingnuts figure this out, in public.
Shut up.
Let them explain how this woman belongs in the seat previously filled by O'Connor. Let O'Connor say what
she thinks of this choice. Let a thousand wingnuts crack.