Waiting for Fitzgerald

[SlaveNoMore]

Penske_Account
One outraged Republican strategist claimed, “If Alito were a liberal there would be no way Democrats and Washington’s media elite would use such a ethnically insensitive nickname. Italian-Americans should not have to face these types of derogatory racial slurs in 21st century America.”

The fine folks over at Daily Kos are already in-fighting among themselves between those who decry Alito as (i) an "italian thug" , (ii) mafia judge and (iii) altar boy set on raping America - and the others who (rightfully) call that half out as racist pigs.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I've read very little about Alito. What's his judicial philosophy, Penske?

While I'm waiting for Penske's photoshop-free exposition on Alito's judicial philosophy, I'll note that Alito's opinion in Casey apparently sets the stage for the pitched battle on abortion that The Movement has wanted.

At least now we won't be having debates about judicial qualifications, or for that matter about a wink and a nudge from the President about Roe v. Wade. Slate had a recent piece about how the failed Miers nomination signalled the death of the coded message on SCOTUS nominees:

• The Miers nomination went off the rails about seven seconds after it was announced, in large part because President Bush tried to mollify his base in code. The nominee had no background or record as a movement conservative and no written promises to be the kind of right-wing activist who would spearhead a Supreme Court counterrevolution. What she had—according to the president—was a "good heart." She was a religious person and she was loyal to him. That, Bush thought, would suffice to assure everyone that she had it in for Roe v. Wade.
  
  But it didn't suffice, because movement conservatives weren't willing to settle for a coded message anymore. They have built up a strong and capable stable of thinkers and jurists who are not speaking in half-promises or symbols. And they wanted a nominee with the brains and brawn to overturn Roe because it's bad law rather than just because it's "a sin." The code also didn't suffice because the right had heard the same coded promises about Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Anthony Kennedy, and David Souter—and had dejectedly watched them go on to uphold Roe. Sick and tired of ambiguous messages and middle-of-the-road nominees, they would not be placated by anyone who wasn't willing to say, as are Janice Rodgers Brown or Priscilla Owen or Edith Jones, that Roe must die now.
  
  John Roberts was the last wink, or coded nominee, the far right will ever accept. Not because he won't prove to be as conservative as they hope. But because they held their fire on Roberts as a quid pro quo; they were assured that an Owen or a Michael Luttig would be their payback for that acquiescence. Bush's base never loved Roberts. They worried about his moderation and his caution and they worried about his possible softness on gay rights after it became clear that he'd been on the wrong side of Romer v. Evans—the 1996 gay-rights case out of Colorado. The outrage you saw over Miers was the outrage of a promise broken.

So The Movement was unwilling to accept another promise from its president, and demanded someone who was on record as being hostile to Roe. Apparently, in Alito, they've got one.

As amusing as Bush's awkward Kabuki Theatre moment was ("C'mon, guys! [wink. wink!] She's fine! Really!"), it may be to the detriment of Democrats to result in someone like Alito, but being more honest about the nominations may be better for everyone in the long run.

Gattigap

[spookyfish]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
The fine folks over at Daily Kos are already in-fighting among themselves between those who decry Alito as (i) an "italian thug" , (ii) mafia judge and (iii) altar boy set on raping America - and the others who (rightfully) call that half out as racist pigs.

Okay, maybe one of you guys could explain this to me. I will agree with you that the above-mentioned labels are inappropriate. Fine.

But I honestly don't get how the term "Scalito" is seen as a racist or ethnic insult, if it is describing his judicial philosophy. Seeing as how Penske has referred to Mrs. Clinton as "Hitlery" I don't know how many times, I think the criticism rings pretty hollow. Besides, if you're trying to be accurate (at least in your own deluded portrayal of her), "Hitlery" doesn't really work, does it? As I recall, I don't think Hitler was much a fan of leftists, was he?

Is "Scalia-lite" any less offensive/"racist" (or inaccurate).

I guess it's okay to throw those kind of barbs/bombs when it's not your guys who are the targets.

Frankly, I could do without the name-calling from both sides.

[spookyfish]

Double.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by spookyfish
Okay, maybe one of you guys could explain this to me. I will agree with you that the above-mentioned labels are inappropriate. Fine.

But I honestly don't get how the term "Scalito" is seen as a racist or ethnic insult, if it is describing his judicial philosophy. Seeing as how Penske has referred to Mrs. Clinton as "Hitlery" I don't know how many times, I think the criticism rings pretty hollow. Besides, if you're trying to be accurate (at least in your own deluded portrayal of her), "Hitlery" doesn't really work, does it? As I recall, I don't think Hitler was much a fan of leftists, was he?

Is "Scalia-lite" any less offensive/"racist" (or inaccurate).

I guess it's okay to throw those kind of barbs/bombs when it's not your guys who are the targets.

Frankly, I could do without the name-calling from both sides.

not racist (and as pointed out by T on FB, it would xenophobic, not racist). I'm sure sidd will agree with me that Ities aren't offended by it. The only possible crazed way to see it as racist is to assume that the term is only used becasue they are both Italian. In fact, it seems like it's more a philisophic thing.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by spookyfish
Okay, maybe one of you guys could explain this to me. I will agree with you that the above-mentioned labels are inappropriate. Fine.

But I honestly don't get how the term "Scalito" is seen as a racist or ethnic insult, if it is describing his judicial philosophy. Seeing as how Penske has referred to Mrs. Clinton as "Hitlery" I don't know how many times, I think the criticism rings pretty hollow. Besides, if you're trying to be accurate (at least in your own deluded portrayal of her), "Hitlery" doesn't really work, does it? As I recall, I don't think Hitler was much a fan of leftists, was he?

Is "Scalia-lite" any less offensive/"racist" (or inaccurate).

I guess it's okay to throw those kind of barbs/bombs when it's not your guys who are the targets.

Frankly, I could do without the name-calling from both sides.

As far you know I am not the mainstream media or a mainstream commentator or an elected official. the only place I use the term is a relatively anonymous chatboard that at most 40 people read.

There is a difference there, see if you can discern it. Although it's interesting somehow the racism of the mainstream liberals can be attempted to be excused because little old me compares Hillary to Hitler (which, for anyone who has read her mein kampf Senior thesis from Wellesly, is an apt comparison).

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by spookyfish
Double.

It was better the second time, you should have left it.

Encore encore!!!

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I've read very little about Alito. What's his judicial philosophy, Penske?

Judicial conservative. Plain and simple. And anti-Casey & Roe, boc.

[spookyfish]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
It was better the second time, you should have left it.

Encore encore!!!

Only if I can expect more nonsense from you as a response.

(I need something out of this transaction too, you know. . . )

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
huh?

You say Penske is irrelevant because he brings up Clinton. You guys are recycling Reagan arguments. You lose- Reagan was the Century's 2nd best President.

Oh. and olive branch! I don't blame you! Robots don't know they are operating under a program.

I'll charitably assume that you did not understand what I was getting at with the post to which you initially responded.

I also find it strange -- though not completely insulting -- that you equate my politics with those of George Carlin.

On your Penske point -- this is a strange conversation to have, but the analogy only works if "we" constantly brought up Pres. Reagan, the jelly beans, Nancy Reagan, Iran-Contra, the astrologer, and RR's likely illness for the last two years of his office (for example) at every opportunity -- and kept hammering away at those items as purported substantive responses to issues of the day, as Penske does with the Clintons (sorry, Clintoons).

That is different than making some of the same arguments, with some of the same themes, about and against policies of the Bush II administration which some "liberals" may have made about and against Reagan back in the day. That simply shows ideological consistency. I'd wager that some of the conservative talking points from the Carter days showed up again during the Clinton years.

S_A_M

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I've read very little about Alito. What's his judicial philosophy, Penske?

That is irrelevant Gatti. The President is entitled to deference and respect for his appointment of any quaified nominee. I'm sure that judicial philosophy will not be a subject of inquiry.

S_A_M

P.S. The sense I get is a cross between Scalia and Kennedy (i.e. libertarian in some ways, but quite "conservative" in many others). He is clearly a sharp guy who has the firepower for the job. That said, I still have to decide whether I think he's the best we're likely to get from Bush.

[Nut Penske]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
Judicial conservative. Plain and simple. And anti-Casey & Roe, boc.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
The fine folks over at Daily Kos are already in-fighting among themselves between those who decry Alito as (i) an "italian thug" , (ii) mafia judge and (iii) altar boy set on raping America - and the others who (rightfully) call that half out as racist pigs.

I don't read Kos, but good for the second half. This is a non-partisan phenomenon, btw. The fringes (not you, fringey, baby) on both sides regularly make racist comments about nominees. From Bill Lann Lee, to Clarence Thomas, Scalia, Ginsberg -- it's all too common.

I'm Not Italian (NTTAWWT), but it seems like any successful Italian American lawyer/politician/businessperson gets tagged with the Mafia label. WTF? I'm beginning to think that Melfi's ex-husband had a point.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Proven conclusively by Hank's drunken viewing of a 1980s era Carlin special on HBO.

Why do use "drunken"? nothing in Hank's post was an admission of impairment. Why the attempt to slanderise him? Can you ever post without PoPD?

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by spookyfish
Only if I can expect more nonsense from you as a response.

(I need something out of this transaction too, you know. . . )

Never let it be said I don't have the decency to give a reach around.

Was that good for you too?