Justice Torture

"It's not that we have anything personal against Alberto Gonzales, but he has said some things that are very discomforting," Miranda said. Free Congress paraphrased Miranda as saying that Gonzales's comments on various cases "show that he is not a movement conservative" and adding: "We don't know what he really thinks on many, many issues. That is something that conservatives on this nomination cannot tolerate."

I promised myself I would not write about this until Judgment Day, but I just find the rightwing discourse so intolerable that I must put in my two cents. The Supreme Court was designed as a non-partisan entity for a reason. Bush keeps saying he's not going to use the "litmus test," but he is. They are. Gonzales critics say, "He isn't conservative enough." Geezus. The Court is there to interpret the Constitution, that vague document most people in this country seem to hate. It isn't there to satisfy an agenda. These idiotic comments make me want to throw something. A person's personal beliefs are NOT to be considered when nominating a justice. It's about the LAW. Modern conservative wackos think the law is there to ban things they don't like. Have they ever heard of the ninth amendment?

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Gonzales is a Republican, and Reid and many Dems would be willing to put him on the bench. Remember when Clinton consulted with Hatch on his appointments? It's called compromise, people. It makes us grumble a bit when we have to deal with the parts of a compromise we don't like, but at least our blood doesn't boil. Gonzales' nomination would not be a very messy confirmation unless gops decide to stop toeing the line for a minute. Not likely. The rational voices of the party- Voinovich, Hegal, Shays, Snowe, etc- will most likely wield much influence on those gops who belong in sanatoriums.

Look, I hate this as much as the next person:
It is muy dificil to separate Gonzales from that, but we have to try. We have to remember that civil liberties are at stake, and it would be tougher to condemn policies like Abu Gharab without the liberty to do so.