I knew Roberts was lying during his confirmation hearings. So did you.

[11 Bravo]

He said he was going to be an "umpire". I played ball for years, and my son starts for his high school team. Neither of us has ever seen an umpire say, "You know what, I don't want to rule on the play that just occured. I want to make a call from a previous game." That's exactly what the Roberts court did by going beyond handing down a narrow decision (which Roberts insisted he would always try to do) on Citizens United, and instead making the huge leap to overturn Austin.
And if I knew what he was going to do, don't anyone dare tell me that the Senators voting didn't know as well. The Democrats who allowed Roberts to be confirmed in the name of "bi-partisanship" FUCKING KNEW THAT HE WAS LYING! Yet they allowed this dangerous lackey to assume the highest judicial position in the nation. And I'm as guilty as they are. I have tried to be pragmatic. My thought was, "Shit, he's replacing Rehnquist, how bad can it be?"
I now have my answer.
So that will pretty much do it for me. Fuck pragmatism and fuck incrementalism, at least for the forseeable future.
It will take a while to undo this execrable decision, but in the meantime, fuck bi-partisanship! The repugs were never interested in the concept as anything other than a tool to hammer Democrats anyway.
Please, take the House HCR bill, use reconciliation, and shove it up some Republican ass. If they resist, use a damned cattle prod.

on edit: I realize that the HCR bill has nothing to do with the SCOTUS decision. My point is that there is nothing to be gained by trying to work with these assholes.

[aquart]

1. Okay by me.

I would like to see some genuine suffering on their side.

[BrklynLiberal]

31. I must admit to having some very bad thoughts about the health of the Repuke nominated Justices.

If I believed in god or hell, I might be nervous.

[aquart]

42. Each one will live to be 95 in perfect health.

I think that's the standard satanic contract. The Filthy Five would have walked out alive from the Hotel Montana.

[BrklynLiberal]

45. Ah... now I understand.

[alsame]

2. Yes, but apparently the Senate Dems were 'hoodwinked':

http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=280107

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 27, 2007

Schumer Declares Democrats Hoodwinked Into Confirming Chief Justice Roberts, Urges Higher Burden Of Proof For Any Future Bush Nominees

--snip--

Today, in a keynote speech before the American Constitution Society (ACS), Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) expressed disappointment over the most recent Supreme Court term and pledged to oppose any of President Bush’s future nominees to the Supreme Court, barring extraordinary circumstances.

“In his confirmation hearing, Chief Justice Roberts equated his role to that of an umpire in a baseball game—someone who doesn’t make the rules, but instead applies them,” Schumer said. “Unfortunately, if there is one thing this term has shown us, it is that Chief Justice Roberts seems intent on changing the strike zone. If the past Supreme Court term were a movie, it might be called The Umpire Strikes Back.”

Schumer outlined four lessons learned from the confirmation process experience with Justices Roberts and Alito, most significantly that he believes any future nominee’s record must be given much more careful consideration, and must be weighted with more importance than the confirmation hearing itself. Schumer pledged to reverse the presumption of confirmation on any future nominations by President Bush, saying that he would place the burden of proof on the nominees themselves.

[abq e streeter]

3. golly gee, we were lied to by a republican...I mean who could possibly have expected that?

on edit---meant really to respond to the OP, but no big deal...just agreeing with everyone else here that watches our Democratic "leaders" get punked time and time again by the repubs and then be somehow just surprised as hell about it every time.

[Tesha]

16. It's okay; *NEXT TIME* the Republicans will surely let the Democrats kick the football.

[abq e streeter]

25. yep, exactly the image I had in mind

[BrklynLiberal]

32. Precisley!!! Absolutely!! Could not be more perfect!!!!

[tomp]

38. too late chuck, you asshole.

u.s. senators are supposed to be beyond hoodwinking.

if you'd like to make it up to the nation, however, start impeachment hearings based on perjury at the confirmation hearings.

[alsame]

39. Isn't it unbelievable that he would put out a statement like that? "We're

stupid, but vote for us again!"

[SoCalDem]

47. Bull-shit..

They knew he was a lying sack of shit.. they just did not care enough to lay it on the line, and vote no..

Bush-gang would have been "harsh" with them, and would have said mean things about them on FoxNews..

We NEED term limits...We can no longer count on elections sorting this all out.. after the SCOTUS decision, it's going to be nearly impossible to see through the smoke screens of the future.. the only thing that could "save" us all would be meaningful term limits..for ALL parts of governments..

and we need to make "legislator" a part-time profession....not a career that morphs into an even more lucrative career as a lobbyist..

How?

No pension until 20 consecutive years have been worked..

Re do terms of congresscritters.. make them 4 years, and only 2 terms

Senate could stay 6 years, with a 2 term limit

To get the pension, one would have to do 2 terms at each venue, and any break of "service" would mean...no pension..ever, since years of service would have to be sequential


Justices should be at least 60 years old, and would serve no more than 10 years without a reconfirmation hearing..maximum age 75..
By the age of 60, most should have had a rich judicial (or otherwise) career, should be more or less done raising a family, and their personal history should be pretty definitive by that age..

With nearly 300 million people, 9 justices should change too.. we really need 15 ..or maybe even 21.. I know that FDR "got in trouble" when he tried to reinstate the larger number, but now more than ever, we NEED to level the playing field....and while we're at it, the chief justice should be a position chosen by the fellow justices...not the president..

[alsame]

48. Yep, that was a pathetic attempt at CYA. Totally agree about term limits. nt

[timeforpeace]

4. Can't see you writing this if he had gone the other way, which you would have had to if your point

is valid.

[11 Bravo]

5. "IF he had gone the other way"? Umm, he didn't, and I knew he wouldn't. And by the way ...

IF your aunt had balls, she'd be your uncle.

[robinlynne]

7. oh, you said it better than I could have.

[Binka]

8. Go Get That Chew Toy Bravo!

K&R! I was screaming at the TV during the confirmation, "YOU FUCKING LIAR." If anyone in those rooms bought Robert's fuckwittage we are truly more screwed then I dared imagine.

[BrklynLiberal]

33. ROTFLMAO!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[robinlynne]

6. He did not go the other way, which IS the point. We all knew he was a far rightwing

prick and a liar. He has proven himself to be exactly that. The writer of the OP isn't placing a bet on a horserace. He or she is stating what happened, and how we all knew where this confirmation would lead us, and yet the DEMS went along with it.

[gkhouston]

37. because of the threat of the nuclear option. They didn't want the run the risk

of having the filibuster go away completely because then the Senate would come to a complete halt, full stop. No Medicare or Social Security checks for the old people. Maybe we should have taken that risk, although I suspect Cheney wouldn't have cared about old people dying, since he didn't give a flying fuck about spying on us or torturing people or anything else most humans would think twice about stooping to.

[robinlynne]

40. And that's ok with you?

[gkhouston]

49. Is what okay with me? That they voted for Roberts and Alito? No, I was far

from "okay" with it. But I'm sick of hearing that the Dems went along with it as if they were clueless about the philosophies of Roberts and Alito. The nuclear option was a pretty considerable threat and Cheney was crazy enough to have used it. The consequences of it would have been pretty horrific. It wasn't a run-of-the-mill "keeping our powder dry" scenario.

[robinlynne]

50. just like the possibility right now that they might filibuster. I disagree. the consequences

of the nuclear option would have been disastrous for the Republicans. And possibly could have been undone.
AND had they placed Roberts a nd Alito that way, it would be justifiable now for Obama to place more Supreme Court judges. So I think "going along with it" was a LOSE situation for us. not a better situation for the country, as you seem to see it.

The Democrats gave them legitimacy by "going along". The general public does not question the legitimacy of those 2 being seated on the bench.

[Enthusiast]

9. There are NO good Republicans.

They are advocates of fascism. Bipartisanship is always misguided if it includes Republicans.

[sallyseven]

10. You are absolutely right.

I love the shoving up the butt of the repuks. Lets get them.

[StatGirl]

11. Rehnquist would have done the same thing

The *real* sleight of hand was in replacing O'Connor with Alito (after the Harriet Myers fake-out, of course).

[appal_jack]

12. Scam-y'all Scalito

Just a friendly reminder that you misspelled Scalito.

:hi:

-app

edit to remove unnecessary hyphen from 'misspelled' and also lose an overly-cheery emoticon, considering the dire straits that Scalito has sailed us into.

[tonysam]

13. He misspoke. He meant "emperor." n/t

[Contrary1]

14. So was Thomas...but it doesn't matter much now. n/t

[StatGirl]

18. I still think that Obama should appoint Anita Hill

. . . to replace the next retiring justice.

[BrklynLiberal]

34. Perfect!!! Just perfect LOLOLOLOL

[aquart]

46. I am going to savor that for just a moment.

Before rejecting it utterly. Although a black woman would be nice. A black Jewish gay woman, even better. And I damn well know that qualified, brilliant, liberal women of every color, religion, and sexual persuasion are out there, working their asses off for less money and half the recognition.

[upi402]

15. Republicans and serial killers

have no conscience.

[G_j]

17. I remember being right here at DU

in utter, absolute anguish as we watched him get approved!

[BeHereNow]

19. That's because some of us KNEW who he was and where he was going.

You know, posters like us, the "CT" contingency of DU.

Ha!

We were right all along.

It's only a conspiracy if it can't be proven.
Need more proof anyone?

BHN

[G_j]

21. I won't even mention colored pills..

though seriously, I learned much, how many people are that tuned in to the process? DU was a good place to check out for a pulse/information, if you were interested.
:hi:

[BeHereNow]

22. LOL... ah yes, the colored pills.

Wish I had some.
I need a few hours of delusional thinking.
Reality based thinking is giving me a very bad head ache right now.

BHN

[G_j]

24. or a laugh or two

:crazy:

[malaise]

20. +1

Yep and I knew he would be one of the most reactionary justices ever.
It was clear as day - Dems were rolled over and now they're bawling.
Time to buy a fucking spine Dems. Notice all ReTHUGS do is say fugging NO. We need some convictions.

[G_j]

23. A huge lie, that was as obvious as the smirks on all their faces. nt

[bleever]

26. With those wide open, innocent eyes, he said, "Golly, our system is built on precedent,

and I'll devote myself to preserving that."

We saw right through that shit.

[donheld]

27. GOD DAMN IT

We gotta over turn this what ever it takes. Fast

[leftstreet]

28. This thread makes Mrs. Alito cry

[G_j]

29. LOL!

[BrklynLiberal]

35. ugh!! yuk!! puke!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

30. His lips were moving.....

prez shit-for-brains nominated him

He is a member of the Federalist Society.


and the list goes on and on and on...

[Unvanguard]

36. They all lie during their confirmation hearings. They are compelled to recite a ludicrous script.

Nobody can possibly decide Supreme Court cases by some technical process of applying the law; if this were possible, the cases would be easily resolved and would never reach the Court. They inherently require interpretation and analysis, and that means that a person's often-ideological views about what constitutes (say) "freedom of speech" or a "compelling government interest" are going to play a role.

We will get honest confirmation hearings when we decide to be honest about what the Supreme Court is inevitably going to actually do.

[Kalun D]

41. Oh come on

You know all the dems knew he was a corporatist. But of course being SPINELESS SOLD OUT PANSIES they confirmed him.

If he had been a dem the repugs would have fought him tooth and nail.

and lets go back to Slappy Thomas, he shouldn't have got in there either.

[FormerDittoHead]

43. At the time, I had no doubt in my mind he was just going to say what was going to work.

There was no question in my mind that he was lying through his teeth as was Alito and that it was their intention to do exactly the kind of thing he did this week for the rest of his life.

I would NEVER had voted to approve him. He was the guy who represented Bush in Bush v Gore for crying out loud. How the hell could this last decision come as a surprise to anyone...

...fuck bi-partisanship! The repugs were never interested in the concept as anything other than a tool to hammer Democrats anyway.
Please, take the House HCR bill, use reconciliation, and shove it up some Republican ass.

If Democrats did that they'd be in for a rude awakening - PEOPLE, STARTING WITH THE REPUBLICANS, WOULD RESPECT THEM FOR IT.

[Kalun D]

44. Obama's Next SC Appointment??

Cynthia McKinney

YEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!