NY TIMES ENCOURAGES THE DEMOCRATS TO STAND UP TO BUSH FASCISM AND FILLIBUSTER ALITO

Now that Hillary is all palsy walsy with Murdoch, Inc, she probably doesn't care all that much what the NY TIMES has to say. Or at least not as much as she would if she were being attacked from the right. But tomorrow morning's edition of the Old Gray Lady has an editorial called "Senators In Need Of A Spine." I would guess the grass roots of the Democratic Party-- as well as millions of Americans concerned about little things like the slippery slope of fascism-- wholeheartedly agree.

There will never be a day when someone will announce that fascism is taking over. It's just happening... drip, drip, drip. And Alito, or as Sam Seder calls him A-Lie-Toe, is more of a big plop than a simple drip. The TIMES says his "entire history suggests that he holds extreme views about the expansive powers of the presidency and the limited role of Congress... His elevation will come courtesy of a president whose grandiose vision of his own powers threatens to undermine the nation's basic philosophy of government — and a Senate that seems eager to cooperate by rolling over and playing dead... The judge's record strongly suggests that he is an eager lieutenant in the ranks of the conservative theorists who ignore our system of checks and balances, elevating the presidency over everything else. He has expressed little enthusiasm for restrictions on presidential power and has espoused the peculiar argument that a president's intent in signing a bill is just as important as the intent of Congress in writing it. This would be worrisome at any time, but it takes on far more significance now, when the Bush administration seems determined to use the cover of the "war on terror" and presidential privilege to ignore every restraint, from the Constitution to Congressional demands for information... It is hard to imagine a moment when it would be more appropriate for senators to fight for a principle. Even a losing battle would draw the public's attention to the import of this nomination." Or does this not fit into some triangulation strategy for career advancement?

The TIMES also points out that "it is indefensible for Mr. Specter or any other senator who has promised constituents to protect a woman's right to an abortion to turn around and hand Judge Alito a potent vote to undermine or even end it." Let's see... that goes beyond Specter. At the very least Snowe and Collins in Maine and Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island should join every single Democrat (minus the contemptible Ben Nelson of Nebraska) to prevent Scalito to get this position.

Today's CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR seemed more sanguine than the TIMES which, despite the rousing editorial, predicts Alito's confirmation is a done deal. THE MONITOR story, by Gail Chaddock, seems to predict that the Democrats will at least try to mount a fillibuster.


WEDNESDAY 11 PM UPDATE: FAKE PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRAT BOB CASEY ENDORSES ALITO

I sold my house in Pennsylvania just before Thanksgiving so there's no chance I'm voting there. If I were, I know I would be voting for Chuck Pennachio, the grass roots, progressive over Bob Casey, the annointed DSCC candidate. Like Lieberman, Casey is good on some issues. He's also miserable on others. Today he said if he were in the Senate now he would be voting to confirm Alito. DWT will be looking into this primary a little more actively.