Now that the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito are over, what did we learn? That a nominee for the high court won't answer questions he's not supposed to answer? Or that liberals will then use those non-answers as a public rationale for opposition?

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With the recent retirements from the US Supreme Court much has been made of the importance of maintaining a "balance" on the bench, largely by those who feel that their particular philosophy will come up short if the existing balance is changed. In other words liberals are concerned that a conservative George Bush would appoint conservatives to the bench. Imagine, a democratically elected Pre  read more »

Do the Democrats fight it out over Alito, or just pretend to fight? Do they go all out and filibuster the nomination, or do they put on a serious face and hold an inquisition on the Judiciary Committee to satisfy their base and make it easier to let them down when they don't go all out?

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For the past several decades, and especially over the past five years, the political battles centered around the federal judicial appointment process have increased dramatically. While there have been occasional flair-ups since the founding of the republic, (such as John Adams' Federalist judiciary packing and FDR's over attempt to expand and pack the Supreme Court), the  read more »

That bell you heard last Friday afternoon was the opening of round one of what is sure to be the greatest fight over a judicial nomination in the history of this country. Not that it should be. But it will be, for a whole host of reasons, but to summarize: when Republican's get to pick nominees, it's a fight. Period. Also, this will be the first su  read more »

With all the attention that has been paid to the rhetorical blather of DNC Chairman Howard Dean (with such attention being well deserved), a good number of high level Democrats have been able to speak "under the radar" as it were.  read more »

When it comes to reaping the "spoils of war" many conservative Republicans are beginning to feel like Charlie Brown does when Lucy moves the football just as he tries to kick it. They get all psyched up and excited and ready to accomplish a task, only to have the opportunity yanked away from them at the last second.

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