CCR Opposes Alito Supreme Court Nomination

The Center for Constitutional Rights opposes the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court.  The nomination of Harriet Miers to this position failed, not because Ms. Miers was inexperienced, but because the president could not adequately assure the far right that she would toe the line when it came to issues close to their hearts. These issues include: hatred of the idea that a woman has a right to make her own decisions with regard to reproduction; belief that government should promote religion, especially Christianity, in public life; and complete intolerance for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Americans and their rights.

Now that the president has been brought to heel by his right wing Christian base, he has nominated a judge who will give them everything they have demanded, and more.  In so doing, this administration has forfeited two major tenets of American democracy:  1) the prerogative of the president (rather than the organized Right) to make appointments to the Supreme Court and, 2) the independence of the judicial branch of government.  A close look at this nominee affirms that he will fight for the extremist ideology of the Bush Administration.  

In over 15 years as a federal appellate judge, in most cases that have come before him where individuals have sued the government or a corporation claiming a violation of their rights, Judge Alito has sided with government and big business and against the individual.  Similarly, in those cases where people have claimed that the government has stepped over the line of separation between church and state, Alito has said that whatever the state does is acceptable and does not violate the "establishment" clause of the First Amendment. He has belittled racial discrimination as of no more import than favoritism for left-handedness.  He would require women to notify their husbands before obtaining an abortion.  And he would impose virtually impossible evidentiary burdens on victims of discrimination before they were allowed to present their case before a jury.

Thus, Judge Alito has not been neutral, but rather has been biased in favor of religion, government and large corporations and against those who favor separation of church and state and victims of government misconduct.  Such a choice may strengthen the Bush Administration politically, but it can only weaken America.

 

 

The Center for Constitutional Rights works with communities under threat to fight for justice and liberation through litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications. Since 1966, the Center for Constitutional Rights has taken on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, economic inequity, and governmental overreach. Learn more at ccrjustice.org.

 

Last modified 

October 23, 2007