Has anyone watched any of the Alito hearings?
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j1miller
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 Posted: 01/13/06 - 17:12 Post subject: Has anyone watched any of the Alito hearings?
I have not been able to watch any of it, but have done quite a bit of reading about it. From what I gather, the hearings are a total waste of time. Has anyone seen any of it, and if so, what's your take on the hearings?
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blue
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 17:23 Post subject:
the who hearings?
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rolling rock
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 17:27 Post subject:
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 17:55 Post subject:
Why is it a waste?
There have been Alito-hearing watching parties replete with pizza at my school this week. Of course, he's a local guy and who winds up on the Court has big implications for everyone at the school.
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msparks
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 18:23 Post subject:
Arlen Specter stated that Alito underwent eighteen hours of questioning, and further mentioned the number of questions was 700.
Go ahead. Do the math. Convert hours into minutes. That comes out to 1.54 minutes per question. Mike DeWine actually went nine minutes into his allotted time before he even asked a question! (No wonder that in a recent rating of senators, only 97 were ahead of him.)
A waste of time? Not if you were a U.S. senator in need of face time. If you squint hard enough, peering back through the mists of time, you'll see that the process wasn't always like it is now. Forget the cameras. The committee got together - without the nominee present! - and discussed the pros/cons of that person.
How, oh how, did we ever manage to put people on the Supreme Court before the days of televised hearings?
It's a done deal. Alito's in. Bet on it.
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blue
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:23 Post subject:
| msparks wrote: | Arlen Specter stated that Alito underwent eighteen hours of questioning, and further mentioned the number of questions was 700.
Go ahead. Do the math. Convert hours into minutes. That comes out to 1.54 minutes per question. Mike DeWine actually went nine minutes into his allotted time before he even asked a question! (No wonder that in a recent rating of senators, only 97 were ahead of him.)
A waste of time? Not if you were a U.S. senator in need of face time. If you squint hard enough, peering back through the mists of time, you'll see that the process wasn't always like it is now. Forget the cameras. The committee got together - without the nominee present! - and discussed the pros/cons of that person.
How, oh how, did we ever manage to put people on the Supreme Court before the days of televised hearings?
It's a done deal. Alito's in. Bet on it. |
i think i get a whif of what you're cooking in the oven... it might be some exotic dish i ain't never heard of, but kid you're alright.
(all i got from that is this guy probably loves being on tv and it must've been great when judges judged, and weren't tv superstars... am i in the ballpark?)
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Floridaboiler
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:26 Post subject:
Nope, not one bit of it.
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kristin31
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:27 Post subject:
Well, in my opinon, this is a travesty. If he is appointed, what happens to a female's right to choice.?. I am, and will continue to be pro-choice. We can get into all of the little nasty details and exceptions to this, but in the end, either women can have control over their body and deal with their choices, or have them revoked. Personally, I do not believe in abortion as a form of birth control, but I believe that in certain situations it is a viable option.
Alito has said on several occasions that he is against a woman's right to choice, and that "The Constitution does not guarantee a wonan's right to abortion".
What about a young girl who has been raped and becomes pregnant? Why should she have to carry that child to term? She can offer it up for adoption, certainly. However, why should she have to carry around that burden, the loss of nine moths of her health, and a LIFETIME of psychological ramifications of carrying and giving birth to the unwanted burden of a violent crime?
How do you explain this to a 17 year old girl?
"I am so sorry, dear. Someone just stuck a knife at your throat and gave you a baby and a venereal disease which could impact your ability to ever have children again, after this one. But you can certainly carry this one to term. Then, we'll rip it out of you, and give it up for adoption (presuming that you are middle-upper class and have resources to find this "solution".). BTW, have fun with dealing with the emotional impacts of this."
I can't believe that people are cruel enough to force this on anyone . I wouldn't personally treat the stray cats in my backyard in this fashion.
Does this happen in the majority of abortions?
Perhaps not. But it happens to one person, it needs to be considered.
Does anyone here know of anyone who is anti-choice who has peronally adopted any of the babies of an unwanted pregnancy, or has taken on the financially responsibilities to support the counseling that is inevitable after forcing a female to carry an unwanted baby to term? Or seen an infant born as the result of an incestuous rape? There are some amazingly high medical bills that come as a result of bearing at infant at the age of 12, with organs on reversed sides of the body.
And people want to support Alito? Do we want to go to back to the days of back-alley abortions? You want to see tax dollars increase? Take away family planning alternatives such as Planned Parenthood, and examine the financial impact in about ten years.
Please, this guy is so biased on the right side of the political arena. The right-wing contingent would scream if a liberal were in consideration for the same position. Please, everyone protest against this person.
I know that there are a lot of Republicans and pro-life people here. What would you do if your own daughter or wife were suddenly denied a medically necessary abortion as the result of a rape? What if it were her life or the baby's? What if you knew as a result of carrying the child that she would be in permanent therapy or institutionalized for the remainder of her life? Or, if she would never be able to carry your child or (in a daughter's case) her husband's, because she HAD to carry an unwanted baby as a result of a violent crime. You would prefer the adopted unkown "granddaughter" of a rapist to your own? I find it impossible to believe that anyone would ever be so unnecessarily cruel.
Let Alito get elected, and this is what you are facing. Just my thoughts.
MsParks, (again, in my opinion) Mike DeWine is a idiot. He is about as far to the right continuin as possible. He holds up a moral "Republican" standard for everyone but himself and his family. (i.e., they get drunk and crash cars into themselves and other people, but anyone else outside of himself or family who would behave in such a fashion is tossed, as they should well be, into jail.) He's a local joke in Columbus. Any question he might be able to pose to Alito probably took him 9 minutes to formulate in his alcohol-ridden brain. I've seen him drunk at several social functions in Columbus. Although he professes abstinence, he and his family have issues.
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Pug
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:33 Post subject:
Listened to it on the radio at work. Fairly interesting.
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andydp
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:34 Post subject:
He came across as a conservative, not as a right wing zealot.
Despite the best efforts of the more left leaning senators, Alito came out of it OK. I'm a bit concerned for some issues raised but personally, I think he will make it. I also think he will actually turn out to be a surprise to both sides of the aisle.
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Pug
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 19:41 Post subject:
| andydp wrote: | He came across as a conservative, not as a right wing zealot.
Despite the best efforts of the more left leaning senators, Alito came out of it OK. I'm a bit concerned for some issues raised but personally, I think he will make it. I also think he will actually turn out to be a surprise to both sides of the aisle. |
Agreed. Overall I think he sounded qualified and if there are concerns about issues I don't think that another Bush nominee will be better.
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msparks
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 21:42 Post subject:
| blue wrote: |
i think i get a whif of what you're cooking in the oven... it might be some exotic dish i ain't never heard of, but kid you're alright. |
Beans & Weanies? 
| Quote: | | (all i got from that is this guy probably loves being on tv and it must've been great when judges judged, and weren't tv superstars... am i in the ballpark?) |
Well, sort of? I think that the senators like the cameras because they want to appear to be doing something...you know, let their constituents know that they're on the job, accomplishing things and stuff.
As far as the judges doing the judging, being superstars...well, not exactly. My point was that the Senate Judicial Committee could get the same job done (deciding if the candidate was worthy of a Senate vote for confirmation) and didn't need cameras, reporters, et.al., in order to fill out the Court when a vacancy occurred.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 01/13/06 - 22:06 Post subject:
| kristin31 wrote: | Well, in my opinon, this is a travesty. If he is appointed, what happens to a female's right to choice.?. I am, and will continue to be pro-choice. We can get into all of the little nasty details and exceptions to this, but in the end, either women can have control over their body and deal with their choices, or have them revoked. Personally, I do not believe in abortion as a form of birth control, but I believe that in certain situations it is a viable option.
Alito has said on several occasions that he is against a woman's right to choice, and that "The Constitution does not guarantee a wonan's right to abortion".
What about a young girl who has been raped and becomes pregnant? Why should she have to carry that child to term? She can offer it up for adoption, certainly. However, why should she have to carry around that burden, the loss of nine moths of her health, and a LIFETIME of psychological ramifications of carrying and giving birth to the unwanted burden of a violent crime?
How do you explain this to a 17 year old girl?
"I am so sorry, dear. Someone just stuck a knife at your throat and gave you a baby and a venereal disease which could impact your ability to ever have children again, after this one. But you can certainly carry this one to term. Then, we'll rip it out of you, and give it up for adoption (presuming that you are middle-upper class and have resources to find this "solution".). BTW, have fun with dealing with the emotional impacts of this."
I can't believe that people are cruel enough to force this on anyone . I wouldn't personally treat the stray cats in my backyard in this fashion.
Does this happen in the majority of abortions?
Perhaps not. But it happens to one person, it needs to be considered.
Does anyone here know of anyone who is anti-choice who has peronally adopted any of the babies of an unwanted pregnancy, or has taken on the financially responsibilities to support the counseling that is inevitable after forcing a female to carry an unwanted baby to term? Or seen an infant born as the result of an incestuous rape? There are some amazingly high medical bills that come as a result of bearing at infant at the age of 12, with organs on reversed sides of the body.
And people want to support Alito? Do we want to go to back to the days of back-alley abortions? You want to see tax dollars increase? Take away family planning alternatives such as Planned Parenthood, and examine the financial impact in about ten years.
Please, this guy is so biased on the right side of the political arena. The right-wing contingent would scream if a liberal were in consideration for the same position. Please, everyone protest against this person.
I know that there are a lot of Republicans and pro-life people here. What would you do if your own daughter or wife were suddenly denied a medically necessary abortion as the result of a rape? What if it were her life or the baby's? What if you knew as a result of carrying the child that she would be in permanent therapy or institutionalized for the remainder of her life? Or, if she would never be able to carry your child or (in a daughter's case) her husband's, because she HAD to carry an unwanted baby as a result of a violent crime. You would prefer the adopted unkown "granddaughter" of a rapist to your own? I find it impossible to believe that anyone would ever be so unnecessarily cruel.
Let Alito get elected, and this is what you are facing. Just my thoughts.
MsParks, (again, in my opinion) Mike DeWine is a idiot. He is about as far to the right continuin as possible. He holds up a moral "Republican" standard for everyone but himself and his family. (i.e., they get drunk and crash cars into themselves and other people, but anyone else outside of himself or family who would behave in such a fashion is tossed, as they should well be, into jail.) He's a local joke in Columbus. Any question he might be able to pose to Alito probably took him 9 minutes to formulate in his alcohol-ridden brain. I've seen him drunk at several social functions in Columbus. Although he professes abstinence, he and his family have issues. |
I agree with your concerns, but I disagre with outcome. I don't believe Alito will change the status quo.
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kristin31
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Posted: 01/14/06 - 00:34 Post subject:
| runaroundsue wrote: | | kristin31 wrote: | Well, in my opinon, this is a travesty. If he is appointed, what happens to a female's right to choice.?. I am, and will continue to be pro-choice. We can get into all of the little nasty details and exceptions to this, but in the end, either women can have control over their body and deal with their choices, or have them revoked. Personally, I do not believe in abortion as a form of birth control, but I believe that in certain situations it is a viable option.
Alito has said on several occasions that he is against a woman's right to choice, and that "The Constitution does not guarantee a wonan's right to abortion".
What about a young girl who has been raped and becomes pregnant? Why should she have to carry that child to term? She can offer it up for adoption, certainly. However, why should she have to carry around that burden, the loss of nine moths of her health, and a LIFETIME of psychological ramifications of carrying and giving birth to the unwanted burden of a violent crime?
How do you explain this to a 17 year old girl?
"I am so sorry, dear. Someone just stuck a knife at your throat and gave you a baby and a venereal disease which could impact your ability to ever have children again, after this one. But you can certainly carry this one to term. Then, we'll rip it out of you, and give it up for adoption (presuming that you are middle-upper class and have resources to find this "solution".). BTW, have fun with dealing with the emotional impacts of this."
I can't believe that people are cruel enough to force this on anyone . I wouldn't personally treat the stray cats in my backyard in this fashion.
Does this happen in the majority of abortions?
Perhaps not. But it happens to one person, it needs to be considered.
Does anyone here know of anyone who is anti-choice who has peronally adopted any of the babies of an unwanted pregnancy, or has taken on the financially responsibilities to support the counseling that is inevitable after forcing a female to carry an unwanted baby to term? Or seen an infant born as the result of an incestuous rape? There are some amazingly high medical bills that come as a result of bearing at infant at the age of 12, with organs on reversed sides of the body.
And people want to support Alito? Do we want to go to back to the days of back-alley abortions? You want to see tax dollars increase? Take away family planning alternatives such as Planned Parenthood, and examine the financial impact in about ten years.
Please, this guy is so biased on the right side of the political arena. The right-wing contingent would scream if a liberal were in consideration for the same position. Please, everyone protest against this person.
I know that there are a lot of Republicans and pro-life people here. What would you do if your own daughter or wife were suddenly denied a medically necessary abortion as the result of a rape? What if it were her life or the baby's? What if you knew as a result of carrying the child that she would be in permanent therapy or institutionalized for the remainder of her life? Or, if she would never be able to carry your child or (in a daughter's case) her husband's, because she HAD to carry an unwanted baby as a result of a violent crime. You would prefer the adopted unkown "granddaughter" of a rapist to your own? I find it impossible to believe that anyone would ever be so unnecessarily cruel.
Let Alito get elected, and this is what you are facing. Just my thoughts.
MsParks, (again, in my opinion) Mike DeWine is a idiot. He is about as far to the right continuin as possible. He holds up a moral "Republican" standard for everyone but himself and his family. (i.e., they get drunk and crash cars into themselves and other people, but anyone else outside of himself or family who would behave in such a fashion is tossed, as they should well be, into jail.) He's a local joke in Columbus. Any question he might be able to pose to Alito probably took him 9 minutes to formulate in his alcohol-ridden brain. I've seen him drunk at several social functions in Columbus. Although he professes abstinence, he and his family have issues. |
I agree with your concerns, but I disagre with outcome. I don't believe Alito will change the status quo. |
Sue, I hope that you are right. I may have been dramatic, but I do NOT want my right to control my body or that of any of my friends and familes taken away by an extremely Right Wing government.
I keep thinking of a book by Margaret Atwood titled "The Handmaid's Tale" every time I see his face or that of the guy who is supposedly in charge of our counrty, and apparently thinks my body as well. He's not. I'll leave he country first.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 01/14/06 - 00:46 Post subject:
But he's also said, Kristin, that abortion is the settled law of this country. Don't get me wrong, I'm no big Sam fan, but I don't think he's into making waves. I just think he's not into being a swing vote either. I'd liken him more to a Thomas, except brighter and with better writings.
Your right to choose and mine will never be at issue b/c we can always get on a plane and go to another state or leave the country if we had to. It's the poor who would be discriminated against were abortion to again become illegal and if you look at Casey, you can see that poor women already are discriminated against in current law.
Handmaid's Tale blew my mind too. Truly chilling.
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