Monday, October 31, 2005

Politics: Scalia-lite

So consistently conservative, Alito has been dubbed "Scalito" or "Scalia-lite" by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But while Scalia is outspoken and is known to badger lawyers, Alito is polite, reserved and even-tempered.
Well, at least he'll be smiling and saying 'please' and 'thank you' as he terminates a woman's right to choose.

The nightmares keep coming.

Update: Emily Bazelon explores Alito's most famous abortion decision, which she says:
Still, Alito's opinion in that case would have limited the right to abortion more severely than Sandra Day O'Connor, whom he will replace if confirmed, has ever been willing to do. And Alito's split with O'Connor involves not only abortion but also marriage. She worried about wives who might be victims of domestic violence. He put first the rights of husbands to know what their wives are doing.

7 comments:

Danielle Solzman said...

how you doing?

Anonymous said...

I think you are being an alarmist, G. No one is going to even touch the Roe versus Wade ruling in the near future. The major thing that the news networks have against this man is that he was a dessenting voice on a ruling which did not uphold the Pennsylvanian law which required a wife to inform her husband of intent to have an abortion.

Personally, I agree with him. The woman has the ultimate decision in my opinion, but she has entered into a contract with her husband, and he deserves to have knowledge of intent. Yes there are extenuating circumstances and Alito addressed them. He was not against her having the abortion, but rather her going against, then, Pennsylvanian State Law and not informing her contracted mating partner.

Take a look at his other rulings, and examine the one that people are all concerned with. He isn't a scary woman hater, and I am not saying, don't oppose him at all, but don't go off screaming because everyone else is running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Good grief. You cannot live in a purely individualistic society. Being part of a society means that ones needs to conduct oneself with proper manners and consideration for others.

Be you liberal, or conservative (which is another thing that gets me, you have be a liberal or conservative on a topic, but no one can be simplyliberal or conservative in and of themselves) people need to realise that Individualism, isn't 'what is good for me?' or 'what is best for me and mine?' but rather that 'I am human, I am a person. I am special.' Taking it beyond that isn't induvidualism but meanders into the realm of selfness and greed, and treads all over the individualism of others.

Garrett said...

Kev, nowhere in the wedding vows did I affirm that my wife couldn't have an abortion without telling me first. A marriage does not terminate a woman's reproductive rights. Is there a bit of a social obligation implied? Perhaps. But certainly not a legal one.

and don't worry, buddy, I think my line about saying please and thank you was just a joke :0)

i don't think roe v. wade will go anywhere. but i think a conservative court would allow any number of restrictions on abortion to undermine the right to choose.

Anonymous said...

I agreem and I said so, the woman has the ultimate choice, but a entering into a marriage is entering into a contract, and the Husband should expect to be fully informed of such a course. I also think that there is something fundamentally wrong if we need to have legislation for such basic courtesy.

Sure you there was nothing in the wedding vows that specific or limiting. Wedding vows are old, for people who took a vow seriously as what is it, what the same thing as a promise it, a social contract between two people. Mayeb the vows need to be changed to fit the modern view, specifically draw out all duties and obligations.

'But there was nothing in my wedding vows that I could sleep with a rhinosaurous on tuesday nights.' Just because it isn't there, and just because you aren't required to behave in a certain manner doesn't mean that you shouldn't.

Garrett said...

are you saying people aren't supposed to sleep with rhinoceroses? how dare you.i

Anonymous said...

nope, Curious George should be enough for everyone.

Danielle Solzman said...

I have some more on Scalito