So, Who’s It Gonna’ Be?

Only days after the announcement of Justice Steven’s upcoming retirement, some Republicans are already proving to be full of piss and vinegar over Obama’s possible nominations. And, in the meantime, Democrats are already preparing themselves to be pissed off at another “middle-of-the-road” candidate. Summer’s lookin’ like a good time already!

So, what is it exactly each side is gettin’ worked up about?

Well, for us Lefties, it seems that the majority of comments I hear or read pertain to the fear that President Obama will chose another Sotomayor-like candidate; a Justice who turns out to be so centrist, that they actually lean to the right.

Unfortunately, this is a strong possibility and concerning likelihood. Already in the news, there are several possibilities that have many of us on the left more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full a’ rockin’ chairs.

And from the Right we’re already hearing the telltale catch phrases like “activist judges” and “legislate from the bench”. Not to mention you have pompous Senators like Jon Kyl of Arizona refusing to take filibuster off the table unless Obama picks someone “from the mainstream”

Let’s be real here folks. The above mentioned phrases appear in just about every Supreme Court nomination in recent history. Both sides have used such code words to describe judges that are unlikely to vote in the manner preferred by their Party. And before the Right gets all hot headed about any potential “activist judge”, they may first want to take a look-see at the recent Citizens United case.

In the concurring opinion written by Roberts and Alito, the pair virtually does a dosie-doe trying to explain why the particular case in question allowed them to go against stare decisis and essentially “legislate from the bench”.

In section II, sub-section A, paragraph 2, Roberts compares the decision to go against the precedent to the previous decisions in Brown v. The Board of Education, West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, and Katz v. The United States. What the Justice fails to signify, however, is that in all the previous cases the parties in question were actual human beings… not corporations. As far as I’m concerned, Roberts’ opinion on this case makes about as much sense as horns on a mule. To anyone with half a brain, a corporation is not, has never been, and will never be an actual person.

Sure as a one-legged duck swims in circles, we all know there’s still gonna’ be a grand ol’ spectacle from the opposition regardless of who is selected. So, Mr. President, why not go whole hog? Nominate someone so far left that I can hear Republicans’ heads exploding from down here in the swamps.

And the fact is, in order to avoid the scales of the Court from tipping any further to the right, we need an über-liberal! Stevens has consistently been a strong voice in the never-ending battle to protect civil liberties. He has provided leadership and guidance to the progressive members of the Court for decades, resulting in several landmark court decisions. We simply cannot allow the current corporation-lovin’ court to lean even a hair more to the right.

In the meantime, we don’t have to sit around twiddlin’ our thumbs. Call. Write. Email. Let the Administration know that it was we on the Left that put them where they are and we expect them to do right by us now. And for those on the Right that are gearin’ up for a fight before a name has even been announced, I saved a special lill’ Southern sayin’ just for you. Go Fuck Yourselves!