Questions: Is there ANY CHANCE that moderate Republicans...

[Maddy McCall]

who DON'T WANT Roe v. Wade overturned will join Democrats to block Alito's nomination? In other words, fiscal, pro-choice Republicans?

Will any Democrats defect to the Rigid-Right Republicans' side?

And, if Alito is (god forbid) seated, will the dynamics of the court change so that people who in the past who might have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade will now vote to uphold it?

In other words, is there ANY SALVATION for Roe v. Wade?

I'm very very sad about this appointment. I'm not a one-issue Democrat, but CHOICE is my most paramount Democratic issue. Are Republicans really ready to ditch Roe and free up their constituency then to side with either party, seeing as how we can't be labeled the "pro-abortion party" anymore, if Roe is overturned? Are Republicans ready to lose voters who only vote Republican because of the abortion issue, when abortion will no longer be an issue?

[colbushwhacker_2000]

1. Dems who will

support this nomination.....you bet, one for sure will probably be Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and that is just for starters. At least that is my opinion.

[tritsofme]

2. Roe v Wade is safe for now

Alito would be the probable fourth vote in favor of overturning, the five pro-Roe justices will still be Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsberg, and Breyer.

[Zynx]

6. Indeed. Unless Kennedy goes nuts suddenly Roe is safe for now.

[tritsofme]

9. Which would be very unlikely

given his affirmation of Roe in Casey.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. not unless it is in their small minded self interest.

and so far, not one democrat has done anything on any issue, including Miers or the right to choose, that would provide a logical reason for taking a stand against the ultra- rightists ruining our country.

Our leadership is pathetic, especially when you look at all the opportunity (AND need!) we have right now.

[rpannier]

4. I think there is a good possibility they will

With the pukes in a virtual self-destructive course, moderate Republicans are some of the most vulnerable (ex Chafee). If they fall behind this fascist they could find themselves out of a job. Senators like Collins, Snowe and Chafee cannot afford to have moderates turn on them.
Other Republicans likely to be unwilling to support this nominee include Sen Specter and McCain. I also think DeWine, Voinovic and Hagel might be iffy on this nominee.

[bowens43]

5. I doubt it but people are mistaken

if they believe that Roe Vs Wade is the primary target of this neo-con administration. It isn't. The primary target of an extremely conservative supreme court will be the interpretation of the commerce clause. Virtually ALL federal regulation is based on a very liberal interpretation of that clause. That is the target. Roe Vs. Wade is nothing but a bone thrown to the fundis and a smoke screen for the rest of us.

[Donna Zen]

12. I agree

Nevertheless, Roe vs Wade is based on an assumption that US citizens have a right to personal privacy. They will vote to overturn.

Also, my two so-called moderate senators (Snowe and Collins) will vote to confirm.

[justiceischeap]

7. I don't think Roe V. Wade will ever be overturned

It's too devisive an issue. If it's overturned, what would the Repugs have to run on? Gay marriage? The possibility of overturning Roe V. Wade is what gets them elected, why would they get rid of that "cash cow?" I know way too many repugs that vote that way specifically because of abortion and don't give two hoots about gay marriage, one way or another.

No, I think Roe V. Wade is safe but as always, I could be way off. ;)

[papau]

8. Samuel Alito’s America (a sure vote to overturn Roe v Wade)

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america/

Samuel Alito’s America

ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE: In his dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito concurred with the majority in supporting the restrictive abortion-related measures passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in the late 1980’s. Alito went further, however, saying the majority was wrong to strike down a requirement that women notify their spouses before having an abortion. The Supreme Court later rejected Alito’s view, voting to reaffirm Roe v. Wade.

ALITO WOULD ALLOW RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION: Alito dissented from a decision in favor of a Marriott Hotel manager who said she had been discriminated against on the basis of race. The majority explained that Alito would have protected racist employers by “immuniz an employer from the reach of Title VII if the employer’s belief that it had selected the ‘best’ candidate was the result of conscious racial bias.”

ALITO WOULD ALLOW DISABILITY-BASED DISCRIMINATION: In Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, the majority said the standard for proving disability-based discrimination articulated in Alito’s dissent was so restrictive that “few if any…cases would survive summary judgment.”

ALITO WOULD STRIKE DOWN THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) “guarantees most workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one.” The 2003 Supreme Court ruling upholding FMLA essentially reversed a 2000 decision by Alito which found that Congress exceeded its power in passing the law.

ALITO SUPPORTS UNAUTHORIZED STRIP SEARCHES: In Doe v. Groody, Alito agued that police officers had not violated constitutional rights when they strip searched a mother and her ten-year-old daughter while carrying out a search warrant that authorized only the search of a man and his home.

ALITO HOSTILE TOWARD IMMIGRANTS: In two cases involving the deportation of immigrants, the majority twice noted Alito’s disregard of settled law. In Dia v. Ashcroft, the majority opinion states that Alito’s dissent “guts the statutory standard” and “ignores our precedent.” In Ki Se Lee v. Ashcroft, the majority stated Alito’s opinion contradicted “well-recognized rules of statutory construction.”

[Savannah Progressive]

10. I hate to disagree with the rest of the replies

However, I think the nominee will be someone like Scalia, Rhenquist, or even Souter. I think that Bush is going to go deep into Right Field, and my bet early last week was Janice Rodgers-Brown.

I think the Senate Repugs, having seen the power the far right wing loonies bring to the discussion, will march in lock step. That brings us to the classic 55 Repugs, 44 Dems, and 1 Independant.

Now, the question is can we keep our Senators in line, and push to block a nomination? The answer is No, we can't. The Nelson's, for example vote with the Repugniks more often than not. They are among the 22 Democratic Senators who voted for Bankruptcy Reform, or the screw the little guy act as I have taken to calling it.

Now, here is how it's going to break down my friends. The Nomination will be before 1pm Washington time, so Rush Limbaugh can spend two hours minimum talking up the nominee. Follow that fat lying blowhard up with another three hours of Hannity and you have five hours of the base getting the message.

As I said in a different thread, we went from an unknown we could hope about, to unknown we would have little reason to hope for.

I wonder if we can change the words on the doors of the Supreme Court to "Abandon all hope ye who enter here"?

[Shrek]

11. Roe v Wade is safe.

Read this post from Will Pitt a while back. Thanks to the filibuster deal there's nothing Alito or anyone else can do about it.