Two words for those who will support McCain instead of Obama (and that includes those abstaining)

[AZBlue]

SUPREME COURT



Dire Consequences with a McCain Supreme Court?
By Robert Parry, Consortium News.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/85432/

Imagine the dire consequences if McCain appoints a fifth radical Supreme Court justice who believes in an all-powerful Executive Branch.

If John McCain wins the presidency – and gets to appoint one or more U.S. Supreme Court justices – America’s 220-year experiment as a democratic Republic living under the principle that “no man is above the law” may come to an end.

To put the matter differently, if a President McCain replaces one of the moderate justices with another Samuel Alito – as McCain has vowed to do – then Justice Department lawyer John Yoo’s extreme vision of an all-powerful Executive could well become the new law of the land.

On May 6 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, during a speech aimed at appeasing conservatives, McCain promised to appoint justices in the mold of George W. Bush’s selections, Justice Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts, expanding the court’s right-wing faction that also includes Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Those four justices already have embraced the Bush administration’s radical notion that at a time of war – even one as vaguely defined as the “war on terror” – the President possesses “plenary” or unlimited powers through his commander-in-chief authority.

As expressed in classified memos by Yoo when he was a key lawyer in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, there should be, in essence, no limits on what a war-time President can do as long as he is asserting his duty to protect the nation.

Alito also is associated with this concept of a “unitary executive,” holding that a President should control all regulatory authority, define the limits of laws via "signing statements" and – at his own discretion – override treaties, the will of Congress and even the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

Under this theory, a President can cite his commander-in-chief powers to spy on citizens without warrants, imprison people without charges, authorize torture, order assassinations, and invade other countries without congressional approval.

With just one more Alito, that view would claim control of the U.S. Supreme Court and allow a new five-to-four majority to, in effect, rewrite the Constitution. The founding principle of the United States – that everyone possesses certain “unalienable” human rights – would be history.

Also impacted, besides basic civil rights, will be GLBT and abortion rights. How could anyone live with themselves in supporting this?

[earthlover]

1. I can think of two other words, but would get my post deleted!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. Ditto.

[Texas Hill Country]

3. 3 words - Democratic Controlled Congress.

i am not saying i wont vote for him, but i am saying that if he doesnt win for some reason, Congress can always block the idiots

[onenote]

6. wouldn't you rather have a Democratic Controlled Congress confirm a Democrat's nominees

than merely be able to block the worst of McCain's nominees?

At the end of the day, even a Democratically controlled Congress isn't going to force McCain to nominate another Ruth Ginsburg or William O Douglas. However, a Democratically controlled Congress would confirm such a nominee if it came from -- and it might -- a Democratic President.

Also, don't lose sight of the fact that thanks to 8 years of Chimpy, the court of appeals are dominated by Repub judges -- a situation that would get even worse -- and since appellate judges are appointed for life and are typically younger than SCOTUS judges -- would stay worse if McCain in picking Judges.

[Texas Hill Country]

7. sure, but let me clarify...

I might vote for Obama, I might not... i have some thinking to do because i have been extremely troubled by a great number of things and the only way for me to let the Party know that I am not happy is with my vote. These concerns could very well be addressed and assuaged by November, I dont know. I hope so.

I am saying that the SCOTUS argument is not motivating to me because the idiots will be blocked.

I refuse to vote for just anybody the party presents because of SCOTUS appts when we control the congress. I would need much better arguments than that.

I am a Dem thru and thru, but I still have a brain and they dont automatically get my vote.

I am a person, not a robot.

[papau]

8. Exactly - conversations this week have seniors sticking to Undercard -but revenge on O if no Hill VP

[roguevalley]

25. too bad. i truly hope people that stupid enjoy the pain of their

decision when they get hit in the ass. people who won't vote are bastards.

[AtomicKitten]

4. I don't get how anybody would want to miss this ride!!!!

:hi:

[AZBlue]

13. I'm standing at the bus stop, ready to get aboard already,

all giddy with anticipation!
:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

20. OK, we'll slow down to 5 MPH but you've gotta jump.

[AZBlue]

21. Can I honk the horn?!

[highplainsdem]

5. Agree, AZBlue. When I posted a similar message last week, I also added:

Signing statements

Executive orders

because some people were saying they wouldn't vote for the presidential nominee if their candidate wasn't the nominee, but they'd back other Democrats.

When I posted about this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5830196

I heard from Obama supporters as well as Clinton supporters who said they'd never vote for the other side's candidate.

And I hope that while people here are reacting to news stories about a small number of Clinton supporters saying they'll sit out the election or vote for McCain, they'll remember some Obama supporters were making similar threats.

By the way, I will vote for Obama, assuming he's the nominee, though I believe Clinton would have done better in the general election. I continue to hope she'll be on the ticket. I believe Obama has a better chance of winning with her as his running mate.

[AZBlue]

10. Excellent points.

There are actually quite a few reasons to vote against McCain - and if that's how someone has to look at it, that's fine. To me it's still reason enough.

[stray cat]

9. Social Security; Retirement pensions; health care; illegal surveilence

[AZBlue]

11. Yes, yes, yes & yes!!

[cliffordu]

12. Three words: Coat Hang Wire

[Hoof Hearted]

14. Fearmongering from the O-hole campaign. I thought you were full of

a "new kind of politics." or some other guru shit like that. Oh well. Same old same old.

[slinkerwink]

15. It's not fearmongering. It's the truth about what's the real goal--protecting our civil rights,

our property, and our children from future wars that a President John McCain would likely wage.

[mcctatas]

17. Being for things like hope, change and fairness does not mean

that one's brain has vanished in a cavalcade of unicorn poop and fairy farts. It is a fact that there will be SC appointments by the next POTUS, and that should be reason enough to quit bitching and vote for the democratic nominee, if hillary somehow manages to be the one, I will sure as hell vote for her...

[AZBlue]

18. Um, actually "O-hole" is the same old shit.

I don't play that game. Go away.

[hfojvt]

16. I lost count, but I am pretty sure that was more than 2

:P

[AZBlue]

19. LMAO!

Got me....I guess math isn't my strong point either, huh?
But...I do know who's ahead in delegates! :D

[Cheap_Trick]

22. and yet there's many who appear ready to do just that

screw the country out of childish pettiness, ego, vanity...Give me what I want or fuck the whole world.

[anonymous171]

23. A vote against Obama is a vote against Hillary and the Democratic Party.

[AZBlue]

26. I think so is no vote.

It's a vote for McCain either way.

[Tresalisa]

24. Kicked and recommended! eom