Roberts is proof that the GOP doesn't want Roe v. Wade overturned

[Modem Butterfly]

A candidate who argued against Roe v. Wade as a lawyer and then called it settled law as a judge. This is proof that they consider abortion rights to be too valuable to lose. For us, it's about having the right to control our bodies. For the righties, it's about having a reliable fund-raiser that can also be used to beat up liberals and feminists.

[Eric J in MN]

1. He will vote to overturn it. The "settled law" thing meant

he told the Senate that as a lower-appeals court judge, he wouldn't vote to overturn it.

Now is his big chance.

It is his asking the Supreme Court to overturn it which counts.

[Modem Butterfly]

3. Even if he gets in, he still won't have the votes

Even if that's what he wanted to do and a case that would undo Roe v. Wade came along.

[Eric J in MN]

9. True. They will need one more pro-Roe justice to retire (nt)

nt

[kevsand]

19. This is kind of like saying

that it's okay to walk this guy and put him on base, because he's only the tying run. Unfortunately, that makes the guy in the batter's box who is due up next the winning run. Walks always come back to haunt you. This guy will, too.

[opihimoimoi]

4. He is a Fundie...and will vote to OVERTURN...If Bush gets to choose

one more...its all over but the shoutin....Roe will be overturned..

[Modem Butterfly]

7. Nah. Check this out

From Ann Coulter's website, of all things:

http://www.anncoulter.com

It means nothing that Roberts wrote briefs arguing for the repeal of Roe v. Wade when he worked for Republican administrations. He was arguing on behalf of his client, the United States of America. Roberts has specifically disassociated himself from those cases, dropping a footnote to a 1994 law review article that said:

“In the interest of full disclosure, the author would like to point out that as Deputy Solicitor General for a portion of the 1992-93 Term, he was involved in many of the cases discussed below. In the interest of even fuller disclosure, he would also like to point out that his views as a commentator on those cases do not necessarily reflect his views as an advocate for his former client, the United States.”

This would have been the legal equivalent, after O.J.'s acquittal, of Johnnie Cochran saying, "hey, I never said the guy was innocent. I was just doing my job."

Ann Coulter is a rabid, vicious human being. I take some comfort in the fact tht she doesn't like John Roberts.

[Eric J in MN]

11. How do you know he was even writing about abortion in the

law review article?

[Modem Butterfly]

12. He was writing about these specific cases

[kevsand]

13. As usual, Coulter is dead wrong.

This is right wing spin to make Roberts look more moderate. The question of whether he was expressing his own beliefs or those of his so-called client (which in this case was we, the people) has been fully vetted in countless other threads here on DU in the last twelve hours. The evidence is pretty strong that he went above and beyond what was required. Several posters have also alluded to the matter of his wife's involvement in anti-choice groups.

[Modem Butterfly]

14. I don't think he undercut himself 11 years ago to look good now

Ann Coulter's an idiot, but John Roberts is no psychic.

[ibegurpard]

15. No, he's no psychic

But he's certainly one of the people that's been groomed by the right wing machine to play a role if needs be... and Ann Coulter is simply playing bad cop to make him look like a moderate.

[Modem Butterfly]

16. I put no credance in what she says, but rather what Law Review says

Roberts isn't going to overturn Roe v. Wade. But that doesn't mean he's a great candidate for SCOTUS.

[kevsand]

17. You can't be that certain.

In looking at the Coulter quote again, Roberts seems to be saying that any present or future commentary he might offer on those cases does not necessarily reflect the position of his client at the time. He's not at all distancing himself from what he said during the actual case. I think we need to see the full context of the law review before we can say he'll never overturn Roe, particularly in light of all the other evidence to the contrary.

[Eric J in MN]

21. have you read the article? Got a link? A title? nt

nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. Smokescreen.

Of course, she would be happier with Justice Atilla, but taking a public stance against Roberts is designed to make moderate dems more comfortable with him.

Abortion is only one issue. He's a Federalist Society partisan who will be only to happy to legislate from the bench, in the mode of Scalia and Thomas.

[Occulus]

28. Dobson just gave him his official support

I think that says everything that needs to be said.

[baby_bear]

2. I disagree

It's settled law for a judge who sits on a federal bench lower than the Supreme Court.

It's up for grabs when the same person ascends to that level, because it can only be overturned at that level.

b_b

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. Exactly!

[Straight Shooter]

5. Roberts will be the epitome of an activist judge.

That's why people like John Cornyn are so happy to see him as the nominee. It all depends on whose ox is getting gored.

[slackmaster]

6. Most Republicans don't want Roe overturned

Only the hard-core fundamentalist right does.

[SnoopDog]

8. The real reason they want this guy is...

He is a corporatist and anti-environment.

You are right - they will never undo Roe v Wade. It is a wedge issue that they will continually use to appease their voting constituency.

Just got a email from Kerry - touting the Roe V Wade issue. Our own Dem leaders are allowing them propagate this Roe V Wade issue.

The real issue is that this guy will allow corporations to continue to pollute our country and bar citizens from suing our government against these polluters.

It is totally unbelievable that WE allow our country to be a cesspool of toxicity. We literally eat, drink, breathe, and live in a dump we call the USA.

Just when will we all realize that this is truly our main issue - our country is dying from it's pollution. There will be no life on earth unless we start NOW to clean it up.

[Zorra]

10. The GOP uses Roe v Wade to keep the fundies crawling under the

GOP rock.

They need the fundy vote to maintain their nasty little fascist party.

[jzodda]

18. The day Demon Dobson and company figure that out

is the day they will bolt the Repukes and our jobs become O so much easier

[MadHound]

20. Thank you for the sanity, you are absolutely correct.

Why would the corporatistas of either party throw away the best wedge tool that they have? With Roe v Wade in place, they can use it to keep the populace divided against itself, and their attention diverted elsewhere while they rob this country blind, and turn it into a serf state.

[Ernesto]

24. I'm with you MH.....

To the repukes, staying in power is everything. The mush brained fundys might not bother to show up @ the polls if there was no evil R vs W to crusade against.

[kevsand]

25. I simply cannot believe some of the comments I am seeing here.

Basically, the argument seems to be that the repubs will never do away with Roe, because it's their bread and butter. There are several obvious fallacies here:

1) The repubs are not a single entity, anymore than the dems are. There are factions in the repub party that are deadly serious about overturning Roe, and they will not take a back seat to anyone in that quest. These people will push the issue no matter what.

2) Just because they lie most of the time doesn't mean that we should take their pro-life statements as anything less than genuine, at least not without serious proof to the contrary. We cannot assume that we know for certain what their hidden agenda is without concrete evidence.

3) It's not the RNC or Rove or anyone like him who gets to make the final decision. It's the Supreme Court, and they do whatever they want. If the votes are there to do away with Roe, it will be history, and the repub party strategists will be powerless to prevent it.

4) The stakes are too high to assume that we can relax for one second on this. It's not some theoretical parlor game. It's real life, with real people, and real pain, and real permanent damage. Are you willing to bet the lives of countless generations of our daughters on your hunch about the unwillingness of anyone to overturn Roe?

I say let's take them at face value, and rub their noses in it. The public is on our side on this one.

[BeFree]

26. Rub their faces in it

That would be a start, eh?

We should fight tooth and nail to keep the pukes from installing another radical onto the court. The court is all kinds of screwed up now and will be for some time, lets not bend over while they shaft us again.

This guy is the issue; as a radical he will do great damge to our cause, because it is a sad sorry fact that another radical right-winger would put the court way off balance.

We cannot look the other way around this appointment, we must pry and bitch, to the best of our ability, to let the world know we ain't lying down on the job.

[opihimoimoi]

27. The Results of Bushies Leadership has all been Bad...worse than

That...long lasting too.

Now this. Another Pub Op in the SCOTUS....imbalanced and partial to Pub issues...makes for long term disaster.....

Ignorance in the voting booths results in an IGNORANT LEADERSHIP intent on their causes/agenda...not that of the NATION. Bodes ill for America.....

Yet we Americans, except for the 10%, are blinded...until its too late...

Come, its time for another round.....make mine a double...

[MattSWin]

29. I'm pro-life....

But I really agree the Right mostly uses abortion as a weapon to get traditional Democratic voters to vote Republican.

If abortion was suddenly illegal the GOP would have nothing to promise social conservatives who are more moderate on fiscal issues.