Opponents of Nominee (Roberts)Taking Populist Tack

[papau]

Will the "the people versus the powerful" economic issues framing stop Roberts when abortion and other social issues can not? Or do two Bush "victories" mean class-based populist messages do not sell? And Sabino assures us the Roberts had demonstrated a respect for precedent that made it unlikely he would seek to broadly retrench federal authority - or is he a stealth Antonin Scalia that will always Join with Thomas, but just claim he came to the same vote via a different path?




http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-econ23jul23,1,1839993,full.story?coll=la-news-a_section

THE NATION
Opponents of Nominee Taking Populist Tack
Critics of John Roberts Jr. for high court justice are talking economics, not abortion rights.
By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

July 23, 2005

WASHINGTON — Critics of John G. Roberts Jr. are turning to populist economic arguments to thwart his nomination to the Supreme Court, echoing one of the themes Al Gore used against George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential campaign.

In their first reactions to Roberts, many of the Democrats and liberal groups resisting his selection by President Bush are trying to portray him as a threat to the economic interests of average families. The strategy — even the language — is similar to Gore's effort to frame the 2000 presidential campaign as a choice between "the people" and "the powerful."

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) thundered in his first floor statement on the nomination this week: "Americans deserve to know if nominees will be on the side of justice and individual liberties, or if they will side with powerful special interests." <snip>

"If John Roberts is perceived as someone who is not going to protect the rights of ordinary Americans, and will favor corporate interests, there will be a 70% majority against his nomination," Neas said.<snip>


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/25/politics/politicsspecial1/25court.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401132.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-turley25jul25,1,3397898.story?coll=la-news-comment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401201.html