The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

Filibustering Dems no match for Alito

Many would say that a person with book smarts rarely has street smarts. Our president, George W. Bush has a little trouble with his choice of words and frequently struggles with the pronunciation of those words. But give him credit where credit is due. Give President Bush credit for nominating Judge Samuel Alito to be the next Supreme Court justice. It’s just common sense for a conservative president to nominate a conservative Judge.

Some would argue that Judge Alito is an undoubtedly qualified candidate for the position. Republican Senator Craig Thomas from Wyoming stated “His judicial experience is second to none and I’m confident he will do an excellent job handling his constitutional responsibility.”

Judge Samuel Alito certainly has the credentials for the position as a Supreme Court justice. Alito received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Yale University. His professional career includes work as a law clerk, assistant U.S. attorney in the District of New Jersey, assistant to the U.S. solicitor general, U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., Deputy assistant to the U.S. attorney general, U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. That’s not just an impressive resume, it’s a laundry list.

Having such a resume still does not change the fact that most Democrats think that Alito, along with new Chief Justice John Roberts, will make the Supreme Court more conservative in its rulings. Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts said “Alito, refuses to enforce core constitutional standards protecting individuals against low-level government officials in routine situations. There’s no reason to believe he’ll say no to a president who violates individual rights under the cloak of national security.” Kennedy’s comment relates to the latest attack on Bush’s alleged wire tapping on allegedly honest, law-abiding, American citizens, an issue that has added fuel to the fire for the Democratic Party.

There are 20 Democrats who have already made it publicly known that they are opposed to Alito’s nomination. Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts stated this past Friday that "Judge Alito’s confirmation would be an ideological coup on the Supreme Court." With such strong words, Kerry pushed fellow Democrats to mount a filibuster, but to no avail. With a Senate dominated by Republicans, Democrats failed in an attempt to fillibuster, and Alito earned his seat as a Supreme Court judge Tuesday.

With Alito’s nomination, he replaces Sandra Day O’Connor, a moderate. Despite the hubbub from Democrats about his paper trail, Alito is undoubtedly qualified. He, like all judges, are in the business of deciding things objectively. Alito maintains that he will perform not as a conservative ideologue, but as an objective judge.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

We love comments and feedback, but we ask that you please be respectful in your responses.
All The Torch Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *