http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2006-06-23/pols_hightower.htmlThe Hightower Report
BY JIM HIGHTOWER
...When he was nominated by Bush last year to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, practically the entire debate over this right-wing judge revolved around his stance on abortion. So, Alito and his backers worked hard to soften his record as a knee-jerk, anti-choice zealot. Enough Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans were convinced, and he was confirmed.
A few of us populists, however, tried to point out that the Supreme Court spends far more time on issues involving workers' rights, pollution, consumers, and such than on abortion. We warned that Alito had sided consistently with corporate and governmental elites over ordinary citizens on these issues throughout his legal career – and would do the same on the high court.
Sure enough, in his first opportunity to side with bosses over the First Amendment rights of workers, Alito jumped on it. In a May 30th decision involving a whistleblower, a bare 5-4 majority of the court ruled that public employees have no free-speech right to blow the whistle against wrongdoing by their superiors – and they have no constitutional protection against retaliation by their bosses.
The deciding vote came from Alito. Had Sandra Day O'Connor still been on the bench, it's likely that the court would have ruled the other way – for the rights of whistleblowers...
http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/06/06/23.phpFriday June 23, 2006
Guests
Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice
Join the show: 1-800-433-8850 (drshow@wamu.org)
11:00Sandra Day O'Connor
The first female Supreme Court justice discusses her life on and after the court, and recent comments on threats to judicial independence.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
