Bush's Other War: on the Courts; Hootin' and hollerin' at the Federalist Society

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Bush's Other War: on the Courts
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Friday, November 16, 2007; 12:14 PM

Long after the Iraq war is over -- in other words, a long time from now -- another of President Bush's legacies will still be very much with us: the profound rightward turn of the federal judiciary in general and the Supreme Court in particular.

So last night's 25th anniversary gala for the Federalist Society, complete with a keynote from Bush himself, was an orgy of self-celebration. Membership in (or at least affiliation with) the reactionary legal group is practically a requirement for Bush appointees to the bench or top legal jobs.

And despite Bush's low approval ratings in the general populace -- and even within certain conservative elements -- the president was greeted last night not just with a standing ovation, but with cheers and triumphalist hollering. Bush used his speech last night to pillory Democrats for failing to approve enough of his judicial candidates.

Robert Barnes writes in The Washington Post: "With 1,800 members crowding Union Station, the president of the United States on the dais and four Supreme Court justices singing its praises, last night might have marked the time for the Federalist Society to officially surrender its underdog persona....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/11/16/BL2007111600736.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[Demeter]

1. Not If We Impeach Them for Treason

Violations of the Constitution have no business being committed by courts or judges. Hear that, Supreme Court?