Things you might not know about Scalia and Thomas.

[Ruffhowse]

Since Bush plans on appointing clones of Scalia and Thomas to the Supreme Court, here are some of their positions on issues that will likely by duplicated by said appointees.

SCALIA OPPOSES EFFORTS TO DESEGREGATE SCHOOLS

THOMAS FAVORS STATE-SPONSORED RELIGION: Thomas has "advanced the position" that constitutionally mandated church/state separation applies "to the federal government, but not to individual states – a position that would allow Virginia, for example, to declare a state religion." He would allow individual states to "adopt particular religions and use tax money to proselytize for them."

THOMAS WOULD ALLOW THE PRESIDENT TO EFFECTIVELY WAIVE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS: In last term's confrontation over detainees in the war on terror, eight of the nine Justices squarely rejected the Bush administration's sweeping claim that it could detain citizens indefinitely as enemy combatants based merely on the executive branch's assertion of enemy combatant status. "Only Thomas supported the Bush administration's position." He claimed "due process requires nothing more than a good-faith executive determination."

SCALIA AND THOMAS SUPPORT EXECUTING THE MENTALLY RETARDED

SCALIA AND THOMAS SUPPORT BRUTALITY AGAINST PRISONERS: A recent case considered a Louisiana inmate who "was shackled and then punched and kicked by two prison guards while a supervisor looked on." The beating left the inmate "with a swollen face, loosened teeth and a cracked dental plate." The Court ruled the inmate's treatment violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, but Scalia and Thomas dissented, arguing "the Eighth Amendment was not violated by the 'insignificant' harm the inmate suffered." In another case last year, Scalia and Thomas dissented from a 6-3 decision to ban the Alabama practice of chaining prisoners to outdoor ''hitching posts'' and abandoning them for hours without food, water, or a chance to use the bathroom.

SCALIA AND THOMAS SUPPORT CRIMINALIZING CONSENSUAL SEX: Scalia and Thomas dissented from the Court's 6-3 decision to strike down a Texas state "sodomy" law, "banning private consensual sex between adults of the same sex" and approvingly cited the execution of homosexuals during colonial times.

And more at: http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=274629

[livinginphotographs]

1. Why am I not surprised?

Thanks for the info, though.

[SharonAnn]

5. Other things you need to know about them.

Scalia's father was allegedly a supporter of Mussolini. Scalia was educated in a private school run by Italian fascist sympathizers who taught that worldview. He is an extremely "conservative" Catholic and sympathizes with, or is a member of, the Opus Dei cult.

Thomas is a convert to Catholicism, the same conservative type favored by Scalia (and Robert Novak, Peggy Noonan, Sam Brownback, Rick Santorum)and sympathizes with, or is an actual member of the Opus Dei cult.

The Opus Dei cult of Roman Catholicism was started in Spain and was strongly supported by Franco. In the Americas it was strongly supported by Pinochet in Chile and Fujimori in Peru. Other members in the USA are Robert Hanssen (FBI spy) and Louis Freeh (former head of the FBI.

The thing these background and ideologies have in common is a strong sense of heirarchical authority, men rule, don't question authority, don't read, view, or talk about anything not approved by your superiors. The "rulers" have a sense of entitlement and righteousness from which they operate. They know everything, no questions are allowed, and their rights come from "God".

[AP]

2. Scalia had never heard the song "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?"

until 2001 or 2002. I read an interview with a person who sang it at a performance Scalia was at. After the performance Scalia asked about the song and admitted that he had never heard it before. That's fine. But it's funny that a person who should know about American history was totally clueless about a very famous song that really epitomized the American experience during Great Depression.

Once I built a railroad, I made it run
I made it run against time
Once I built a railroad, and now it’s done
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower way up to the sun
Of bricks and morter and lime
Once I built a tower, and now it’s done
Buddy can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee-doodlee-dum
A half-a-million boots went sloggin’ through hell
And I was the kid with the drum

Say don’t you remember, you called me al
It was al all the time
Say don’t you remember, I was your pal
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run
I made it run against time
Once I built a railroad, and now it’s done
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

[CaptainCorc]

7. They used to tell me I was building a dream....

And so I followed the mob
When there was earth to plow
Or guns to bear
I was always there
Right on the job.

They used to tell me I was building a dream
with peace and glory ahead
why should i be
standing in line...
just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad...etc etc.

+++++++

The lead in is pretty good too.

[KissMeKate]

3. Center for American Progress?

What is the Center for American Progress's stance in relation to the DLC?

in one article, they call someone a soft DLC neo conservative, but I thought there was a connection between the CAP and the DLC?

I would really like to know about our various left wing think tanks and where they are aligned in this matter so crucial to the Democratic party. Can anyone help me out with that info?

Thanks,
shannon

[newyawker99]

10. Hi KissMe Kate!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[underpants]

4. "A death penalty reached by the proper procedure should not...

be undermined by evidence of innocence"

-not an exact quote (off the top of my head) by Scalia

[livinginphotographs]

6. Sick, absolutely sick.

Typical of the authoritarian viewpoint. Fuck innocence, as long as the State determines guilt, that's good enough for <scalia>.

[rexcat]

8. Most State constitutions have seperation of church/state

provisions, especially Virginia. Who do you think help write the Virginia Constitution - Thomas Jefferson. This just shows how stupid Thomas is. He is a complete moron!

[Pushed To The Left]

9. This is why we must save the Supreme Court!

I wrote to the 6 decent Justices (Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter, Kennedy, O'Connor, and Stevens) and let them know how important they were and how much America needed them right now. I told them what my concerns were regarding an ideological Supreme Court. I also contacted members of the Senate (Democrats, Independents, and moderate Republicans) and urged them to do whatever they could to block extremist judicial nominees, even if they had to filibuster.
If you go to http://congress.org you can get the contact info for the Senators and the Justices.