Am I being snowed by Roberts?

[Sgent]

I gotta tell you, I think I'm seeing a Souter here. Especially Grassley.

[The Witch]

1. I'm feeling the same way.

I really like what he's saying, to the extent that I'm inclined to support him. He seems to be a philosopher, in that he's able to step outside of personal morality and work in that vacuum with the rules that have been set.

[gkhouston]

6. I think he's able to step outside personal morality

because he has none. My radar says, "well-educated and presentable sociopath." I do not want to be at this man's mercy.

[Individualist]

8. Slick John

He's not presenting his views, he's giving answers that will meet the approval of the questioner.

[w13rd0]

17. Exactly...

...he's been coached in how to respond. What are they going to do once he's confirmed and his rulings differ markedly from what's been presented? Jack shit is what they'll do.

NO Bush appointee is to be trusted, not a damned ONE. Bush is a shitty judge of character, and ESPECIALLY on a lifetime appointment, his appointees are NOT to be trusted.

[SteppingRazor]

2. I've said it before, I'll probably say it again...

With as little experience on the bench as this guy has, I'll reserve judgement until I see some decisions on the bench -- after all, it's obvious now that we'll have plenty of time to watch the guy. He WILL be confirmed, and we will have the Roberts court for the next 20 or 30 YEARS.
That is a long freaking time -- several eons, in political time -- and no one can really say how he'll act or what he'll do, or even how he'll evolve, once he's on the SCOTUS.

[gratuitous]

18. I'd feel a lot more comfortable

If the Bush administration would release his entire record for review by the committee and by the full Senate. It's pretty clear that there's no "national security" or "attorney/client" privileges to be invoked; Roberts' client when he was a U.S. Attorney was US!

No full disclosure, no vote. Simple as that.

[mongo]

21. Roberts scares the shit out of me

and I do think he is a slick guy and we have no idea where his conscience really lies - our greatest barometer is the man who appointed him.

That being said, I don't know how useful some of the records when he was a US attorney are to finding his personal views. He was paid to produce the opinion of the United States government, not of John Roberts.

Damn, I wish I could watch the hearings. At work until midnight tonight.

[aintitfunny]

3. He seems to be saying the right things

I am holding out hope, based on his near certain confirmation, that what he says he means. While I have no doubt he will fall on the conservative side, he speaks as though he has every intention to be fair to settle law and to honor the constitution. Time will tell.

[acmejack]

4. If you think he is anything but a hack you are!

Federalist society, corporatist, ethically conflicted (the stocks he holds), I fear he will be totally disastrous for us.

on edit: He has practiced for weeks, so he should be saying all the right things.

[KoKo]

7. He's a beguiling Serpent with his words...But, look at his (((eyes)))

:eyes: He's got some verbal packaging...but they all lie. And the Senate has confirmed these liars over and over and over. He's a Federalists...like Ted Olson of the Florida recount and Roberts was involved in the Florida Recount.

Everyone Bush appoints was involved in the FLA Recount. There will be more election fraud until these people are exposed and halted from serving.

[MostlyLurks]

5. Short answer: yes. n/t

[maine_raptor]

9. Yes, to the tune of a Toro 2 stage

Beware of this guy, be vey aware...he the right's version of Earl Warren.

[Solly Mack]

10. don't eat the apple

:)

[Southsideirish]

11. Freeps are liking him so that's a bad thing.

[crispini]

12. He gives me a bad vibe.

He's way too white to be real. He's a Stepford nominee. :scared:

[JDPriestly]

13. Watch out! Roberts is a lawyer.

He is an expert at framing his arguments to assuage the fears of his opponents.

The trouble with Roberts is his attitude on federalism and the use of the Commerce Clause by the legislature to set policy on issues like minority and women's rights in the U.S. His views on the limits of federal authority to determine local and state policy will require local governments to face down multinational on issues like workers' rights and the environment as separate entities. We will be helpless against those international corporate pressures in the race to the bottom on issues such as racial and gender equality, wage and hour laws, the right to organize, air quality standards, clean water laws, and on and on. Individual communities will be on their own, competing with each other to set low standards and keep jobs in and attract businesses to their areas. As the economy becomes more global and less local, Roberts' federalist viewpoint will make the U.S. helpless and vulnerable. There will either be a backlash against his Court or he will have to wise up and realize that the 18th Century theories he embraces are obsolete and will weaken our country.

One thing I will give him credit for. He is smart, so maybe he will learn and change. We really can't defeat him. So, we are stuck with him no matter how bad he is, and he could be worse. We could have someone who is not as intelligent as he is.

[The Kicker]

14. He's a Trojan horse.

As soon as he is confirmed, the ass of the horse will open and.... the rest is history.

edit:spelling

[FreeStateDemocrat]

26. Correct, neo-cons have been wisely planning this PR deception for years

[The Kicker]

27. No doubt in my mind.

Anyone who thinks those in power are capable of putting forth a reasonable, non ideologue as a candidate for any position, IMO, are delusional. Sorry.

[Armstead]

15. Yes you are being snowed -- He's slick

That's no reflection on you. But Republicans aregood at saying nothing while sounding like they're saying something. It's only later when the realization of the duplicity and emptiness sets in.

[walkon]

16. Anyone in, or being considered for,

high level positions in the Neocon world should be considered a liar. A Liar without remorse. On a mission where lying is the least of sins to be committed.

[MissMarple]

19. We don't know. There isn't enough information to know.

He appears to be intelligent, but brittle and tightly wound. And he is saying the correct judge speak.

Good judges will put the responsibility for doing the right thing back on the legislatures, the president, the governors, ultimately on the people.

In the past few decades the legislatures and Congress have abdicated their responsibilities and pushed things into the courts that really do not belong there. It has made a mess of things, in general. Legislation from the bench from any direction is bad for our democracy. We saw that all too well when the Supreme Court made George president.

edit, spell check didn't work. :shrug:

[Skidmore]

20. That * nominated him is enough to send off

alarm bells for me. I don't trust anything that comes out of this lying administration. There is some quid pro quo somewhere in this. These people don't do anything out of the goodness of their hearts or the best of intentions.

[EC]

22. The fact that he feels

the Executive Branch should have more power...at this time makes him dangerous...(expecially when you put that together with his help getting the recount stopped and ** in) Add to that Gonzales doing the same with his reading of Geneva Convention and other stuff, where he said that the President had absolute power...well, you see where it's going......

[NoQuarter]

23. He is the Manchurian Candidate.

Groomed for this for YEARS. I don't trust him or his answers.

[mark11727]

24. I'm just not getting a comfortable feeling from this...

...it could be simply that * nominated Roberts, but it could be something else, too.

[hunter]

25. Am I being pissed upon by Roberts?

Why yes, you are.

Fortunately Roberts is a Republican ideologue, and this will be his undoing. His ideology is not connected to any reality.

The seat Roberts is about to take will quickly become too hot for his tender little ass. You can't deal with issues like global warming, environmental destruction, economic collapse, energy shortages, racial inequities, and political uprisings by controlling the discussion.

Prayers and words did not stop Katrina. Some very nasty storms are headed Roberts' way...

In spite of Roberts' youth, I have some optimism he will be a short-timer. He may resign, or he may simply crawl into the safety of his closet and put his court on autopilot.

I can't see Roberts holding back the clock for the next twenty or thirty years. The happy white man fantasy castle he seeks to protect is crumbling into the sea, and good riddance.

[VOX]

28. Family man. Wholesome. Nice guy. Clean cut. Smiles a lot.

And he's goddamned right-wing Trojan Horse. :grr:

His demeanor and appearance appear benign enough, and he gives best-of-class, smart schoolboy answers. But the documented history of where he stands on the political spectrum betrays that whole calculated image.

This guy is far-right wing, and he will reward his masters with **decades** of loyal service.

Good God, talk about "legislating from the bench!" :nuke: