Union for Reform Judaism adopts resolution on Alito

[Gothmog]

I just came from the debate at the Union for Reform Judaiasm Biennial convention here in Houston where we just adopted a resolution opposing the confirmation of Alito. It was a great debate with a former law clerk speaking for Alito and the counsel for People for the American Way taking the opposing view. The resolution is a little controversial in that this is before the hearings and there was an attempt to amend the resolution to wait until after the hearings. Here is a link to the resolution as adopted. http://biennial.urj.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1073&destination=ShowItem Here is the actual resolution approved by the URJ.
__________
THEREFORE, the Union for Reform Judaism resolves to:
Oppose Judge Alito’s nomination as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States now, based on his extensive record, but have the Union review that decision at the end of the hearings, with the understanding that if disclosures in the hearings do not reflect substantial changes, the Union will remain in opposition to his nomination.

[ShockediSay]

1. I'm with them (and I'm not Jewish, not that it matters).

There's more to it than the big headliners like abortion.

ScAlito thinks coporations have more civil rights than real persons;

He'll say whatever he thinks his next job poohbahs want to hear;

He's involved with the Federalist Society which is on its face is a violation of the Federal Code of Judicial Ethics requiring the avoidance of even the appearance of impartiality and bias (IMO).

This is filibuster time, maybe even BEFORE Alito with the budget that takes food out of the mouths of the poor (food stamps); takes away charitable healing (Medicaid) and equality of opportunity (student loans).

[AX10]

2. I'm not jewish, though I know several Reform/Progressive Jews...

who oppose Alito too.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Excellent!

Kudos to the delegates for voting for this resolution. Scalito's nomination will tip the court to the extreme rightwing position. The country needs a fair and balanced cour!

[JohnLocke]

4. Kick (nt).

[ninkasi]

5. Good for them...

I'm glad they took this stand. The hearings will probably make them even more confident that this was the right thing to do.

[Gothmog]

6. It was an excellent debate

This was a very well done debate on the issues. As mentioned above, it is not just abortion where Alito may be a problem. He is likely to close the door on a number of types of lawsuits and keep people from every getting to the courthouse.

Alito's former law clerk is a liberal democrat but is supporting his former boss. The former law clerk made some good points but the PFAW director did a better job in pointing where Alito may be a problem.

The resolution leaves the URJ board the discretion to change the recommendation if anything new comes out of the hearings. However based on the record before the URJ (a detail analysis of all of Alito's decisions) the URJ did the right thing in recommending Alito not be confirmed.

[Gothmog]

7. Here is a link to this story

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1331266

HOUSTON - The largest branch of North American Judaism voted on Sunday to oppose Samuel Alito's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

More than 2,000 delegates of the Union for Reform Judaism adopted a resolution saying Alito would "shift the ideological balance of the Supreme Court on matters of core concern to the reform movement" on abortion rights, women's rights, civil rights and the scope of federal power.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[Judi Lynn]

9. Reform Jews oppose Alito's nomination

Nov. 21, 2005, 12:07AM
Reform Jews oppose Alito's nomination
Leaders of the movement call the jurist threatening to group's values


By MATT STILES
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Members of the nation's largest Jewish denomination voted Sunday to oppose federal appeals court judge Samuel Alito's nomination for the Supreme Court.
(snip)

"This movement has stood for a vision that is committed to the expansion of fundamental rights for women, for minorities, for protection of religious freedoms by keeping up strong walls of church-state separation," said Rabbi David Saperstein, who heads the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. "His appointment would threaten our vision."
(snip)

Some of the roughly 2,000 voting delegates expressed concern about passing the measure before Alito's Senate hearings early next year. Saperstein, who said the union could review the stance after the hearings, said Alito's 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals work left plenty of writings to help delegates make a decision.

Patti Edelman of Congregation Beth El in Tyler, said those rulings, particularly on abortion and women's issues, were worrisome: "He has a long record of making extreme judgments that would lead any reasonable person to believe he would carry those extreme views and the power of the court to take away rights that we've already gained."
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3474310.html