Republican Majority for Choice comes out against BorkAlito

[Idioteque]

Link

RMC Opposes Judge Alito for Supreme Court



The Republican Majority for Choice (RMC) regrettably announces its opposition to the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.



RMC is an organization whose core mission is to protect the right to choose as outlined in Roe v. Wade and to represent the millions of Republicans who strongly support this right. After much research and analysis of Mr. Alito’s own record and statements on this issue of individual freedom it is clear that he is an advocate for further restricting this right.



Judge Alito seems by all measures to be an experienced and capable jurist, but one who is out of step with mainstream Americans on the issue of abortion and maintaining the legal right to choose.



There is no crystal ball to predict how a Justice Alito would rule in future cases; therefore we have closely monitored the confirmation hearings with the hope that Judge Alito would offer some clarifying statements that would allay our concerns about his record. Instead, he side-stepped the issue of whether or not the right to privacy in the Constitution extends to reproductive choice. He avoided answering whether Roe was settled law and existing precedent required a health exception to statutes limiting a woman’s access to abortion.



Without such assurances, we can only calculate his judicial philosophy on reproductive rights through the prism of his past actions and statements. As the replacement for the architect of the “undue burden” standard, the stakes are too high for RMC to support an appointee who outlined a blueprint to dismantle that very standard.



The reality is that Judge Alito would not have to vote to overrule Roe in order to be the architect of the denial of a woman's right to choose. He could give lip service to respecting Roe while upholding the numerous legislative efforts to chip away at reproductive freedom. The cumulative result is that Roe v. Wade and its progeny are rendered meaningless.



But Judge Alito’s position on choice, however, is not the only disappointment surrounding his nomination. The selection of Judge Alito sends a very clear message from the Bush Administration and the Republican leadership in Congress that they are willing to continue steering the party into a marginalized corner that puts it at odds with most voters.



Sadly, we have come to a point at which average Republicans are beginning to abandon the GOP policy and candidates. We have seen this in the public outcry concerning President Bush’s opposition to stem cell research; we saw it last November in the Virginia gubernatorial race, and we will see it again this year if Republican candidates continue to promote extremist views. We pledge to continue our mission to promote common sense solutions to help lessen the incidence of abortion while ensuring that women and families maintain the safe and legal right to choose. We will no longer stand by while women’s rights are used as a political soapbox for either party.

Why is this important? Take a look at their advisory committee.

Advisory Committee

CHAIR
Honorable Pete Wilson (CA)

MEMBERS
Mr. Robert P. Bass, Jr. (NH)
Representative Judy Biggert (IL)
Representative Sherwood L. Boehlert (NY)
Honorable Tom Campbell (CA)
Senator Lincoln Chafee (RI)
Senator Susan Collins (ME)
Lt. Governor Mary Donohue (NY)
President and Mrs. Gerald Ford (CA)
Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Representative Wayne Gilchrest (MD)
Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman (NY)
Mrs. Barry Goldwater (AZ)
Representative Jim Greenwood (PA)
Honorable Steve Horn (CA)
Representative Amo Houghton, Jr. (NY)
Representative Nancy L. Johnson (CT)
Representative Sue Kelly (NY)
Representative Mark Kirk (IL)
Governor Linda Lingle (HI)
Governor George E. Pataki (NY)
Honorable John Edward Porter (IL)
Governor M. Jodi Rell (CT)
Representative Christopher Shays (CT)
Representative Rob Simmons (CT)
Honorable Alan Simpson (WY)
Senator Olympia Snowe (ME)
Senator Arlen Specter (PA)
Honorable Arliss Sturgulewski (AK)
Honorable Jane Swift (MA)
Honorable Sue Wagner (NV)
State Senator Jeff Wentworth (TX)

This might give Chafee, Snowe, and Collins some cover to vote no. I don't think Specter will but I'm guessing Chafee is a good bet.

[CottonBear]

1. Specter would be a real hypocrite to vote for Alito.

If he does, they should kick him out of Republican Majority for Choice.

[FreedomAngel82]

2. Wow

Call me dumbfounded. I had no idea this group existed and I thought they all were against Roe V Wade. Maybe if we put pressure on Chafee and Snowe they can put pressure on Specter.

[Iris]

3. they have that "big tent" thing for abortion

Since I live in the South, it's interesting for me to note there's not a single southerner on that advisory committee. I'd like to know if they have any members at all from the Southern states.

[Idioteque]

7. There are actually quite a few pro-choice Republicans in the Senate

They can be split into two categories though.

The first group is very pro-choice. They support choice virtually 100%. These are the Republican Senators that would most likely buck the party. They are Lincon Chafee of Rhode Island and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins from Maine.

The next group are the Republican Senators who support Roe vs. Wade but with lots of restrictions. They are unlikely to vote against Alito. They are Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas. Johnny Ikason from Georgia, John Warner from Virginia, and Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska.

Arlen Specter falls somewhere in between these two groups.

As for pro-life Democrats, the only ones left in the Senate are Harry Reid, Ben Nelson, and Mark Pryor. Ben Nelson is definitely going to vote for Alito. I would guess Pryor is leaning towards yes and Reid is leaning towards no.

[bluestateguy]

4. Chafee MIGHT vote no

His election this year puts him in a tough spot. He has tough primary and general election races ahead of him. He votes yes, and he is hurt in the general; he votes no, then he hurts himself in the primary.

I don't hold out much hope for Spector or the two girls from Maine.

[shance]

5. Am glad to see it.

n/t

[Greeby]

6. President and Mrs. Ford?

Woah, in theory that oughta carry some weight

[Idioteque]

8. That surprised me too...

"Betty Ford was also an outspoken advocate of women's rights. She supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment and legalized abortion. For a time, it was unclear whether Gerald Ford shared his wife's pro-choice viewpoint. However, he told interviewer Larry King that he, too, was pro-choice, and had been criticized by conservative forces within the Republican Party."

From Wikipedia

[txindy]

9. Surprised me, too.

Interesting. Hopefully it'll make a difference to someone on the committee.