• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

A gift to the Dems from George W.

Help Support Ranchers.net:

Samuel Alito Jr.
Posted 7/19/05
By Bret Schulte

Nicknamed "Scalito" for views resembling those of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito Jr. is a favorite son of the political right. Appointed in 1990 by George H.W. Bush to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Alito has earned a reputation for intellectual rigor and polite but frequent dissent in a court that has been historically liberal. His mettle, as well as a personable demeanor and ties to former Republican administrations, has long had observers buzzing about his potential rise to the high court. "Sam Alito is in my mind the strongest candidate on the list," says Pepperdine law Prof. Douglas Kmiec. "I know them all . . . but I think Sam is a standout because he's a judge's judge. He approaches cases with impartiality and open-mindedness."

A New Jersey native, the 55-year-old Alito received a bachelor's degree from Princeton and graduated from Yale Law School. He worked in the solicitor general's office during the Reagan administration and was a U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey when George H.W. Bush nominated him to the Third Circuit. His 15 years on the bench have been marked by strong conservatism on a case-by-case basis that avoids sweeping opinions on constitutionality.

In 1997, Alito authored the majority opinion upholding a city's right to stage a holiday display that included a Nativity scene and a menorah because the city also included secular symbols and a banner emphasizing the importance of diversity. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito was the sole dissenter on the Third Circuit, which struck a Pennsylvania law that required women seeking abortions to consult their husbands. He argued that many of the potential reasons for an abortion, such as "economic constraints, future plans, or the husbands' previously expressed opposition . . . may be obviated by discussion prior to abortion." The case went on to the Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's decision 6 to 3.

Alito's conservative stripes are equally evident in criminal law. Lawrence Lustberg, a New Jersey criminal defense lawyer who has known Alito since 1981 and tried cases before him on the Third Circuit, describes him as "an activist conservatist judge" who is tough on crime and narrowly construes prisoners' and criminals' rights. "He's very prosecutorial from the bench. He has looked to be creative in his conservatism, which is, I think, as much a Rehnquist as a Scalia trait," Lustberg says.

Some observers say that Alito cannot be easily pigeon-holed. In Saxe v. State College Area School District, Alito, writing for the panel, argued that the school does not have the right to punish students for vulgar language or harassment when it doesn't disrupt the school day. "Sam struck that down as a violation of free speech," Kmiec says. "That's not a conservative outcome."

Off the bench, friends and colleagues describe Alito as quiet and self-effacing with a wry sense of humor. He is a voracious reader with a particular love for biographies and history. With his wife, Martha, he has a son in college and a daughter in high school. "He's mild mannered and generous and family oriented," Lustberg says. "I don't agree with him on many issues, but I have the utmost respect for him. No one can question his intelligence or integrity."
 
MsSage said:
O MY GAWD I have to say this........................Yes indeed thank you Mr Bush

Of course. What good Republican would object to ten year old girls being strip searched by the police. Unless it was her ten year old.
 
Prey tell where does that comes from?
Dis~ you have to understand where I am........yes there are 10 year old girls who NEED to be strip searched..........when 5th graders ( 10 year old) bring guns and knives with the sole intent of "sticking it to ......" When these same girls and boys for that matter are drug mules for the local gang.
I wish I lived in your world.........BUT I dont and I cant hide MY head in the sand and blame it on the President. When in FACT it goes back to babies having babies having babies.......Who is the Adult ???? The parents HAVE to step up and take FULL responsiblity for the actions of themselves and thier children.
And for the record My children are Son ~21 college Son ~14 Middle school Daughter ~10 5th grade
I have taught my children respect and what consitutes acceptable behavior. If at any time they choose NOT to follow thoses rules then they will see thier actions have consequences.
 
Dis Wrote:
Samuel Alito.

Thank you, George.

Maybe had you and the other liberals not whined so much about the last "moderate" nomination, George would not have had to make this choice????

At least now he can count on a solid 50 percent of the conservative vote..........Had the dems not whined so much, the 5% of the conservative right who was not pleased with her would not have mattered,,,

I hope you like the result of your whining, I personnally thank you, and hope that you can keep up it up long enough for a couple more of the liberal Judges to be replaced :lol: :lol:
 
It is funny, the libs are now wringing their hands and wishing they had escorted N Miers through on a red carpet. They got greedy and they are paying. I think Bush should pick a backup so if Alito doesn't get confirmed. The only thing is this backup should be farther from their liberal agenda than Alito is. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Steve said:
Dis Wrote:
Samuel Alito.

Thank you, George.

Maybe had you and the other liberals not whined so much about the last "moderate" nomination, George would not have had to make this choice????

ROTFLMAO! Harriet Miers was trashed by Bush supporters, not Democrats. Notice that no one, except Bush who's in his own little world anyway, is screaming for an up or down vote. They didn't give Harriet Miers an up or down vote and it was not the fault of the Democrats! So that old tag line is no longer valid. Bush is desperate to change the subject from Miers, Iraq, Katrina, Plamegate, Libby, Social Security, gasoline prices. :lol:

At least now he can count on a solid 50 percent of the conservative vote..........Had the dems not whined so much, the 5% of the conservative right who was not pleased with her would not have mattered,,,

I hope you like the result of your whining, I personnally thank you, and hope that you can keep up it up long enough for a couple more of the liberal Judges to be replaced :lol: :lol:

At least this guy has the background to be a Supreme Court judge. But so do hundreds of other judges. We'll see what comes out in the hearings.
 
Disagreeable said:
Samuel Alito.

Thank you, George.

Just to let you know, that thud you heard was nearly everyone on this board falling on the floor in utter disbelieve that you actually could thank Pres. Bush for anything!!
 

Latest posts

Top