While it is refreshing to see the right wing now wanting to ask those nasty questions about what the ideology of the candidate is, don't be fooled, this is anything but good news for America. It seems to go unrecognized that with the confirmation of these two nominees an agenda of total corporate control will be complete. These two represent the merger of the corporation and the state, the definition of fascism and the revelation of the true neo con agenda.
First on social issues, there is far from a guarantee that either will be moderate in their views of women's choice or other issues. Both have directly or indirectly (Roberts through his wife) been affiliated with anti abortion groups. Over looked in Mier's acceptance speech, was her statement that she would defend religious freedom, as if it were religious freedom not secular freedom that was under attack. The truth is it is difficult to believe that both of these candidates haven't been thoroughly vetted as to their positions on the culture wars. While real values are of little concern to the neo cons, they do have to feed red meat to the brown shirt monster they created to keep it from turning on them.
The Chief Justice and the candidate's real appeal to the neo cons and the Democratic Leadership is twofold: 1) Their lack of a record to object to and; 2) their pro-corporate/pro-executive authority stands. Republicans put their fingers to their lips and say shh" just trust us, these are our wolves in sheep's clothing. Right wing demagogue, James Dobson has said he is reassured by information he can't reveal from the administration. Even if they are not the reactionaries on social issues that I suspect, the culture wars have never been any more then a way to divide working people and garner votes for themselves anyway. Lip service is the stock in trade here.
The big revealed hypocrisy and prostitution however, is that of the Democratic Leadership who is completely willing to participate in this fraud on the American People. The anti-worker / anti-civil rights stands of both the Chief Justice and Candidate Miers are abundantly clear and are being totally ignored as even an issue for discussion by the Democratic leadership. They are eager to embrace a candidate that they can claim ignorance about rather than stand up and fight in a filibuster fight when they feel the Republicans are losing ground across the board. More committed to corporate campaign contributors then to women, minorities or workers, they are content to avoid a fight which they feel would leave them labeled obstructionist and eager to claim some easy victory out of the Republicans self imposed deficiencies in governing. Consequently they are rolling over like lapdogs to have their corporate contributors scratch their bellies. They have sold out completely on protecting worker rights and citizen protections from oppressive government. They are part of the problem.
We will now have a five-four court that will not only rule in favor the religious right's desired agenda, but just as if not more importantly they, like both party's leaderships will favor the concentration , institutionalization and oppressive use of power on the non-elite parts of society or in other words the other 80% of us that have lost our voice in the governing of this country. The reason I say maybe even more importantly, is because they will undermine the ability of citizens of any group to seek and receive a redress of grievances from the government by undermining civil and criminal recourses for the weak against the strong. The total economic and social abandonment of the working class will not be far behind.
The Democrats may be able to later claim ignorance on any theocratic issues these stealth candidates vote to cement into the American political landscape, but they can't claim any surprise over their attitudes towards working people or civil rights. That's just a scam perpetrated on the American people by what has become the other corporate party of America.
John M. Kelley is a teacher, philosopher, writer, artist, political activist, singer of ballads, rebellious Irishman and agent for change who worries daily about the world he is leaving for his grandchildren. His blog is at http://www.mytown.ca/johnkelley
