Alito

Some quick thoughts on Supreme Court nominee Alito...he is definitely qualified; the guy has a head on his shoulders and actually knows how to be a judge. He seems to be a bit of an ideologue (or maybe not), though, which bothers me. Reading some of his past decisions, I sometimes get the idea that he went into cases already knowing how he wanted to rule and his decisions basically are (intelligent, well-written) justifications for how he already felt. I don't think we need another "first the verdict, then the trial" judges on the Supreme Court. All the same, Alito is not Bork, and he does have the "judicial temperment" and as such, I think he will be confirmed, and the Democrats probably should not use the filibuster on him.

As a side note, while the far right of the GOP certainly had a role in booting Miers out, remember that it was Miers' own incompetence which forced her to withdraw. Had she given intelligent and decent answers to the Senate questionnaire and done well in her meetings with individual senators, she would have been confirmed, no matter how much the tighty-righties whined. But by all accounts, Miers bombed her individual meetings with senators, and her answers to the judiciary committee questionnaire were worth a gentlewoman's "C" at best.

Update: Alito apparently believes freedom of speech include the freedom to harass. Or does he? The actual decision appears reasonable, although I disagree with it. I dunno. You decide. It's safe to say Scalito is to the right of O'Conner, at least.