Been watching or listening to a lot of the Alito confirmation hearings. Pro or con, I think we can all put partisan politics aside and agree, these hearings are a sham... Republicans tossing him idiotic softball questions, Democrats picking and poking at red herrings. And Alito dodging any question of substance that accidentally gets through... As usual the Daily Show was hysterical and spot on about the hearings; go here and click the video called Alito Supreme...

Bill Maher's comment on Alito sticks in my head. Maher compared him of a relief pitcher in baseball; the guy you bring in at the end of the game to get one batter out. Bush is bringing in Alito to do one thing: overrule Roe versus Wade.

Frankly, if I was a Democratic senator, I'd just shut up, vote for the guy, and move on. Given the politics of the president and the fact of the Republican majority in the senate, this guy is actually a reasonable choice given the range of possile alternatives. Bush is going to nominate a conservative; and he (or she) is going to be confirmed, unless Bush does something nuts, like say nominate Harriet Miers. Ted Kennedy, Chuck Shumer et. al. would come away looking a lot better if they chose their battles a little more wisely. Although I think we're way past the point where Ted Kennedy can look good...

I still don't understand what is conservative about elimination of abortion rights. I mean, I understand how it fits into the agenda of the lunatic fringe relligious right. But not into core mainstream conservatism, which is supposed to be about limited government intervention and increased liberty for the individual. As my friend Dave, an idealogical conservative and an attorney, said:

"All I know is I can read the Constitution over and over again, and can't find the word 'abortion.' To me, its simply not a Constitutional issue! It is first, a moral issue on which I will not preach, and second, at most, a legal issue if an individual state decides to make it one. Rememeber, its called the Supreme Court, not the Abortion Court."

Sadly, I think that we'll see abortions criminalized. And of course, when abortions are criminalized, only criminals will have abortions. And the aftermath is going to be something dreadful to behold, because what will ensue will be a horrific and ugly sort of prohibition, wherein people who want/need an abortion will still get an abortion, but abortions will no longer be sanctioned and safe.

Of course the wealthy (many of whom voted and funded the politicians who are so hell bent on abolishing these rights) will simply fly to Sweden or something when they need an abortion. If Jenna Bush was gang raped at the frat party and got pregnant, are you telling me they don't quietly ship her off and get rid of the "problem?"

But what of the less priviledged? That is the truly horrific part. Because when I think it through, I keep coming back to the same conclusion: that the net result of criminalizing abortions will be the wholesale butchering of poor young women.

Criminalizing abortions won't mean fewer abortions. It will mean more dangerous abortions. It will mean that many women who are victims of unwanted pregnancies still terminate those pregnancies in exactly the fashion they do now, but we'll get to have maimed and murdered women to show for it as well. DOn't think of illegal abortion as saving babies; think of it as it will really be: killing women. Think about that the next time you hear some Lunatic Fringer talk about the right to life; think about the actual consequences of the policy they support. But then, I guess that's what Jesus would do...

Labels: The politics