NJDC on the Nomination of Judge Samuel Alito
Listed in: Women's Issues, Reproductive Rights, Separation of Church and State, NJDC News, Press Releases
"This morning's nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States is just the latest chapter in the deepening commitment by George W. Bush and today's GOP to appease the far-right," said National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Ira N. Forman. "With his approval ratings sagging into the thirties, the president this morning demonstrated yet again that he and the GOP have never been more dependent on the far-right wing for support. This president could have appealed this morning to the vast majority of Americans, but he did not. Instead, he chose to placate the most extreme conservative elements of his party -- to the detriment of the great majority of this country.
"In replacing retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who cast key deciding votes in favor of a woman's right to choose and the separation of church and state, George W. Bush opted not to nominate a highly-qualified woman -- nor did he choose to appeal to most Americans by nominating a moderate conservative. Instead, he selected a nominee to appeal to the far-right wing; one need only listen to the glowingly positive reaction of the most extreme elements of the conservative coalition to determine this.
"The Senate must now ask some hard questions of Judge Alito to find out where he stands on a wide range of core constitutional issues -- issues such as a woman's right to choose and the separation of church and state, which are supported by the vast majority of American Jews," Mr. Forman added.
