The Miers' nomination has been withdrawn, and conservatives across the airwaves and ethernet are touting their 'victory' over President Bush's choice to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. Although I think Harriet Miers was not the best choice for Associate Justice, I'm a little surprised at the bally-hooing by some on the Right at her withdrawal.
National Review and some talk-radio hosts fretted that Miers was an unknown quantity who couldn't be counted on to uphold conservative principles once confirmed. They spoke of the pressure the 'elites' on the Court would put on her to conform in order to be accepted. They even mocked her lack of solid Ivy-League law school credentials as another reason for their lack of support. They even brushed off 'W's' entreaties on Miers' behalf, claiming the President couldn't be trusted.
There also appears to have been a general uneasiness about the appointment of an evangelical Christian to the nation's highest court. The East Coast GOP Brahmin may solicit donations and volunteers from the Red States, but it's not so certain they intend to share power with a bunch of Jesus-loving rednecks from outside the Beltway. Unlike Ronald Reagan, the 'Easties' have met Republicans they don't like.
No wonder the Democrats are able to maintain their standing with their constituencies despite having no ideas and no solutions. Just leave Republicans alone and they'll quickly devour each other. GOP Senators who were elected to restrain government spending and immediately went on an LBJ-style giveaway spree were bleating that the President didn't keep his word!
Forcing the President to cave on Miers may also come back to haunt Republicans in 2006. Already a lame duck, Bush will have little coat-tail to offer GOP candidates, and any political consultant will tell you that disharmony in the Party spells disater at the polls.
George W may recover by finding a strong Supreme Court candidate in the mold of Antonin Scalia or William Rehnquist. Let's just hope the internal squabble in the Republican Party doesn't beget us another Anthony Kennedy or David Souter.
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I'm not sure that I see the Eastern elitist angle on the whole Miers opposition (perhaps its because Laura Bush and the "sexist" charge is still ringing in my ears). But I'm starting to wonder about it now that Lito, the new nominee, is Ivy League (Princeton).
Maybe the whole Supreme Court should be dumped and a Blue Collar Court should go in its place. Get a couple of union guys, a guy who drives an El Camino, a church lady or two, and some NFL fans, and instead of a lifetime appointment, they'd just get a lifetime supply of Bud Light.
We'd probably see better policy pretty quickly. As a bonus, rulings would actually make sense (remember, "experts" gave us penumbra). Heck, maybe we'd get John Madden as a Court commentator. Bam!
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