You've All Been Wondering

Finally, I come before you to answer the question you have all been contemplating for two days: What does Esther think of Bush's nominee, Harriet Miers?

In my opinion, Bush chickened out. He finally cracked. The political upheaval and criticism he has faced for the past several months has done it's job. He could have picked an outright conservative judge with astonishing credentials. There were so many to choose from. Instead he picked a crony, with no record on the important constitutional issues that face the court today. He picked a woman who sounds like a wonderful and impressive person. Do not take this as a post to downgrade her achievements. But I for one hope that conservative Senators decide not to confirm this nominee.

Why? She just has no record of working on and studying the issues that will surely come before the court soon. I have read some of her stuff, yes, and they are obscure, random articles that you have to dig to find. If a Supreme Court Justice has no record in trying to understand constitutional matters, there is a problem. There is tremendous pressure put on these people and a lot of it comes from people who want activist judges. I am against activist judges on any side of the issues. A justice who is not already shaped an molded in the ideas of judicial restraint gives me no reason to believe that he or she (in this case) will stand firm on those notions.

I am shocked that Bush would back down like this and pick someone without the conservative credentials that I thought he sought for this position. The criticism he is under must be difficult to face, I understand that. He is scrutinized and blamed more than any president I can remember. But he used to have more guts. I remember a Bush who did whatever the hell he felt like because he was a Texan who did not care about people's screams of outrage. This is not that Bush.

In short, I am disappointed that Bush failed to choose someone with a strong background on the issues. I do not care that he did not pick an Ivy Leaguer, I think it is nice that he picked a more normal person. But Supreme Court justices are hardly normal! I mean, you don't dedicate your life to udnerstanding constitutional thought by being an ordinary person. Miers has an impressive business background, and who knows, maybe she will surprise me. At the moment though, I am not pleased with the nominee.