Wednesday, January 11, 2006
The Two Seasons of American Politics
Great article on the cycle of American political life.
Thomas Lifson, editor and publisher of this web magazine, floats the idea that Amercian political life goes in two different seasons: Attention, and Inattention.
The middle of this article gives the best explanation for Ronald Reagan's success at the polls that I have ever read.
If you remember, Reagan completely blindsided the Democrats. They could not begin to fathom how he had the success that he had.
He did it by out "Democrat-ing" the Democrats.
Then, he pulls the discussion to the present, and into the terms of the confirmation hearings for Justice Alito.
Keep in mind, this is important stuff. Alito, if confirmed, Justice Roberts, both, have the potential to radically affect American life for close to the next 30 years. Supreme Court Justices serve from the time they are appointed until they resign or die.
Think back 30 or so years. That would be about the time of Roe v. Wade (the legalization of abortion), and the abolition of organized prayer in public schools. Issues we are still debating and fighting about today.
Further back, it was the courts, not the President or Congress that did away with segregation.
The Supreme Court only has 9 members, and we are seeing 2 seats change in just a few months. If the 2 new guys can get 3 of the others, any 3 of the others, to agree with them on a given issue, they can dominate the court ... for 20-30 more years.
This is important stuff that deserves our attention. We need to pay attention not only to what Alito tells the Senate, but what the Senate asks him, and what they allow him to answer.
Remember the hearings are supposed to be about what Alito will do on the bench, not what a Senator thinks, or wants to pontificate about.
Thomas Lifson, editor and publisher of this web magazine, floats the idea that Amercian political life goes in two different seasons: Attention, and Inattention.
The middle of this article gives the best explanation for Ronald Reagan's success at the polls that I have ever read.
If you remember, Reagan completely blindsided the Democrats. They could not begin to fathom how he had the success that he had.
He did it by out "Democrat-ing" the Democrats.
Then, he pulls the discussion to the present, and into the terms of the confirmation hearings for Justice Alito.
Keep in mind, this is important stuff. Alito, if confirmed, Justice Roberts, both, have the potential to radically affect American life for close to the next 30 years. Supreme Court Justices serve from the time they are appointed until they resign or die.
Think back 30 or so years. That would be about the time of Roe v. Wade (the legalization of abortion), and the abolition of organized prayer in public schools. Issues we are still debating and fighting about today.
Further back, it was the courts, not the President or Congress that did away with segregation.
The Supreme Court only has 9 members, and we are seeing 2 seats change in just a few months. If the 2 new guys can get 3 of the others, any 3 of the others, to agree with them on a given issue, they can dominate the court ... for 20-30 more years.
This is important stuff that deserves our attention. We need to pay attention not only to what Alito tells the Senate, but what the Senate asks him, and what they allow him to answer.
Remember the hearings are supposed to be about what Alito will do on the bench, not what a Senator thinks, or wants to pontificate about.
