Wednesday, October 12, 2005

RELIGION KEY FACTOR IN MIERS CHOICE

Remember when John Roberts was before the Senate Judiciary Commitee, questions about his religious beliefs were not allowed. Anyone who did ask such questions was quickly labled a bigot.

Now, the Emperor Chimp has stated that the reason he chose Harriet Miers was because of her religious beliefs.

From Americans United for Seperation of Church and State:

WHITE HOUSE PROMOTION OF COURT NOMINEE MIERS’ RELIGION IS APPALLING, SAYS AMERICANS UNITED

Church-State Watchdog Group Rebukes Bush For Hypocrisy Over Religion Issue

The Bush administration’s efforts to promote Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers by highlighting her evangelical Christianity is an appalling and hypocritical use of religion, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, “We’re picking a Supreme Court justice here, not a Sunday school teacher. President Bush and his allies should be talking about Miers’ knowledge of the Constitution, not the Bible.”

In remarks at the White House today, President George W. Bush defended his staffers’ references to Miers’ faith.

“People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,” he said. “They want to know Harriet Miers’ background. They want to know as much as they possibly can before they form opinions. Part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.”

AU’s Lynn said he has been concerned for some time that the Bush administration has been using a religious litmus test to select federal court nominees. On June 25, 2002, Bush said he would select judges who “understand that our rights were derived from God.”

Said Lynn, “Any such religious selectivity by the president would violate Article VI of our Constitution, which forbids any religious test for public office. Did Bush pick Miers because of her religious viewpoint instead of her legal qualifications? If he did, that is a disservice to the Constitution and the diversity of the American people.”

White House operatives have been using Miers’ religion to persuade Relgious Right leaders to endorse her nomination.

In a radio address taped Tuesday, Focus on the Family founder James C. Dobson recounted a conversation he had with White House strategist Karl Rove, during which Rove told Dobson of Miers’ strong religious views.

Dobson said Rove assured him Miers is “an evangelical Christian from a very conservative church, which is almost universally pro-life.”

The White House is apparently highlighting Miers’ church-going to other prominent religious conservatives. TV preacher Pat Robertson, breaking with other conservatives who have expressed concern over Miers’ scant track record, has repeatedly praised Miers on his “700 Club” program. On Oct. 5, Robertson stated that Miers “will be the first evangelical Christian who has been elevated to the Supreme Court in well over 70 years.”

Americans United’s Lynn accused the White House and the Religious Right of hypocrisy.

“We were told we weren’t even allowed to bring up the topic of religion when John G. Roberts was nominated for the Supreme Court,” Lynn said. “Anyone who did was quickly labeled a bigot.

“Now Bush and Rove are touting where Miers goes to church and using that as a selling point,” Lynn continued. “The hypocrisy is staggering.”

Lynn also blasted the Religious Right for playing along. “If a nominee’s personal religious views are off the table,” observed Lynn, “why am I not hearing howls of protest from Jerry Falwell, Tony Perkins, Jay Sekulow and others about this cynical exploitation of religion for crass political purposes?"

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

From CNN: Bush: Religion a factor in Supreme Court pick

and from the New York Times: Bush Reassures Conservatives Once Again on Court Nominee

and the Ap via Yahoo: White House Tries to Stem Miers Concerns

There are people who say "It's not about religion."
Well it is about religion, and religion and politics do not mix. If her religious beliefs are the most important thing to her, she will not be able to judge according to the Constitution of the United States of America. Therefore she should not serve on the Supreme Court, for she shall have a biased opinion, biased towards her religious beliefs. Maybe we should have a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, and an Atheist on the Supreme Court as well. Bet James Dobson would love that.

15 comments:

Grandpa Eddie said...

Via,
I don't think that evil little bastard is wiping any dishes with the Constitution. I think he's wiping his ass with it, and the fuckin' useless little prick is really pissin' me off.

granny said...

Big difference between his faith and mine.

Big difference between what he say and what he do, too.

Grandpa Eddie said...

"Big difference between what he say and what he do"

Granny,
Big difference, really, really big difference.

Definitely a big difference in faith from just about everybody. Most people just believe. He believes he's the chosen one, because "God" speaks to him.

Alexander Try said...

interesting article here by christopher hitchens about the 'religious test'

http://www.slate.com/id/2127821/

Grandpa Eddie said...

hazey-jane,
Very interesting article. Thanks for the link.

Anonymous said...

Just who do they think they are fooling?

Grandpa Eddie said...

Karena,
" Just who do they think they are fooling?"

Us, my dear. They think...in their warped little minds...that they are fooling us.

Anonymous said...

Well, they are only fooling some of us. Unfortunately, it's a lot of us. Pretty clever, those GOPers. Getting all the big money religious nuts that broadcast and are viewed by millions each day to back them up. And those big-money religious nuts have proven over and over again that they are crooks, but when they get caught with the hookers they just say the Devil made 'em do it, and all their followers say, "Amen brother" and that's the end of that. There followers send them a check and a prayer. If Bush got caught banging Karen Hughes on the desk of the Oval Office he would get away with it, no doubt.

Tina said...

Karena: If Bush were caught banging Karen Hughes on the desk of the Oval Office it would 1) be filmed for Animal Planet and/or 2) be part of "Wookies Gone Wild" or "Wookies Go Wild in DC"

Grandpa Eddie: Repeat this seven times a day: What was off limits for John Roberts is perfectly fine for Harriet Miers... What was off limits for John Roberts is perfectly fine for Harriet Miers... continue... then drink a heaping serving of Kool-Aid, schedule that lobotomy, and you'll be in tip-top shape.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Tina,
Sorry, but my mouth is incapable of forming a phrase that is repub propaganda.

Anonymous said...

Tina, it would be filmed as a new Sasquatch procreating sighting.

Tina said...

EEEWWW... Karen Hughes and procreating should never be in the same sentence... I would rather watch 2 Bigfoots (or would the plural be 2 Bigfeet???... sigh...) go at it full bore than have the image of Karen and Bush in my mind.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Karena & Tina,
Ladies, ladies, I thuoght it was us guys that were supposed to have strange gross thoughts like those.

You're two of a kind and I love ya both for it.

Tina said...

I know... we are bad... but it is just these damn Neo-Cons, Grandpa Eddie... ya know, they have that effect on us. Imagine how terrible we'd all be if we were able to get together and dish on politics while enjoying some libations? I think no bar would want us b/c we'd be so bad.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Tina,
Now that sounds like it would be alot of fun. I'm sure I could come up with a couple of watering holes that would love to have us, of course part of that might be because they could use the buisness.

Too bad we're all so far apart. Makes it kinda hard to waltz down to the corner bar to meet for a drink.