Question:

[Dinger]

I remember asking a lawyer friend of mine about this, and it was discussed on this morning's "Washington Journal." Shortly after the giggling murderer wasappointed to his current position, didn't he abolish a 50-year tradition of the American Bar Association reviewing judges? As I remember, this was a clear signal that bu$h was going to the "hard right" as far as the judiciary was concerned. Something about "blue slips," etc. Can anybody refresh my memory on this? I posted it here because I think it relates to what is going on here.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. You are correct. Here's a link to 'Bush Dumps Bar Association Role

in Picking Judges'.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/3/22/182324.shtml

[Dinger]

2. Thanks! Then, I Wonder Why "They" Keep Talking About

The ABA's confidence in these RW judges? I think it should be thrown back in their faces, NOW.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Yeah, but...

it's all smoke and mirrors. You can't throw anything back in their faces because everyone in DC knows exactly what's going on. And the public will just get more confused.

For a little history, as I remember it, the blue slip thing was the ability of a Senator to sideline a judge from his or her state. They eliminated the rule to stop Democrats from using it, but Republicans had little problem with it in the past when they were the minority.

The Federalist Society is a group of conservative judges and lawyers who claim to be "strict constructionists, and there are thousands of them. When Shrub got into office, they decided to get Federalist judges exclusively, and go through a vetting process bypassing the ABA. The Senate Republicans were complicit in this, and that's pretty much where we are now.