Must Read: "Troubling Times, A Troubling Nominee" by Jonathan Turley

http://usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-01-09-troubling-times_x.htm

Troubling times, a troubling nominee

By Jonathan Turley

The confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito will focus greatly on his stated opposition to Roe v. Wade. The obsession with abortion in American politics has had an anaerobic effect on past confirmation hearings, sucking the air out of other issues. For Alito, this may have the welcomed effect of obscuring a more troubling question from his past writings and cases: Alito's extreme views of government authority over citizens' rights.

Despite my agreement with Alito on many issues, I believe that he would be a dangerous addition to the court in already dangerous times for our constitutional system. Alito's cases reveal an almost reflexive vote in favor of government, a preference based not on some overriding principle but an overriding party.

In my years as an academic and a litigator, I have rarely seen the equal of Alito's bias in favor of the government. To put it bluntly, when it comes to reviewing government abuse,Samuel Alito is an empty robe.

<>We are down to our last branch, and Alito would supply the final vote to shift the balance of power toward a president claiming the powers of a maximum leader. Alito's writings and opinions show a jurist who is willing to yield tremendous authority to the government and offer little in terms of judicial review — views repeatedly rejected not only by his appellate colleagues but also by the U.S. Supreme Court.


more... But I would argue that repealing Roe is part and parcel of Alito's views of government authority over citizens' rights"-- in other words, the government will make you carry that child to term, and you have no say so in the matter.

That's my biggest concern also.

and thanks for posting.