Capsizing to the Right

Okay. It looks like Mr. Alito is going to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, despite the misgivings that many people have. It is just another step to the right, but it is one that could have far reaching consequences. Forget about Roe v. Wade, let's concentrate on all of the personal freedoms that we currently hold dear. Once Mr. Alito joins the crew, we will all be very much in jeopardy of losing our privacy. According to the three briefs of the soon-to-be Associate Justice that I've had an opportunity to read so far, the Constitution doesn't really give us any rights of privacy. I am very much afraid that what we've found out lately about W ordering eavesdropping on private citizens without court order is only going to be the tip of the iceberg.

The last time this country moved so far to the right, we ended up fighting a civil war. The ultra-conservatives of the mid-nineteenth century supported slavery and wanted government out of our everyday lives. The one thing they had in common with today's ultra-conservative, though, is that they, too, believed that only those who agreed with them were true patriots. All others were suspect. I find it ironic that the current ultra-conservative movement has moved so far back in time to find their ideals. They didn't work then, and they are not going to work now.

The biggest difference between what happened just prior to the Civil War and what is happening now is that women couldn't vote then. We can vote now, much to the chagrin of Mr. Bush and his cohorts. I firmly believe that the women of this country have finally had enough of George W, Tricky Dicky, Rummy, and their friends. I look forward to the November elections this year, when I firmly hope that the voters of this country will finally return some sanity to Capital Hill. If we do not, then all of those steps to the right will eventually capsize our Ship of State.