Sunday, November 14, 2004
Behind Closed Doors
Battle for the Soul of the GOP
There's been a lot of talk about the agenda for Bush II, but an important rule of politics is that you should pretty more ignore what is said and look at what is being done to figure out the true aims of your allies or opponents. Over the next few weeks, behind closed doors in Washington, a feverish battle is being waged on the direction of the Republican Party that will have important implications for the direction of our country. Most notably the continued viability of such important Supreme Court precedents as Roe v. Wade (abortion rights), Griswold v. Connecticut (access to birth control), Lawerence v. Texas (consensual pirvate sexual relations) and other issues of personal liberty and personal morality. Senator Frist and conservative activists are pushing hard to ditch incoming Judiciary Committee Chairman Specter because he supports current precedent, especially on abortion rights. In fact, as we've discussed here, First and Co. are so comsumed with this issue they're willing to ditch the long tradition of the filibuster to accomplish their task. (Not really an admission of strength on their part). As we move through this process Specter's fate is emblematic of the direction of the Administration and Congress over the next four years. Will it be a conservative, yet centrist approach embodied by Specter? or will it swerve to the far right? As usual, John McCain is the voice of reason.
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/politics/15specter.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/politics/15specter.html
There's been a lot of talk about the agenda for Bush II, but an important rule of politics is that you should pretty more ignore what is said and look at what is being done to figure out the true aims of your allies or opponents. Over the next few weeks, behind closed doors in Washington, a feverish battle is being waged on the direction of the Republican Party that will have important implications for the direction of our country. Most notably the continued viability of such important Supreme Court precedents as Roe v. Wade (abortion rights), Griswold v. Connecticut (access to birth control), Lawerence v. Texas (consensual pirvate sexual relations) and other issues of personal liberty and personal morality. Senator Frist and conservative activists are pushing hard to ditch incoming Judiciary Committee Chairman Specter because he supports current precedent, especially on abortion rights. In fact, as we've discussed here, First and Co. are so comsumed with this issue they're willing to ditch the long tradition of the filibuster to accomplish their task. (Not really an admission of strength on their part). As we move through this process Specter's fate is emblematic of the direction of the Administration and Congress over the next four years. Will it be a conservative, yet centrist approach embodied by Specter? or will it swerve to the far right? As usual, John McCain is the voice of reason.
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/politics/15specter.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/politics/15specter.html
