Dude, Where’s My Judge?

It’s got to be nice to be a liberal.

There was a slew of stories when Justice Souter announced his retirement. But now hardly anybody is talking about it in the Catholic or even conservative blogosphere. And there’s a reason why. We have no doubt that whoever President Obama picks it’ll be a stark raving pro-choice, anti gun, anti-constructionist, pro-eminent domain, anti-religious conscience liberal. Names? We don’t need to know their names. Anyone who Obama picks is essentially the same to us. There might be some who are outside the bounds but for the most part we expect someone who is essentially the anti-Scalia in most things. Liberals are very unlikely to be disappointed in Obama’s choice.

Now how come every time a Republican President gets a pick we’re all on pins and needles wondering who it’s going to be? It’s like the scene in the movie where the hero has to decide whether to cut the blue wire or the red wire. It’s because we don’t trust Republicans to do the right thing by us. In fact, we’re scared to death because so many times before, Republican Presidents have clipped the blue wire. AND KABOOM. Sandra Day O’ Connor. Kaboom. Justice Souter. KA-FREAKING-BOOM. SO many times after a Republican picks a judges it leaves many of us saying, “Dude, where’s my conservative judge?” In fact, the fact that Souter was a Supreme Court Justice at all is enough of a reason not to trust Republicans with judges.

Even President George W. Bush who, despite shakiness on many issues, had been a pretty reliable pro-life voice didn’t get a pass. Remember Harriet Miers? We freaked out when he nominated her for the court. We freaked out because we had absolutely no idea what the heck the woman stood for. And I remember Bush saying that conservatives just had to trust him and we were all like “Uuuuhhh…NO. Your Dad nominated Souter.” And eventually, Bush collapsed and traded her in for a judge with a conservative record.

And while I don’t trust Republicans oddly enough, I trust Democrats to pick someone who will legislate liberal policy from the bench. I mean, has someone like Ruth Bader Ginsburg ever drifted to the right and surprised the President who appointed them? Not in recent memory.

So that’s why I’m jealous of liberals. They sleep soundly never fearing the ka-boom of disappointment in a judge’s nomination.

In case you care, Feddie from Southern Appeal says it’s going to be Justice Diane Wood.