Who is Harriet Miers?
So far, the phrases "corporate lawyer" and "Bush crony" come to mind. The Washington Post has a profile here and reactions here.
I was struck by Senator Harry Reid's (D-NV) laudatory quote regarding Miers and thought, "What's that about?" Then, I found this New Yorker article that says (scroll down or use "find" with the word "Miers") and noted that he told the White House how much he enjoyed working with Miers when the Roberts nomination was coming up. Sigh.
I'd say the chances are strong that she thinks the commerce clause of the US Constitution should be curtailed, which would make her an anti-originialist there. I think she would be a reliable pro-corporate vote as, being single, no kids, and just a "pit bull in size 6 shoes," as the Terrible President once described her about 10 years ago, essentially heartless. I also think she'll be unable to understand arguments that favor civil liberties. Finally, I don't have any sense she's been in a religious institution (church or synogogue) in her adult life and I understand the worry in the hearts of religious conservatives.
My advice: If I was in a progressive group, I'd be calling religious conservative groups and saying, "Maybe there's a way to work together to stop this one if she's just going to be a corporate clone." This could prove to be a masterstroke by Rove if she is an unknown on abortion, et al. or perhaps we are seeing a rebellion by the Terrible President to ignore his religious right and just going on his most favorite attribute of people he knows: Loyalty.
A final thought comes from the Volokh Conspiracy's David Bernstein here. I am not saying I agree with Bernstein on just about anything, but his perspective is both important and interesting.
posted by Mitchell J. Freedman @ 7:20 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Given some of the conservatives like Michelle Malkin already opposing Harriet Miers, I'm wondering if there must be something good about her.
I'm not all that optimistic, but at least there's that.
That was my perhaps too subtle point. She may be a cultural "moderate" like O'Connor, but a corporate and anti-civil liberties sort of right winger who is worse than O'Connor.
This will end up creating the following coalitions:
1. Some pro-choicers and most of corporate America on one side supporting her appointment; and
2. Most economic populists and quite a few religious conservatives on the other side opposing her appointment.
That ironically is the coalition needed to get back the White House and Congress and reinvigorate the best of New Deal policy-making.
Loyalty to the Terrible President is definitely given way too much importance.
With Clinton, being a a 'FOB' (Friend of Bill) was somewhat of a status symbol. With Bush, being a 'Friend of George' pays big dividends. After all, a Friend of George would be a 'FOG' and the Terrible Presidnet does suffer from foggy thinking!
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