Forget the Court: Focus on CAFTA

Okay, I am putting myself way out of step with most of my liberal friends out there (maybe even Todd—he can argue with me when he gets back), but I don’t think we should waste our breath on this John Roberts nomination to the Supreme Court. Yes, he’s a anti-environmental, anti-civil rights conservative. He’s young enough to do lots and lots of damage to the country for the next two or three decades. Bush should have gone with a woman or a minority.

Agreed to all of the above. But look: we’ve already lost this fight. This is why Bush never should have been elected in the first place. The most important power of the president is nominations to the Supreme Court. And with a Republican-controlled Senate, Bush will get his man. Progressive groups around the country are gearing up to spend millions of dollars and lots of energy to defeat his nomination, but for what? Bush ain’t gonna nominate a liberal, even if he picked a woman or a minority. This is what we’re going to have to live with.

Instead, I think we need to stay focused on fights we can win: the war in Iraq (get connected to the massive peace demonstrations planned for September) , and especially the upcoming vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement in the House of Representatives. Speaking of which, do something positive for progressivism and contact your representative to oppose CAFTA , before Bush extends his economic influence as far into the future as his judicial influence will inevitably be. -G