Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Are the GOPers on Judiciary Committee Insane?

OK! I admit that the headline of this post basically answers itself. But seriously, some of the testimony that the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee want entered on the Kagan confirmation hearings seems more than just a wee bit bizarre. With intended witnesses like Klan aficionado Tony Perkins (pictured at right in his Mississippi House days at a meeting of the uber-racist Council of Conservative Citizens) why not have some performing dogs brought in while they are at it. The full list of GOP witnesses can be found here. And as if Perkins wasn't lunatic enough, also on the witness list is retired Lt. General William G. "Jerry" Boykin - that's right, the same Boykin who believes that the USA is on a religious crusade against Muslims. Candidly, I cannot image what either of these to religious extremist demagogues can say that would merit any credibility. Steve Clemmons at Washington Note looks at the GOP effort at self-immolation. Here are highlights:
*
Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan may not be everyone's cup of tea. I have no issues with her and think that she is a disciplined, fair-minded, creative thinker who will add a lot to the highest court in the land.
*
That said, I just learned that the Senate Judiciary Committee is calling none other than the God-connected, crusade-obsessed saber rattler retired Lt. General William G. "Jerry" Boykin as one of four military witnesses raising questions about Kagan's policy of making it tough for the military to recruit at Harvard when there was a conflict over the Pentagon's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policies.
*
Boykin? If this party is engaged in such self-destructive theatrics, why can't the White House do a better job of dividing up the Republicans into smart and not-so-smart factions.
*
I know that I hang out with a good number of Republicans in the smarter faction -- but no one is forcing a wedge between they and those with whom they'd rather not be hanging. This has to be uncomfortable for many in the GOP.
*
One can only hope that the Democrats are busy recording clips of the verbal diarrhea that will be emanating from Perkins, Boykins and other loons of the far right - along with the questions being asked by the GOP questioners.

No comments: