I Can't Hear with this Partisan Ideology in my Ears

Jay Bryant writes a clever article today on Priscilla Owens, one of the justices whose assent to the Federal Appeals court was blocked by those nasty Democrats. But first of all he links Bill Clinton, Minnesota Viking Onterro Smith, and Michael Jackson, in a two minute hate performance, presumably designed to distract his readers so they fall for his slight of hand later in the article.

And here is the slight of hand.

This brings me to another obvious lie, one currently being retailed by Senators of the Democratic persuasion, their 527 Committee propagandists and various and sundry media toadies.

Simply stated it is this: because Alberto Gonzalez once said that Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen was a "judicial activist," she should be disqualified from consideration for promotion to the appellate court.

At least one of the 527's - People for the American Way - is currently running commercials in which Gonzalez's statement is the one and only reason given to support the filibuster against Owen's nomination.

First of all, Mr. Bryant seems unclear on what a lie is. Mr. Gonzelas really did indicate that Priscilla Owen was a judicial activist, and we really do oppose her ascension to the high court. How are either of those two statements lies?

Secondly, they are talking about commercials. You don't have a lot of time in a commercial. A few minutes and your done, right? So you pick the strongest part of your case. But then Mr. Bryant pretends that this really is our entire argument against Ms. Owens.

. . . the charge of "judicial activism" - especially when it emanates from the left side of the Senate chamber - is so inconsequential as to be unworthy of mention.

If that's the worst thing they've got against Owen, they've got (to quote Archibald MacLeish) "nothing, nothing, nothing at all."

But there's much more you see. The truth is that Ms. Owens has consistently put the desires and greed of corporations over the rights of citizens, consumers, or workers. And she has done it outside the law in a number of situations. People for the American Way, the creater of the commercial mentioned above, has a review of many cases she's heard. Independent Judiciary also presents a strong case against Owen.

So pretending that our only argument against Priscilla Owen is a remark by Alberto Gonzelas seems like, well, a lie.