Legal Commentary

GOP Attacks Appeals Court Nominee Liu As Universal Health Coverage Advocate

By Big Tent Democrat

Strange approach imo:

Senate Judiciary Republicans are looking to defeat the lifetime judicial appointment of Goodwin Liu to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by painting him as President Barack Obama’s most extreme pick and a likely advocate of universal health care from the bench. [. . .] The argument against Liu, a law professor at the University of California-Berkley, is the first time that Republicans have injected the partisan health care debate into the confirmation of a judicial pick.

I've longed argued that the courts are indeed political. But it is interesting ground the GOP has chosen - making Liu a referendum on universal health care coverage seems a strange argument to make. I imagine it will manifest itself as a debate about the mandates. In any event, we will found out today at 2:30 at the Senate Judiciary committee hearing on Liu's nomination. It will be webcast and you can see it here.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 24, 2010 (boomark / email).