tsujigiri

The editorial comments of Chris and James, covering the news, science, religion, politics and culture.

"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." -Douglas Adams

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

John Roberts, John Jackson, Jack Johnson, Joe Smithzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

I must confess that I think that the focus on Roe is a bit of a ruse. It's kibble for the religious conservatives. Purportedly contentious issues like abortion are a distraction for those fueled solely by emotion. Neo-conservatives can pay basic attention to these issues, enough to placate superstitious Southerners (both geographic and ideological), but they're not the most important issues. Follow the money. Roberts is pro-business. From that last article, in Mother Jones in 2003:
So far, the public debate has all but ignored this quiet corporate campaign. Unlike high-visibility battles over abortion, the death penalty, or gay rights, the legal fights over tort reform, regulatory powers, anti- trust law, and property rights do not lend themselves to easy explanations in news stories. In Beltway parlance, such issues "translate poorly" to voters -- a fact that has not been lost on conservative activists. "Because of the smoke and fire of the abortion issue, it is probably all anybody will talk about, but there is much more at stake," says Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. His group, which receives funding from corporate and conservative foundations, has organized resolutions in at least 10 state legislatures supporting Bush's judicial nominees. "The New York Times understands sex," he added. "It doesn't understand money."