Wyden Wises Up

File this under “once bitten, twice shy.” After being burned once by supporting a Bush nominee to the Supreme Court — namely, John Roberts and his vote to overturn Oregon’s physician assisted suicide law — Oregon Senator Ron Wyden appears to have learned his lesson. 

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement today announcing that he will vote against the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when it comes to the floor of the Senate:

“After days of hearings before the Senate and a meeting this week in my office with Judge Alito, I cannot reconcile the seemingly moderate and amiable jurist of the past few weeks with his two decade record of federal service. At this time when the country so desperately needs a judge who will approach issues with a sense of neutrality, Judge Alito leaves me unconvinced that he will bring an impartial viewpoint to the nation’s highest court.

… “Ultimately, it is Judge Alito’s record that leaves me convinced that he has pre-judged many of the matters that would come before him on the court. It is with a heavy heart that I arrive at this conclusion. I believe that a President is due considerable latitude to select nominees of his or her own political party and ideology, but I will not vote to confirm a judge whom I believe incapable or unlikely to separate those personal beliefs from his constitutional obligations.”

Now the rest of the Dems need to get the message, and understand that by cooperating with the Republican agenda they’re only digging themselves deeper into the hole of permanent minority status. Even if Alito is ultimately going to be confirmed (bringing us one step closer to the stone age)  because the Republicans have the votes, let them confirm him without any help or support from the Democrats and let that go for the rest of their agenda too.