Good for Senator Leahy Against Alito - New York Times

Good for Senator Leahy, who announces he will vote against the confirmation of Alito:

Leahy Says He'll Vote Against Alito: Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont today became the first Democrat on the committee to declare his intention to vote against him. Mr. Leahy told an audience at the Georgetown Law School that he did not believe Judge Alito would provide the necessary checks and balances to an executive branch that might exceed its powers. "I cannot vote for this nomination," Mr. Leahy said. "I will not vote for this nomination." Mr. Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said he was disturbed by Judge Alito's responses during the committee hearings last week on the issues of privacy and conflicts between government and individuals. He also said he believed Judge Alito, who has spent his entire legal career working for the government, would be too deferential to what the senator called his "patrons." "At a time when the president is seizing unprecedented power, the Supreme Court needs to be a check and balance," he said. "I have no confidence that Judge Alito will provide that check and balance."

Indeed. The threshold question is: "Is Alito one of the five hundred or so people who would best improve the judgments of the Supreme Court?" I have heard lots of arguments that say he is not one of the five hundred. I have heard no arguments that he is.

I question why any Senator is even thinking of voting for him, or why any newspaper is supporting him.