illiterates 4 illito

an anti-alito tv ad shows footage of sam alito testifying that he'll judge fairly intercut with graphics countering his claim, like the example of his decision in support of a strip search of a 10-yo girl and assertions that he'll vote against individual rights and narrow the scope of roe v wade.

the message is lost on lazy viewers who don't bother to read graphics but do hear the judge's voice and perceive him to be sincere and a "nice guy."

tho specifics vary, public support for alito's confirmation may be typified by a washington journal caller who chewed out the host for asking how a justice alito might vote: "judges don't vote. they make decisions."

no, with apologies to cj john roberts, judges really aren't like baseball umpires: they do vote. that's how decisions get made when more than one judge is involved.

i don't know if that caller's ignorance is her own fault or caused by poor schools, but it's a shame either way, because our liberty and justice both depend on informed decisions by citizens.

incidentally, some pro-alito callers seem to think the best defense of alito is a good ad hominem offense against ted kennedy (using his college record and chappaquiddick). all i can say to them is it's not up to you, no matter what he did in the 1950s and '60s. massachusetts voters keep sending kennedy back to the senate. if you don't like it, move there and vote against him. he's up for reelection this year.