Extreme Right, Republican, Whatever –

Extreme Right, Republican, Whatever – New blogger Kaimi Wenger has several interesting posts on the Estrada nomination. He was especially struck by a quote from Nan Aron, head of the Alliance for Justice, in The Nation article by Jack Newfield that was relied on by Estrada’s critics in the Thursday hearing.

Aron claimed that “the extreme right already controls seven of the thirteen circuit appeal courts.” Wenger did some checking, spoke to a researcher at the Alliance for Justice, and confirmed that in AFJ’s “methodology” any circuit with more judges appointed by Republicans than Democrats is under the control of the “extreme right.”

Now that same “methodology” has appeared in Bob Herbert’s column in the New York Times.

The political right has been relentless in its campaign to control the federal courts, and that campaign is getting awfully close to an absolute victory. Seven of the 13 circuit courts are already controlled by Republican appointees, and it is possible that within two years that control will extend to as many as 12, and maybe all 13 circuits.

Now we know how to keep the courts from being dominated by the “extreme right” (Alliance for Justice) or “political right” (Herbert): defeat all Republican nominees.

Say What?