Obama High Court Candidate Sonia Sotomayor : Liberal Left Extreme

This from the Heritage Foundation that takes a very insightful and complete look at the confirmation process, the importance of a knowledgeable and thorough vetting of this candidate by the Senate and the consequences of making a bad decision.

This appointment is for life. She will effect, infect, our lives and the lives of our children for generations to come. It is imparitive we demand our representives in congress act responsibilly by asking tough questions and then decide what is right for the country - we must not allow them to vote her on a party line vote - this affect us all!

The Facts on Obama's Supreme Court Nominee

President Barack Obama this morning nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court.
» To ensure lawmakers, the media and the America can get all the facts on the Supreme Court vacancy, The Heritage Foundation has created a Rapid Response web page. Be sure to check back for all the latest updates.

Senators should "engage in robust advice and consent to assure that if confirmed Judge Sotomayor would not use her seat…to advance liberal policy preferences," argues Heritage Foundation Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow and former Attorney General Edwin Meese.

The "advice and consent" process, mandated by the Constitution, is a delicate and timely one. Senators should use it to determine whether Judge Sotomayor will faithfully and impartially interpret the Constitution and laws of this nation -- and not shape them to her policy preferences.

"Nominations should be judged by a common standard: Will they apply the Constitution of the United States and the law as it is written and according to its original meaning?" asks Heritage expert Conn Carroll. "Or will they use the lifetime appointment to enact policy preferences from the bench?"

Judge Sotomayor, who sits on the Federal Court of Appeals in New York, has a long record of statements about the proper role of judges, many of which raise important questions. Heritage constitutional scholar Robert Alt explains:

Judge Sotomayor's statements about judges as policymakers, her questioning of whether judges can be objective in most cases, and her insensitive statement that the ethnicity of some judges somehow makes them better at doing their job than judges of different ethnicity—raise serious questions about her view of judging which must be carefully and fully explored by the Senate.
Some of her thoughts on judges' role in shaping policy were captured on video.

President Obama has established an "aggressive confirmation timetable," writes Heritage senior policy analyst Andrew Grossman. But his push to complete all hearings and vote before Congress' August recess may be hasty and "risks shortchanging the Constitution's commands."
The Senate "should not delay" the confirmation process, Grossman argues, "but nor should it be rushed."
- Amanda Reinecker