Conservative Base Has No Cause For Worry

In a move that wasn’t all too surprising, Harriet Miers, President Bush’s nominee for the Supreme Court, withdrew her name from contention late last week. The president, with this void, once again gets another shot to fill the vacancy of Sandra Day O’Connor’s concluding retirement. As I wrote earlier this semester, I wasn’t sold on Miers and her ability to be a Supreme Court jurist that would practice judicial restraint and interpret the Constitution on its merits. A lot of the skepticism came from a lack of information pertaining to her judicial philosophy and track record in Constitutional litigation. It is hard to rally consensus for a nomination when pertinent knowledge is unavailable to make an informed and confident decision. In the end, a lack of information and an inability to persuade senators during private conferences spelled the end for her candidacy.

Many Democrats are essentially claiming success and clamoring for the president to now acquiesce to their demands for a Supreme Court nomination. Numerous Democrats, like Barbara Boxer, view the Republican base as fragmented, disillusioned and in need of guidance. They want the president to consult excessively with Democratic leaders in the Senate and make sure the next candidate is a true “consensus” candidate — even though Ms. Miers was a particular favorite of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Politics is essentially about power. There is a constant movement for position, and no doubt the Democrats are trying to grab power and build a national following for the upcoming 2006 elections. If they paint the other party as weak and misguided, then they seemingly look like the better alternative by comparison, even though the Democrats have been bankrupt on worthwhile policies since the late 1990s. Of course, that is a value judgment, but I honestly can say that I haven’t been remotely impressed by any recent proposal they have put forth in either the House or Senate. I also can’t blame them for trying to seize on the potential opening — it would actually be quite bizarre if this wasn’t their initial, reactionary response.

However, I don’t tend to see the cavernous fissure of the conservative base. There is no profound hatred or animus towards Miers or President Bush. Even though many conservatives felt as though he made a very weak pick, he nonetheless had the Constitutional obligation to nominate who he felt would act as a tremendous jurist on the Supreme Court. That nomination failed due to lack of Senatorial support, and now the process starts over. It’s simply our political process at work. A nomination was made, objections were raised, and the candidate withdrew their consideration. Miers is a fine, genuine, and sincere person. Moreover, she is an immensely successful personal lawyer. But when a lack of consequential evidence is produced pertaining to the highest court in the land, it is natural to be weary of a person who can wield great power for generations to come. The base is there — we’re just waiting for someone to rally around.