Senate should back dignity before partisanship as judicial hearings near

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 9/10/7

As many Mississippians know, confirming federal judges has become mired in partisan politics, driven primarily by special interest groups who see the judiciary as a means to enact their agenda. Recent developments give hope that it may be coming to an end.

Liberal groups in particular have found their goals unpopular with most Americans, so without broad public or legislative support for what they want to do, they count on court rulings by activist judges.

There’s nothing new about all this. It’s been going on for decades. I’ve written about it many times, as have scores of others. What’s new is the degree of partisanship we’ve seen in the Senate over judicial nominations in recent years.