There will be five supreme justices when Alito is confirmed. How time has changed from the days of Al Smith and the convolution Kennedy had to perform before the Southern Baptists who feared the papacy would take over the White House. The reason there is no furor over the dominance of Catholics on the Supreme Court is that Catholics are no longer the silent liberal partners of the Democratic Party — as Kerry learned in the last election. Nor will any Democrat dare speak out against this rising threat of a sanctimonious cabal destined to turn the Constitution into a doctrine of religion.
Most Republicans now embrace this new partnership in “moral values” that is certain to further the gains of conservative views that are steadily tearing down the wall separating church and state without the label of religious right that many had considered a southern protestant movement. Propagating pro-life, instituting intelligent design, privatizing public schools, defining the nation as Christian, defying science theory will surely get their day in court.
Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: January 25, 2006.
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