Everyone who reads this blog doubtlessly knows most of what makes the left fear and loathe Samuel Alito. And by that, I of course mean that everyone of you knows about Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, or at least know about Alito’s “spousal notification” dissent.
Being in such an environment, I tend to forget that there’s a whole big middle America out there that doesn’t bathe in the mintuiae of politics, and so I have been confused why there isn’t more outrage against this candidate. But having spent the weekend away from liberal intellectuals,* I had the chance to discuss this issue with several center-left Americans,† I learned that there are people – and I suspect a lot of them – who have no idea about this, or in fact any of Alito’s opinions. Once I explained what the case was about, and why it would be a really bad thing to have a Supreme Court justice who thinks it’s kosher for a man to be able to veto his wife’s right to choose, they were on board. But if I hadn’t told them, they would never have found out.
On the simplest level this means that the media aren’t doing their job. This should surprise none of you. But in the absence of the talking heads explaining this man to the average Midwesterner, it falls upon those of us who care to spread the word. My suggestion is simple: everyone who wants to keep Alito off of the Supreme Court should sit down with five people they know who don’t know about Casey. Explain it to them. Make them understand why the spousal notifcation requirement would represent an “undue burden on a woman’s right to choose,” whatever Alito might argue. Ask each of them to have the same conversation. It takes only about five minutes to explain the details and ramifications of this case, and it can be dropped into just about any conversation, even as an aside.
I’m sure many, many people have come to this conclusion before me, but I legitimately had no idea that Alito’s record was apparently so hard to come across for the blogless masses. We need to rally the country behind keeping this man of the SCOTUS. It would destroy us all It would roll back years of progressive advancements, and people need to be aware of that.