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PRESS RELEASE FROM AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Contact: John Kartch ( jkartch@atr.org or 202-785-0266)

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7/19/05

Supreme Court Fact of the Day
The Left Should Go Back to School

Washington, DC- As President Bush continues to reach out to Senators from both sides of the aisle, the Left may want to consider brushing up on America’s founding principles. With a recent CNN poll citing that “an extraordinary 86 percent of Americans expect Democrats to use ‘inappropriate political reasons’ to oppose Bush’s nominee”.

Extreme Left groups like People for the American Way are mobilizing with “war rooms” and “command centers” to combat whoever the President selects as a nominee. Nan Aron, director of the ultra-liberal Alliance for Justice, has promised “a firestorm of opposition” to whomever the President nominates. In a recent CNN poll, a stunning 86 percent of Americans consider it very likely or somewhat likely Democrats will attempt to hold up the President’s nominee for “inappropriate political reasons.”

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution provides that the President “shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint… judges of the Supreme Court…” Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 77 that this arrangement on appointments “… has in some cases been suggested that it would serve to give the President an undue influence over the Senate, and in others that it would have an opposite tendency, -a strong proof of neither suggestions is true.”

The Constitution clearly delineates sole responsibility for nominations to the President. Hamilton confirms that this power does not give the President undue influence over the process. The process was designed to ensure that the President selects a skilled, honest, and competent juror for the high court.

Americans for Tax Reform has called on the Senate to meet its constitutional obligations and ensure a speedy confirmation process with an up or down vote on all judicial nominees. The President is expected to announce his nominee this evening.

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Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose any and all federal and state tax increases.  For more information, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Norquist please contact John Kartch at (202)785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.