Little Nino Link Dump

*Bump* {links will be updated.}

Not much to add to what I wrote below on Saturday. Bush, unfortunately, did learn a lesson from Nixon and Reagan; it’s a smart pick, very reactionary but within a range that will make it difficult to peel of Republican votes. (And I still find it hard to believe that Miers’ votes could have been worse.)

So, it appears highly likely is certain that Samuel “Scalito” Alito will be Bush’s nominee (with Luttig being the other strong candidate.) In crude terms, based on what I know I would say that he’s probably a little worse than McConnell, but a little more palatable than Pryor or Owen. To state the obvious, he shouldn’t get a single Democratic vote, but I would be concerned about the ability to peel off a significant number of Republicans or hold a filibuster; it would be a canny choice by Bush. I would, however, marginally prefer Alito to Luttig. Some links:

• NARAL opposes Alito: His dissent in Casey “practically ensures that he would never find any burden to be undue.” iocaste explains in further detail, and also notes some crucial cases coming up this term in which Alito is almost certain to uphold abortion regulations. The statement of the Alliance for Justice is here; they’re coming out against Alito.
• Omnibus Alito reosurces.
• Professor B has excellent links and analysis.
• Billmon on Alito’s Casey dissent. Brad Plumer has more. My TAP article is here.
• Thoughts From Kansas on Alito and women.
• My take on Alito and federalism. The Angry Bear has more on Hibbs.
• Shakes Sis on Alito’s strking down a law protecting gay students against harassment.
• Excellent aricle by Dahlia Lithwick.
• More useful information from Pam Spaulding.
• Good roundup from The Heretik.
• Atrios asks: “It’s time to see if the guy has any actual principles or if the “moderate pro-choice Republican” thing he’s milked his whole career was just a scam.” I’m betting on the latter…
• Can police officers strip-search a 10 year-old girl without a warrant? Scalito says “yes!”
• SCOTUSblog has the general overview.
• PFAW on Alito, with particular emphasis on his dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (he wanted to uphold the entire Pennsylvania law, including the spousal notification provision struck down by the Court.) There is every reason to believe, in other words, that at best Alito would gut Roe and at worse would overturn it.
• Article III Groupie, as usual, has some very good links, and also reminds us that Clement was also supposed to be a nominee, so you never know.
• Eric Muller has a personal account, suggesting that Alito is at least personally moderate.
• Jack Balkin suggests, persuasively, that Luttig would get a tougher ride from the Senate than Alito.