Maybe the Right Wing is finally realizing that after Citizens United, “judicial activism” just doesn’t cut it for slamming judicial nominees who aren’t willing to overturn a century of settled campaign finance law. So they’re trotting out a brand new talking point to fill the void: “outcome based” judging.
CQ-Roll Call highlighted the up-and-coming new meme [1]:
As part of that effort, Republicans beginning this week will look to use some of Obama’s previous lower court picks — particularly the nomination of Goodwin Liu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit — as adhering to a liberal, “outcomes-based” philosophy rather than a constitutionalist approach.
What’s it mean? Allow us to translate: “Liberal activist!! Legislate from the bench!! Empathy! Wise Latina!!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!!”
Yes, “outcome based” is just the latest in a long line of virtually meaningless epithets aimed at any judicial nominee who disagrees with the gospel according to Robert Bork.
Is there a debate to be had between different philosophies towards applying the Constitution? Sure. Justice Scalia and Justice Breyer have it all the time [2]. But this isn’t it. In the upcoming confirmation process for Justice Stevens’s successor, the American people deserve a conversation about the Court and the role it plays in the lives of ordinary people. Unfortunately, it seems like the GOP is planning the same warmed-over sound bytes we’ve been getting for years.