Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

I listened to the Alito hearings on NPR for a bit this morning. Not a particularly rewarding experience, I have to say. Although I only heard sporadic pieces, it seemed clear that nothing extrordinary will come of this. Apparently, if there's not sex (or some freaky obsession with it - see Clarence Thomas) or explosive revelations about the wanton disregard for our rights (think Bork), it's just another day in the Senate Hearing Room.

Orrin Hatch gushes, Ted Kennedy lectures and the prospective Justice dances around every thought, question or accusation like Muhammad Ali. Ok, without the jab or the wit, but think rope-a-dope.

But what is clear, not from these seemingly pointless hearings, but from every review, compilation, cursory glance or even sneak peek at Alito's record is that he sides with Power to the Executive (President, Adminstration, Cop, Agency, anyone) every time. And he seems to do so gleefully, gushing about the need for these brilliant men of vision to make the very difficult judgements of who they want to screw in the name of their particular agenda.

He keeps saying each case is individual and has to be decided based on the facts, but his bias against the individual and for the state (or corporation or anyone else who has the power) is crystal clear.

And the will to stop him seems absent.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.