America has no problem with honest-ta-gawd conservatives. These people are not conservatives, they're radicals. R-A-D-I-C-A-L-S.

Alito appears to be a "unitary executive" fascist who believes that the executive branch is not equal to the legislative and judicial branches but is in fact superior and entitled to make law by fiat. It's the Nixonian argument: If the President does it, it's not against the law.

Would it be so hard to say "Make no mistake about it, had we not put up the fight we put up with the judicial nominations all along, you would have even more radical judges on the Supreme Court." Yeah, it's still a retreat but at least it might help to reframe the debate and give the illusion of a spine.

While I'm at it, why is it that so many elected Democrats in DC come across as such retreating, defeatist wimps? Do they not know how they sound? Do they still think this is some sort of "business as usual, the Republicans don't really mean what they say" party where they can make a little noise every six months or so to try and keep the base in line while giving a wink and a nod to their Republican colleagues? Argh!!!!!

Stop calling the current crop of Republicans "conservatives." They aren't conservative. They're radicals. They're Nixonians. They're dangerous. They're a threat to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and individual liberty. A lot of them are criminals. But conservative? No, the Republican Party as we know it to be now is anything but conservative.

Today's ruling opens up a potential floodgate of takings from poor and middle class homeowners whose property stands in the way of the profit interests of powerful politically connected developers. Most Democrats certainly recognized how wrong it was when GW Bush used his political connections and the power of eminent domain in order to seize a family-owned ranch (along with other property) in Texas to build the major legaue stadium which made him rich. Now the US Supreme Court has signed off on just that sort of action and ruled that private, for profit projects meet the fifth amendment test of "public use."

There is bound to be an issue here for Democrats if only they will seize it. It's the people vs. the powerful. (Credit to Al Gore there.) Which side will Democrats take?