Comments on: Miers’s Political Contributions to Al Gore and Lloyd Bentsen http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/miersas_politic_1.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:31:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: SCOTUSblog http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/miersas_politic_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-63042 SCOTUSblog Tue, 11 Oct 2005 17:14:24 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2005/10/miers%e2%80%99s-political-contributions-to-al-gore-and-lloyd-bentsen.html#comment-63042 <strong>Blog Round-up - Tuesday, October 11th</strong> Professor Bainbridge asks, If West Wing tracked Real Life? Who would our Supreme Court nominee be? Orin Kerr has this post on Miers and the Anti-Defamation League. She was honored by them in 1996. The National Law Journal has this... Blog Round-up – Tuesday, October 11th

Professor Bainbridge asks, If West Wing tracked Real Life? Who would our Supreme Court nominee be? Orin Kerr has this post on Miers and the Anti-Defamation League. She was honored by them in 1996. The National Law Journal has this…

]]> By: John M. http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/miersas_politic_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-63041 John M. Thu, 06 Oct 2005 19:45:51 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2005/10/miers%e2%80%99s-political-contributions-to-al-gore-and-lloyd-bentsen.html#comment-63041 Additionally, one should not forget that Harriet Miers ran for Dallas City Council in 1989. While I am not sure if she ran as a Democrat or if that was a non-partisan election, I am guessing that her contributions may have also related to her upcoming candidacy. I would not be surprised if she was closely involved with other Democratic politicians who recommended she make these contributions. It is also important to recall that politics in 1988 differed greatly from what we have before us today. In 1988, there were several Southern Democratic House and Senate members, who were truly conservative. After the 1994 election, the parties began to move closer to their party's poles (the Democrat Party becoming more liberal, the Republican party becoming more conservative), making the liberal Republican and conservative Democrat a rare breed. Thus, even if Harriet Miers was a Democrat, there is no reason to automatically believe that she was ever liberal. Just because the 2005 Democrat Party is almost synonymous with liberalism does not mean that the same held true in 1988. Additionally, one should not forget that Harriet Miers ran for Dallas City Council in 1989. While I am not sure if she ran as a Democrat or if that was a non-partisan election, I am guessing that her contributions may have also related to her upcoming candidacy.

I would not be surprised if she was closely involved with other Democratic politicians who recommended she make these contributions. It is also important to recall that politics in 1988 differed greatly from what we have before us today. In 1988, there were several Southern Democratic House and Senate members, who were truly conservative. After the 1994 election, the parties began to move closer to their party’s poles (the Democrat Party becoming more liberal, the Republican party becoming more conservative), making the liberal Republican and conservative Democrat a rare breed.

Thus, even if Harriet Miers was a Democrat, there is no reason to automatically believe that she was ever liberal. Just because the 2005 Democrat Party is almost synonymous with liberalism does not mean that the same held true in 1988.

]]> By: John http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/miersas_politic_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-63040 John Wed, 05 Oct 2005 23:38:34 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2005/10/miers%e2%80%99s-political-contributions-to-al-gore-and-lloyd-bentsen.html#comment-63040 Although Bentsen was Dukakis's running mate in 1988, he simultaneously, and successfully, ran for reelection to the Senate. So Miers backed an incumbent and a winner. I believe she's on record as being a former Democrat, so these contributions, especially the Bentsen one, shouldn't be too surprising. Although Bentsen was Dukakis’s running mate in 1988, he simultaneously, and successfully, ran for reelection to the Senate. So Miers backed an incumbent and a winner. I believe she’s on record as being a former Democrat, so these contributions, especially the Bentsen one, shouldn’t be too surprising.

]]> By: Kate Rears http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/miersas_politic_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-63039 Kate Rears Wed, 05 Oct 2005 22:23:37 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2005/10/miers%e2%80%99s-political-contributions-to-al-gore-and-lloyd-bentsen.html#comment-63039 An uneducated opine: Some folks are speculating that she only gave to those candidates because they were shoo-ins to LOSE. An uneducated opine: Some folks are speculating that she only gave to those candidates because they were shoo-ins to LOSE.

]]>