As Markos
points out, this is not your father's Republican Party:
No longer does [Movement Conservative Kevin Phillips] see Republican government as a source of stability and order. Instead, he presents a nightmarish vision of ideological extremism, catastrophic fiscal irresponsibility, rampant greed and dangerous shortsightedness. (His final chapter is entitled "The Erring Republican Majority.")
On cue, Tom DeLay proves his point. From Whiskey Sam's Diary:
Mr. DeLay [...] suggested the former justice is rusty on the concept of checks and balances, noting that Congress has an explicit right to strip courts of jurisdiction over any issue as it sees fit.
"I think she ought to read the Constitution again," he said. "We have an authority. They are not an ivory tower over there. All wisdom does not reside in nine people with black robes." "It's in the Constitution, and it has not been exercised in 50 to a hundred years, and it's time to do it."
The DMN article then discusses the potential targets of this "jurisdiction stripping" - which would destroy the ability of the courts to enforce the Constitutional limits
Gay marriage
public displays of the 10 commandments
mandatory recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance
abortion law
fallout from the Kelo decision . . .
Sandra Day O'Connor is a crazy liberal for today's Extreme Republican Party, the Party of Dobson.
What would Barry Goldwater say?
Update [2006-3-19 16:27:12 by mcjoan]: The article is now available online, though registration is required.