President George Bush’s controversial choice for the Supreme Court has withdrawn her nomination. In Harriet Miers’ resignation letter she states “Protection of the prerogatives of the Executive Branch and continued pursuit of my confirmation are in tension. I have decided that seeking my confirmation should yield.” Hopefully the president will select a conservative constitutionalist with the necessary experience as the next nominee.

No one will really know whether or not Miers would have been a pro 2nd, pro constitution Supreme Court Justice. There is the chance she would have made an excellent Supreme Court Justice. Lacking sufficient background and career history, it is impossible for anyone to predict. The fact remains that qualifications include experience, an element of a resume that cannot be substituted by personal feelings or friendship. That, under the scrutiny of political peers, the media, and public opinion in general, simply will not fly.

Preservation of the Constitution: Our Two Critical Credentials:

1. Nominee must be pro preservation of the literal constitution, including the 1st and 2nd amendments. Protection of free speech and our right to bear arms is of the highest importance.

Republican preservation of the constitution has historically been much better than Democrat preservation. However, under the Bush administration there is growing concern that 1st amendment rights are being eroded, and Bush could do far more to protect 2nd amendment rights as well.

2. Nominee must not legislate from the bench.

President Bush leverages this as reason for selecting Harriet Miers. Hopefully, the next nominee will be both qualified and well known for not being an activist judge.

President Bush must owe Miers some enormous debt of friendship. He certainly cannot be accused of neglecting long time friends who have done a lot for him.

We’ll take a constitutional conservative over an internationalist liberal any day!