Partisan is defined as "partial to a particular party or person, often political in nature. One criticism of federal politics, especially regarding Congress, is that some politicians spend more time and effort trying to promote their party's platform than trying to develop laws and policies which serve the American people." (HistoryCentral.com)
1.  Do you think that the Senate Judiciary Committe hearings for Judge Alito should be partisan?  Explain your answer.

2.  During Judge Alito's confirmation hearings, whom will Democrats attempt to show that he favors in his rulings? (give 3 examples from para. 2)

3.  Why does Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer say that Judge Alito's burden is "triply high"?

4.  Read the overview of "Nominating Federal Judges" below.  At what stage of the nominating process is Judge Alito?

5.  One of the reasons Democrats have for opposing Judge Alito is that they say he might overturn Roe v. Wade to make abortion illegal.  How might the support of Republican Christie Todd Whitman for Judge Alito dispel their fears?

6.  Democrats say they oppose Judge Alito because he is viewed as a conservative and (based on his 15 years as a judge), they believe he will make his court rulings based on his personal philosophies.  Republicans say they support Judge Alito because (based on his 15 years as a judge), he is a constitutionalist, who therefore will not make his court rulings based on his personal philosophies, but rather on what the constitution says. 
Judge Alito pledged commitment to the rule of law, saying "a judge can't have an agenda."
Do you think he is sincere?  Do you support constitutionalist or activist judges?  Explain your answers.

• Judicial activism is "the act of replacing an impartial interpretation of existing law with the judge's personal feelings about what the law should be" (wikipedia.org)
• A constitutionalist "refers those who advocate strict adherence to the intentions of the framers of the U.S. Constitution" (wikipedia.org)