While yesterday brought victories in the fight to remove the corrupt GOP regime by the indictment of DeLay and the SEC investigation of Frist, Bush’s agenda will take a huge step forward today. Roberts will be confirmed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by a three to one margin without answering any questions about his judicial philosophy or any experience outside working as a partisan Republican lawyer.

Bush is also expected to announce his nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor, a moderate swing vote. Bush didn’t consult Democrats on Roberts and he isn’t doing it for O’Connor’s replacement.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat who is on the judiciary panel, said that it was “consultation in name only” and that Ms. Miers called him last week to ask for suggestions in a conversation that lasted less than five minutes.

“There is no back and forth,” he said. “It’s just, ‘Give us some names.’ I said to her, ‘Look, I’d like to know who the president is considering.’ And she didn’t say anything.”

Bush’s refusal to consult with Democrats on what should be, at most, a moderate nominee who reflects the sensibilities of America on whole and not merely regressive Republican ideology. Expect names that people will say are moderate to be floated throughout the day (a la Gonzalez, or Bush’s lawyer Miers), but in the end I think we’ll be looking at another John Roberts: conservative, little record as a jurist, a partisan history, and not about to answer questions about their judicial philosophy.

The sad thing about the victories of yesterday is that even if DeLay, Frist, Rove, Cheney, and all the other Republican hacks under investigation are indicted and convicted, Bush will have set the court with two justices that will be enforcing Bush’s regressive agenda for the next twenty to forty years.

Philo