Con sonar, crazy Ivan!

*50 points if you can identify the source of this post's title*

I've heard a lot of people comment lately on the frustration they feel because Alito isn't really answering any of the Dems' questions. All we really want to know is whether is an ordinary conservative shill who will cede most of the court's power to the President, or whether he's so terrifyingly conservative that his confirmation must be blocked by a filibuster.

Unfortunately, frustrating as it is, Alito doesn’t actually have to answer a damn thing. Dems can only block his confirmation with a filibuster and if actually answering the Dems’ questions will only increase that likelihood of that filibuster, then Alito has exactly no motivation to do so. Alito knows that all he has to do to get confirmed is sit there and not say anything so outrageous that it would terrify the Dems or alienate a few Republicans. He has no reason to answer the Dems’ questions because the Dems don’t actually matter, so as John Stewart might say, this confirmation hearing is just theater.

I've come quite a long way since my last post, 31.5 miles in all. I am still on the Road, but there's a rider up ahead who looks kinda creepy; he seems to be dressed entirely... in... black.

Well shit.