Mired by Meyers?

What will be the impact on the court? No one knows — but it's unrealistic to expect that the court won't move a bit (or more) further to the right. But, then, no one KNOWS.

What also isn't known is what her appointment will do to tensions already simmering within the Democratic party between those who want the party to take a harder, more uncompromising line with Republicans and take more clear-cut left positions and those who believe the party needs to move and drop its anchor in the center to be truly competitive.

Some Democrats were angry enough at other Democrats who supported Roberts. What will the the consequences this time? Or will many Democrats feel that they can cast a vote on Miers, even a losing vote, without it having to go into filibuster territory this time? The last vote on Roberts revealed a healthy split within the Democratic party. Will it be greater this time — to send a message to the party's activists that they're not forgotten? Or less — angering the activists?

Another issue: if Bush has not given conservatives the kind of candidate they really wanted on these two nominations, does this mean if one more seat opens up (which is likely the next three years) he'll name someone who veers harder to the right? Or, if this goes well, will the White House repeat the Roberts/Miers type of appointments?

And then there's the biggest and final issue: does this signal that the administration - battered by natural, political and legal crises - is turning a bit more towards a less confrontational style of governing as it moves into its final years?

[via The Moderate Voice, HT: The Conjecturer in this post]