Guantanamo Rights: Liberal Smokescreen

For all the protestations from the Left about the treatment of terrorists in Guantanamo, the issue really matters very little to them, according to a new Pew poll.

Asked what cases before the Supreme Court are important to them, just over half of the self-identified liberal democrats listed Gitmo prisoner rights:

• Abortion: 80%
• Gitmo prisoner rights: 58%
• Religious displays: 57%
• Affirmative action: 53%
• Tort reform: 43%

Compare this to the opinions of those identifying themselves as conservative republicans:

• Abortion: 73%
• Gitmo prisoner rights: 62%
• Religious displays: 69%
• Affirmative action: 34%
• Tort reform: 52%

Conservatives rate Gitmo higher, in my estimation, because they figure the court will go their way. Liberals, in their hearts, know they'd lose, so they'd just as soon keep the Supremes out of it.

The survey also indicates that the separation of church and state crowd doesn't have a broad following even among the most liberal self-identifiers. They're playing to a small crowd, indeed. When ratcheting down to moderate Dems, barely half even care about the religious display question. And only 45% of those identifying themselves as secular are anxious for the Supremes to rule on religious displays.

That Libs outpoll every other category on abortion with their 80% -- evangelicals are second with 75% -- indicates the power of the feminist movement on the Left, and the fact that they're scared. They're afraid Bush will get more appointments, and that they'll lose the next election. They want a decision sooner, not later. (The survey was taken before the Roberts nomination.)