Buddy Fortunato, publisher, Italian Tribune points out that there was no quota for Italians laboring in dirty, treacherous jobs (bridge and railroad building, or mining) in building our country, or the highest number of  military casualties in WWII, nor is there a "quota" on depicting Italians in the most unsavory negative manner in the Media. 

Yet Bush's Staff feels there should be a MAXIMUM "quota" of ONE Italian American on the US. Supreme Court, yet NO guaranteed Italian seat!!!! 

How do they explain the TWO Irish, and TWO Jewish Supreme Court Justices???  
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Editorial from January 16, 2003, edition of the Italian Tribune, located in NYC/NJ area, An English language Italian American weekly newspaper.
The Italian Tribune - The Premier Italian American Weekly Newspaper Since 1931 
http://www.italiantribune.com/

"Condemning President Bush's Quota System"

       "How far have Italian Americans progressed in societal circles when a statement attributed to senior staff members of the Bush Administration unfairly limits Italian Americans for future Supreme Court vacancies?  There is already an American of Italian heritage on the Supreme Court- and that is enough - according to the quote from a senior Bush aide in The New York Times (December 27, 2002; "Expecting a Vacancy, Bush Aides Weigh Supreme Court Contenders"; Neil A. Lewis).

       Why does the position of Supreme Court Justice have to be ethnically or racially designated?  If this were the system, we would not have had a Jewish mayor of New York City, An African American secretary of state, a female national security advisor, or an Italian American governor.
       
       I admire President Bush and his administration, yet there is a misstep someplace.  The administration has often fumbled the handling of Italian American affairs.  The appointment of ambassadors has been bungled and the emergence of this quota system calls into question all decisions the administration makes in regard to our people.

       This issue is so serious that it is almost laughable.  But those of you who will read this and laugh, disagree, or make light of the impact of derisive shows on television are the ones who are naive.  There were no quotas when Italian Americans were laboring to build the bridges and highways in our biggest cities.  There were no quotas when Italian American mothers and fathers sent their sons and daughters off to war.  This country was discovered by an Italian- Christopher Columbus.  This country bears the name of an Italian- Amerigo Vespucci.  This country has been influenced, invigorated, and inspired by Italians and Italian Americans.

       If you are not angered or concerned about this issue, you should be.  This issue is precisely why the Italian Tribune and other organizations exist: to protect and promote our common heritage and culture.  Congratulations are due John Mancini and Italic Institute of America for bringing this matter to the attention of Italian Americans everywhere.

       If Italian Americans were depicted as we really are- intelligent, honorable people who have contributed much to society- instead of mobsters and buffoons on these "harmless" television programs, the President wouldn't be worried about having more than one Italian American on the Supreme Court- he would be wondering why there was ONLY one!

       Contact your representative or senator and demand the removal of the Italian American quota.

                    A.J. Buddy Fortunato, publisher, Italian Tribune
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Expecting a Vacancy, Bush Aides Weigh Supreme Court Contenders

The New York Times 
December 27, 2002 
By Neil A. Lewis

1585 words  Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 1 , Column 4 ABSTRACT - 
Pres Bush's senior aides quietly conduct serious internal discussions about possible nominees to Supreme Court; White House officials are convinced that there will be at last one vacancy by end of current term in early summer; they are talking about whether Chief Justice William H Rehnquist, who is 78, will decide to end his 31-year career in court and whether Bush will have to fill one or two vacancies; almost certain candidate would be Alberto R Gonzales, White House counsel and longtime legal adviser to Bush from Texas; he would be first Hispanic member of Supreme Court; political considerations, and delicate ethnic balancing, are so central to deliberations that administration officials say chances of Judge Samuel A Alito Jr, one possible candidate, may have lessened because there is already one Italian-American on Supreme Court, Justice Antonin Scalia; besides Gonzales, other figure emerging as strong candidate is Judge J Harvie Wilkinson III, chief judge of appeals court based in Richmond, Va; speculation about court retirements is focusing on, in addition to Rehnquist, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is 72, and Justice John Paul Stevens, who is 82; photos; chart (L)

White House officials are so convinced that there will be at least one Supreme Court vacancy by the end of the current term in early summer that President Bush's senior aides have been quietly conducting serious internal discussions about possible nominees. 

These conversations have begun with a discussion of whether Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will decide to end his 31-year career on the court at the end of this term and whether Mr. Bush will have to fill one or two vacancies.