For the past week, America had the chance to hold a national conversation about the future of the US Supreme Court, the ultimate arbiter of social policy issues from the right to life to the right to die. But instead, the Senate confirmation hearings of Judge Samuel Alito – who could control the ideological balance of the Court – has descended into an ugly partisan class war that left both sides frustrated and bruised, and questioning whether there is a better way to choose the nation’s highest judges.

Senator Joseph Biden – a Democrat who attracted widespread ridicule for directing bombast and verbiage at the nominee rather than questions – says the hearings should be abolished. His complaint is that, despite testifying for 18 hours and answering 677 questions, Judge Alito did not say anything.