The battle lines are drawn, ammunition is stockpiled and tensions are escalated.

By announcing her retirement, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the Supreme Court’s swing voter, has set into motion a chain of events that will lead to what some are saying will be the most contentiously fought judicial battle in the history of the nation.

Barely minutes after her announcement, political commentators had already finished praising her judicial career and were getting down to the important business of speculating about who the next nominee will be.

Conservatives are salivating about the opportunity to shift the balance of the court to the right, while liberals fear the prospect of being the minority in every branch of the federal government.

The lobbying groups are already issuing ultimatums.

Progress for America, a conservative group, has already announced that it will spend $18 million to defend whoever Bush nominates.

People for the American Way and Alliance for Justice, two liberal interest groups, have threatened to spend even more to oppose the nominee. The Washington Post has predicted that a combined $50-100 million dollars will be spent by both sides.

Never mind that the nominee has yet to be named. That really doesn’t make any difference.

Left-wingers are probably already preparing ads claiming that conservatives are trying to take over every branch of government, that Bush is trying to pack the court with ideologues, and that if he succeeds, women will be forced to have back-alley abortions, prisoners will be tortured, children executed, and blacks will be denied the right to vote.

Likewise, right-wingers do not need to know the name of the nominee, either.

Their ads will claim that the Senate Democrats are being obstructionists, slandering the good name of (insert nominee’s name here) and being unpatriotic and downright mean.

(Un)fortunately, both of their million-dollar ad campaigns will do little more than cancel each other out and cause millions of Americans to wish they had TiVo so they can watch their reality shows in peace.

One can hope these interest groups will see the futility of their actions and de-escalate.

In the likely event they don’t, how about this option: Turn off the TV, sit down and write a letter to your senator.

It probably won’t sway the outcome of the judicial battle, but at least it will only cost 37 cents.