News of the Not-Me
So, I finally got around to checking the news about the world today (or, rather, yesterday as of now), and was pleasantly surprised to see encouraging news from both sides of the pond.
First, in the UK, the unspeakably wretched Incitement to Religious Hatred bill was duly smacked down - or at least only passed in the version that the House of Lords thoroughly gutted first, with due irony that it is the unelected chamber that’s protecting the bedraggled remnants of the British freedom of speech - so at least I can continue my perennial practice of godbotherer-mocking for the next few months without fear of seven years’ imprisonment. Well, not much fear, anyway.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4
(Annoyingly, Helen Goodman, my local MP, was in favour of the bill. Oh, well. I didn’t vote for her.)
And second, of course, from across the pond comes news of the confirmation of Samuel Alito as a justice of the Supreme Court, which rather warms the cockles of my relentlessly originalist heart. All the more so for being a direct, as well as philosophical concern.
(ObQuote:
"I think he is the wrong judge at the wrong time in the wrong place," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a longtime liberal stalwart. "I do not believe he is going to be part of the whole movement of the continued march towards progress in this country."
And the implications of that lattermost sentence, Senator, is why in 42 months time you can be assured that my vote will always be going to people whose view of the function of the judicial branch is less diametrically opposed to my own.)
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And second, of course, from across the pond comes news of the confirmation of Samuel Alito as a justice of the Supreme Court, which rather warms the cockles of my relentlessly originalist heart.
You support Alito because he’s a strict constitutionalist? Hm.
You realize that a lot of the concern over both Alito and Roberts was not due to their viewes per se, but to the fear that they would abandon their principles in favor of doing whatever the people who supported them want?
I mean, let’s face it, no one who wants the federal government to wiretap American communications and who wants to create a Constitutional amendment because he can’t trust states to pass anti-homosexual legislation—many of which have been doing just that anyway—can possibly be considered a small-government conservative.
Here’s my one shining beacon of hope: Republican-appointed justices have a history of abandoning their political backers once they are appointed to the Supreme Court. After all, once they’ve been appointed for life, they’re no longer beholden; they can actually stick to their principles. We’ll see if that’s what happens.
But should Alito in particular prove to be a sheep neocon, then I hope you will be as frustrated with him for abandoning his principles as you are pleased with him for having them.
You support Alito because he’s a strict constitutionalist? Hm.
I do. (And yes, I did research his record, and I think that bears it out.)
You realize that a lot of the concern over both Alito and Roberts was not due to their viewes per se, but to the fear that they would abandon their principles in favor of doing whatever the people who supported them want?
A lot of that going around, huh?
My estimate of his character is pretty much otherwise, I would say. With the caveat that a lot of people and especially Presidents have been surprised by what their justices have actually done once they were actually on the Supreme Court, but in my view he’s about as good as I figure we’re likely to get any time soon.
I mean, let’s face it, no one who wants the federal government to wiretap American communications
cough
Half-American communications. Technical, yet significant point.
and who wants to create a Constitutional amendment because he can’t trust states to pass anti-homosexual legislation—many of which have been doing just that anyway—can possibly be considered a small-government conservative.
True.
But there haven’t been a significant number of Republicans I’d whole-heartedly endorse since, oh, Barry Goldwater or thenabouts. It’s just that the alternatives are so, um, spectacularly horrible.
(I have to admit, in the long-term political sense, that I do hold out some hope that the Democratic Party’s ongoing search for total unelectability will result in it becoming a minority party and the Republicans fracturing into two parties, at least one of which I’ll like all of. But that’s hard to prognosticate.)
But should Alito in particular prove to be a sheep neocon, then I hope you will be as frustrated with him for abandoning his principles as you are pleased with him for having them.
Oh, you can count on that.
As long as I don’t think what you’re calling abandonment of principles is Constitutionally justified, of course.
My estimate of his character is pretty much otherwise, I would say.
The “unary executive” bit doesn’t bother you?
a lot of people and especially Presidents have been surprised by what their justices have actually done once they were actually on the Supreme Court, but in my view he’s about as good as I figure we’re likely to get any time soon.
Yes, I know, I said that. I’m adopting a wait-and-see policy until some decisions happen, but what I’ve seen of his record concerns me.
Half-American communications. Technical, yet significant point.
I disagree. Just because one party isn’t American doesn’t deprive the other of his rights.
Oh, you can count on that.
As long as I don’t think what you’re calling abandonment of principles is Constitutionally justified, of course.
Good.