Misc. Ramblings

If you think it can't happen here, it already has.

A couple of days ago I wrote about how some Republicans, tired of having their anti-everything laws ruled as unconstitutional are trying to shift power from the courts to themselves. Some of my eleven readers probably thought I was exaggerating or spinning things to my slanted left-leaning views.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Before I say more, keep in mind that I am an employee of the Judiciary (insert disclaimer here) and therefore may be biased. Note that these, as always, are my personal views and not those of the Judiciary.

That said, Republican John Hostettler, of Indiana, said:

When the courts make unconstitutional [according to Rep. Hostettler] decisions, we should not enforce them. Federal courts have no army or navy... The court can opine, decide, talk about, sing, whatever it wants to do. We're not saying they can't do that. At the end of the day, we're saying the court can't enforce its opinions."

Rep. Hostettler reportedly plans to introduce a bill that would deny federal courts the right to hear cases challenging the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans same-sex marriage. In other words, make it illegal for the courts to try this Act so that no one can say it is unconstitutional and strike it down.

A second example, Congressman Robert Aderholdt (R-Alabama), "was quoted as advocating court stripping as a means to protect state-sponsored Ten Commandment displays, such as the one erected by former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore." In other words, keep the courts from ruling on such displays and all will be well with the world.

Essentially, what these Republicans are sayings is: Sleep. Sleeeeep. We are the government. We will take care of you. Don't worry about thorny questions like whether something is unconstitutional. Let us do our work without anyone reviewing it. It's for your own good. It's what God wants (or at least it's what we want you to believe/have faith God wants). Now just go to sleep knowing that the 10 Commandments are safe (even as they break all of them -ed.).

This article from the Palm Beach Post gives other examples of Republicans supporting measures to eliminate judicial review and, by doing so, rip the Constitution to shreds. Tyranny, here we come.

Aloha!