April 6, 2005

Republican leadership--Columbian style

Thanks to LG for the link. Like I have said multiple times, I am waiting for the grownup Republicans to appear and retake their party. Instead, I am watching as thugs and posers masquerade as conservatives. The grownup Republicans--you know, the ones who actually believe in conservative ideas--appear to be missing in action--as missing in action as their leader was in Vietnam, and as missing in action as his putative Christian beliefs.

But hey! What's a little domestic terrorism among friends. Once Cornyn and Delay have cleared the way for idiots and zealots to take violently what they can't legally, that will be it, right? No other thugs and liars will seize on the opportunity, right? We won't find ourselves ruled by mob law and emotional bullshit, will we? After all, the courts should really just act like the majority rule. Maybe the comparision isn't Columbia, but more the Muslim world where religious extremists rule and judges either come from their bigoted schools or cower in fear.

Anyway, read this and think about writing your representatives and perhaps the President. We can argue all day about the founding, but we sure as hell didn't come from people like Cornyn and Delay. Just imagine that the President is still Clinton and the words will come magically to you: "Rule of Law." This time, it's not just about oral sex. It's about our democracy.

The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial: The Judges Made Them Do It: "Listeners could only cringe at the events behind Mr. Cornyn's fulminating: an Atlanta judge was murdered in his courtroom by a career criminal who wanted only to shoot his way out of a trial, and a Chicago judge's mother and husband were executed by a deranged man who was furious that she had dismissed a wild lawsuit. It was sickening that an elected official would publicly offer these sociopaths as examples of any democratic value, let alone as holders of legitimate concerns about the judiciary.

The need to shield judges from outside threats - including those from elected officials like Senator Cornyn - is a priceless principle of our democracy. Senator Cornyn offered a smarmy proclamation of 'great distress' at courthouse thuggery. Then he rationalized it with broadside accusations that judges 'make raw political or ideological decisions.' He thumbed his nose at the separation of powers, suggesting that the Supreme Court be 'an enforcer of political decisions made by elected representatives of the people.' Avoiding that nightmare is precisely why the founders made federal judgeships lifetime jobs and created a nomination process that requires presidents to seek bipartisan support.

Echoes of the political hijacking of the Terri Schiavo case hung in the air as Mr. Cornyn spoke, just days after the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, vengefully vowed that 'the time will come' to make the judges who resisted the Congressional Republicans' gruesome deathbed intrusion 'answer for their behavior.' Trying to intimidate judges used to be a crime, not a bombastic cudgel for cynical politicians."

2 comments:

Bootleg Blogger said...

Dear Streak
I enjoy your blog thoroughly and often. I must, however, question your statement, "but more the Muslim world where religious extremists rule and judges either come from their bigoted schools or cower in fear." Particularly in light of your Red Lake post and comments about racism, I'm curious if you really meant your broad generalization of "the Muslim world" and "bigoted schools". I have several thoughts on the issue but first wanted to seek some clarification.

Streak said...

This is a good point. No, I really don't mean to disparage all of "the Muslim world" and am worry I said that. I meant those countries that have ruled with a very narrow view of Islam, thinking especially of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Really, what I am talking about are those countries (not necessarily Islamic) that have ruled with theocratic impulses.

Sorry for any late delay, btw. Blogger doesn't appear to be emailing comments with the regularity I expect.