SUPREME COURT CHOICE

President Obama is set to name his choice for the Supreme Court very soon. There has been a lot of speculation. It should be a woman or it should be a minority, such as a Hispanic. How about a Hispanic woman? Most of this speculation is coming from the media as usual.

The problem isn’t the media this time however. The problem has come from the words of the President himself. He has said that the choice must be a person who will have empathy for the under classes. The choice must have compassion for the lesser among us.

I don’t believe anywhere in the Constitution is an allocation that Supreme Court Justices must have compassion for the so-called down trodden. No, they should be scholars who specialize in law and the Constitution.

The job of the Supreme Court is simple. They should decide legal cases based solely on the law, not the financial condition or the class of the plaintiff or the defendant. They should have empathy, yes, but empathy for the Constitution and the law only.

It is clear from recent decisions that The Court has long ago lost track of their true mission. Most of their cases are decided along political party lines. The founders of this Republic would turn over in their graves to see what we have become. Retiring Justice Souter has been a big disappointment to those among us who believe in our Constitution. His replacement will no doubt continue in his leftist liberal ways regardless of whether that replacement is a woman, a minority, or whomever. I say that because of who will make that choice.

The problem for the country of course, is that the liberals won the election and they will govern from the left. Their decisions affecting this country will be based on their beliefs in liberal politics. It will take many years for America to recover from this experiment in Socialism we are undertaking. One can only hope that the Supreme Court will hang on to enough true scholars who believe in the law to survive the current administration.

If you have had a chance to read my last newspaper column which has been posted to this blog just prior to the current posting, you will see my position. We are indeed becoming two separate countries. Several states have begun the process of passing legislation to extract themselves from Federal law and interference. As I pointed out in the piece, this is just in its infancy. It is sad that states have found it necessary to try and reaffirm their sovereignty in the face of Federal heavy handedness.

We have huge problems facing us. Over the next short period of time we are going to have to deal with North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, and who knows who else. The last thing we need at this time is a battle between the states and the Federal Government. Our job in the Gulf isn’t finished and may not be anytime soon.

As we go forward, we will need all hands on deck. The Feds need to understand that they will need the full co-operation of all the country to face the problems confronting us. These little irritations are not going to go away. North Korea and Iran are having internal problems and those are leading to this saber rattling, but it could provoke their neighbors into a confrontation. Israel has too much at stake to allow Iran to become a nuclear threat.

Please, President Obama, as you make you decisions, consider the effect of those decisions. Not just on you and your party’s future, but on the country’s future. The Constitution as written has served us for our history and it will continue to if it is allowed. Seeking justices who want to make law instead of interpreting law serves no one but those justices. You will need Oklahoma and Montana as well as Texas, Tennessee, and everyone on your side. I don’t care if your choice for the Court is an empathetic person, a minority, or a woman as long as they interpret law based on the Constitution.

Ron Scarbro May 25, 2009