R.I.P., Antonin Scalia. R.I.P., Liberty?
Posted by Richard on February 13, 2016
For lovers of liberty, 2016 had already become a consequential and concerning year. With the sudden and unexpected death of Justice Scalia, it has become ten-fold so. We were already looking with dismay at an election season in which an avowed socialist is threatening to best the more leftist and vicious of the Clintons, while she seeks desperately to demonstrate that she’s just as “progressive” as he is. In which a flawed contingent of GOP candidates is led by a bombastic, anti-intellectual demagogue with no particular political philosophy or principles.
If President Obama is able to appoint yet another Kagan or Sotomayor, the First and Second Amendments are likely to become dead letters. Property rights, already seriously weakened, could be much further eroded. The Supreme Court’s stay of the EPA’s “Clean Power Plan” just this week will be merely a temporary delay in that lawless agency’s “complete restructuring of the energy sector.” Obama’s preference for “positive rights” (the unlimited power of government to bestow goods, services, and preferential treatment on some at the expense of others) over “negative rights” (limits on the power of government) will likely be enshrined for a generation. The left’s “living Constitution” (infinitely malleable by five collectivist justices) will rule this nation.
If you feel confident the the McConnell-led Senate Republicans will prevent that, I respectfully suggest that you haven’t been paying attention for the past seven years.
I fear for my country. I fear for our Constitution. I fear for our liberties.
Costa Rica looks nice.
Jan said
Sudden and unexpected death of a conservative supreme court judge at this point in time. Conincidence? I want to see an autopsy.
Richard said
Well, I suppose when you’re talking about people who believe the ends justify the means, it’s wise not to dismiss anything as impossible. And this year is full of quite consequential cases.
Not the least is the stay of the “Clean Power Plan” pending a ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court this fall and any subsequent appeal. If the D.C. Circuit rules for the EPA (it denied a stay earlier) and that’s appealed to the Supreme Court … well, an Obama appointee would side with the four liberals who voted against a stay, and if the seat remains vacant, a 4-4 split would uphold the Circuit Court decision. The EPA plan is arguably one of the most consequential actions of the Obama administration (can you say “legacy”?). If implemented, it would go a long way toward turning the US into a command-and-control economy.
An autopsy is pending, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. If this death is the unthinkable — an assassination — it was almost certainly committed using a substance that won’t be detectable by the time of the autopsy.
Rick Shultz said
I didn’t think about foul play, but I suppose it’s possible. I do know one thing. Assassination MAY be the only way to prevent Odumbo from appointing somebody who will take away what rights we still have. I’ve been putting it off because of the expense, but I guess it’s time to look for a semi-auto .223 rifle of some sort before it becomes impossible to buy one instead of merely expensive. And then I’ll have to come up with a fool proof hiding place for ALL my guns. DAMN I hate this.
Richard said
Rick, I seriously considered removing or editing your comment to avoid having anyone get the wrong idea. I know you’re just blowing off steam, but others may not understand that. As you well know, preventing BHO from appointing a Supreme Court justice merely requires 41 senators to withhold consent. With 54 Republicans, that should be easy-peasy. But contact yours; we don’t want too many of them getting squishy.
Rick Shultz said
I suppose there ARE people who are silly-assed enough to think that I might be threatening Odumbo. I mean Poe’s Law DOES say that without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humour, it is impossible to create a sarcastic comment that someone won’t mistake for the real thing. It’s a sad commentary on the lack of intelligence of the average American that anyone would think that a 64 year old anarchist in bad health with very poor eyesight could possibly be a threat to somebody who’s got God knows how many Secret Service goons protecting his skinny, DUMB socialist ass. I am glad you have confidence that 41 out of 54 Republicans will be able to agree not to let Odumbo nominate ANY SCOTUS candidate. I wish I had that much confidence, but they’re politicians and I just can’t quite get that much together.