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In praise of "activist" judges

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Mythsaje Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-26-06 02:35 PM
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In praise of "activist" judges
When elected "lawmakers" neglect to do the job for which they were elected, such as actually representing the people of the United States, not just the constituents that fit into the mold of race, religion, or economic background, it's necessary for others with political authority to step in and fix matters.

There's a quote attributed to Mark Twain that says "Suppose you're a crook. Now suppose you're a member of Congress. Ah, but I repeat myself."

That would suggest to me that the problems we face are nothing new. Too many of our elected officials are either corrupt, or have gotten into the habit of tolerating corruption simply because they need to make deals just to survive. "Support this bill or I'll help kill YOUR bill."

If not for "activist" judges, it's unlikely that segregation or the Jim Crow laws would ever have been overturned. Or that interracial marriage would have ever been accepted.

We need judges that take their own consciences into consideration when evaluating the law, that understand not only the letter, but the spirit and context of the law. We needed judges able to tell the difference between good intentions and bad results.

The judges the RW supports are just as much "activists" as the ones they decry. They too are making rulings based on their own interpretations. The difference? The ones on the "left" are doing so for the betterment of our society. The ones on the right? Not so much.
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Totallybushed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-26-06 03:40 PM
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1. And if not
for "activist" judges, Al Gore would be President.
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mcscajun Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-26-06 03:48 PM
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2. And those same people who decry the "activist" judges would be
all too happy to see Jim Crow return, and interracial marriages banned. Meanwhile, they'd be all too happy to see Roe v. Wade overturned just as the Dred Scott Decision was many, many years ago. SOME Activism is just fine with them, so long as it's THEIR kind of Activism.
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