[Gianni]

Jaffa and others at the Claremont Group (which includes Claremont McKenna College, Pomona College, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, and the Keck Graduate Institute) are firm believers, like Lincoln, in the "founding principles" of the nation, some of which are spelled out in the Declaration of Independence (i.e "all men are created equal," all are entitled by their humanity to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," etc). The Cabal doesn't like the concept.

"The Cabal" prefers that legal decisions be based on law.

El Capitan thinks that court rulings should be based on feel-good channelling of Ms Cleo. They rely on things like "founding principles" which are nowhere codified in any legally binding compact, treaty, or law; they claim that these uncodified "principles" carry the weight of law because of some arbitrarily created and tangential relationship to something that is legally binding. From there, we have the notion that a court can rely on something such as the DoI, or the defunct AofC.

The argument carries only the weight of the bayonet used to enforce it. Legally and logically it fails in every respect.

Tell us, Oh Capitan my Capitan, what should the ruling have been in Scott?

[Non-Sequitur]

Now, just what the hell was the point you were trying to make with your out-of-context quote?

[capitan_refugio]

"Tell us, Oh Capitan my Capitan, what should the ruling have been in Scott?"

The other way around.