'Empathy' Is Code for Judicial Activism

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 05-28-09 | Karl Rove

[GOP_Lady]

What damage did Democrats suffer when they attacked Miguel Estrada?

Both President Barack Obama and Republicans get something they want from the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor.

Mr. Obama said he wanted to replace Justice David Souter with someone who had "empathy" and who'd temper the court's decisions with a concern for the downtrodden, the powerless and the voiceless.

"Empathy" is the latest code word for liberal activism, for treating the Constitution as malleable clay to be kneaded and molded in whatever form justices want. It represents an expansive view of the judiciary in which courts create policy that couldn't pass the legislative branch or, if it did, would generate voter backlash.

[Man50D]

And Judicial Activism is code for socialism.

[ETL]

Judge Sonia Sotomayor: "Court is Where Policy is Made"

Link to YouTube video of her making the comment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfC99LrrM2Q

[GOP_Lady]

I think Karl Rove would agree to that as well.

[Man50D]

LI think Karl Rove would agree to that as well.

Then he and other Republicans need to say it is socialism.

[GOP_Lady]

If they don’t want to say the “S” word, they could at least say it’s government control or something.

[Nateman]

[pawdoggie]

I’d like for one of the GOP Senator’s on the judiciary committee to read State Senator Obama’s comments about the “failure” of the Founding Fathers to include wealth redistribution and the unenumerated powers of the Federal Government to do things for people. She will doubtless be briefed on how to convince us that our lying ears didn’t hear her say what she actually said about courts making “policy” and about how Latina’s reach better conclusions than white males, but even if she has heard the President’s remarks (and she may well have not, depending on where she and her handlers get their news) it would still be funny to watch her attempt to disavow the remarks while praising the originality of thought of the author.