Posted on 10/14/2018 11:21:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
Many conservative friends could not contain their excitement when the final vote for Judge Kavanaugh was announced. Many rushed to their Twitter account to predict that Roe v. Wade would soon be consigned to the ash heap of history.
The histrionics of the looney left mirrored the excitement on the right. We smiled at the scenes of unhinged demonstrators pounding on the metal doors of the Supreme Court. Those scenes will be remembered for a long time.
We will also remember the anticipation, waiting for the 3:00 announcement of Maines Senator Susan Collins. When she finally delivered her speech on the floor of the Senate, neither side could wait for her conclusion. It was high drama. Her remarks were both reasoned and principled. Whatever you may think about Senator Collins, she is her own person. She did what a Senator is expected to do. She asked tough questions and listened carefully to the answers. She was not intimidated by the hate-filled, angry mob. She came to her own conclusions and announced them in calm and measured tones.
It was branded as one of the greatest Senate speeches in recent memory. That may say something about the quality of the oratory of her contemporaries. But, it was a good speech. She used a razor to slice through the disgusting muck that Democrats had thrown at this good man.
The Left predictably and immediately unleashed fire, furry and vitriol. They pledged millions to defeat her in her next election. Traitor! She would be forever banished from the feminist plantation. How could she turn her back on her gender?
The Right just as predictably heaped high praise on her. She had become a genuine statesman (stateswoman?) in their eyes. Carving a special place in history.
What both sides seemed to have missed is what she actually had said leading up to her historic announcement. She recounted the nearly three hours, both in her office and on the phone, that she had spent with the Judge. Senator Collins reviewed the questions she had asked and how he had answered them. Those answers should give pause to the celebrants and comfort to his detractors.
We have been repeatedly assured that Brett Kavanaugh is a solid constitutional conservative. That he will be a critical ally in the drive to restore sanity to the court. This is a court that from campaign finance to gay marriage to ObamaCare has been an embarrassing disappointment. All of those decisions were decided by Republican appointees. Justices that we had been assured would be solid. To say that they have tried to steer clear of matters that should have been decided by accountable elected officials is laughable.
Review for yourself and listen carefully to what the Senior Senator from Maine told us at https://youtu.be/LJRdMh1XhAY
She repeatedly called Judge Kavanaugh a centrist. She reinforced that point with several examples. On over 93% of the cases jointly decided, he and Judge Merrick Garland concurred. Was it a Garland fellow traveler that we had in mind? Lisa Black, who clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and has argued more cases in front of the Supreme Court than any other woman, offered high praise for Kavanaugh. Black is a self-professed staunch defender of Roe and said that he fits within the mainstream of legal thought.
Kavanaugh called Marbury v. Madison one of the four greatest Supreme Court rulings. This is the bedrock ruling upon which all judicial activism is built.
Hmmm?
Senator Collins reminded us that Kavanaugh had tried to find middle ground on the matter of forcing religious orders to offer contraceptives to employees. Fine. But, he went further. He offered that this was settled law citing Griswold v. Connecticut and that the government had a compelling interest in facilitating access to birth control.
Compelling interest? Access? Really?
But, it was his reverence to precedents that was most troubling. Collins clearly probed deeply on the 45 year old Roe decision. He told her that past decisions become part of our legal framework. He added that precedents are not merely judicial policy, not a goal, but a constitutional tenant. That they were not to be trimmed, narrowed or overlooked. When she asked about Planned Parenthood v. Casey, (a decision co-authored by Justice David Souter) he told her that it was precedent on precedent.
Somehow legendary philosopher Yogi Berra comes to mind. Is this deja vu all over again?
We can all celebrate that Justice Kavanaugh survived the ruthless assault on his character. But, exactly what kind of a Justice he will become remains an open question.
It'll be a long time for that a$$ hurt to lose it's sting after his confirmation hearings.
I do not want a Supreme Court Justice that takes sides. I want them to interpret the Constitution as it was written and to strictly interpret the law. Period.
If you don’t like that there are plenty of countries with kangaroo courts that do whatever they’re paid to do.
That’s a wonky interpretation of judicial review to say that john marshall intended judicial activism. Without Marbury V. Madison Congress could run amok with unconstitutional laws.
Just because liberals abuse and twist something doesn’t mean the original intent was that or that we should accept their freak show interpretations of it. Once again we’ve let the liberals control the narrative.
Kavanaugh is 100% right on Marbury V Madison.
Why are conservatives trying to use that against him?
“...Tell ya what. Im going to wait to see his decisions on the cases that come before the Supreme Court before I decide that he was a bad pick. Call me crazy.....”
Exactly. Right there with ya on that.
This guy is human with a family, including two little girls.
He will NOT soon forget the vile character assassination he just went thru and put his family thru...and it STILL going on with threats of impeachment should the communist luny Toons come back into power. As someone posted above: Karma may come in a black robe. What goes around, comes around. IF he ever was a “moderate”, that has likely changed after this fiasco. We shall see.
There is no question that another Constitutionalist Justice must be is sitting before there is a safe chance to overturn Roe.
It would rest on the usurpation of State’s Rights as intended to be reserved under the 10th amendment, to my mind.
Roberts, especially, would want a 6-3 ruling.
What we will probably see, long before any attempt to overturn Roe, are cases about states being able to require abortion providers to have hospital privileges, and otherwise tightening up regulations on them.
Its not new what Collins said.
Nor does it mean Kavenaugh is not a constitutionalist.
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This is one reason why I never bought into this conservative thought or opinion that engulfed the Republican Party much the same as the neo-con new world order free trade crowd.
Justice Kavanaugh is very clear that in most instances the Congress should change laws. The Congress is a closer representation of the peoples will.
Conservatives very much want an activist court, just in their favor. Thomas Jefferson said basically the same about the courts and pretending political views dont matter. They do and always have
By the end of the confirmation process I strongly felt that even if Brett Kavanaugh was the biggest SOB in the USA he HAD to be confirmed.
These evil people were willing to destroy his life on the basis of a half-remembered assertion, with ZERO corroboration. I’m convinced they DID NOT CARE whether it was true or false.
It really was the most disgusting display that I can remember happening in American politics.
But, praise the Lord, it blew up in their stupid faces. And the prize goes to PDT, who nominated this centrist, cloth coat, Establishment Republican.
You want to know what kind of Justice I think he’ll be? He’ll be the kind who has looked real evil in the face and prevailed. He’ll be the kind who sees what some in power would do to innocent people and this country to hold on to power. He’ll be the kind of person who knows when to tell someone to go to hell.
And may Jesus continue to protect him, throughout all the days of his life, and may it be a long and productive one.
Things we know for sure:
1) He has a righteous chip on his shoulder from Democrat abuse.
2) He is not alone with this. His closest abuse peer is Justice Thomas, who will likely counsel him about it.
3) His closest appointment peer is Justice Gorsuch, so he will also have much to say to him.
4) For the criticism leveled against him, Chief Justice Roberts is a brilliant strategist and will likely lead the five conservative majority to strong consensus.
“Fire, furry, and vitriol”, and this guy expects to be taken seriously?
While I would not expect Roe to be overturned, it would be nice to parse it such that the taxpayer is relieved from paying anything for an abortion.
He says his finalist picks have been thoroughly vetted that a Souter will never happen again
“Sen. Grassley, bless his soul, said he would raise that and more to help her win in her next election,”
I’m not a big donor, but I WILL send this woman money when she runs again. I know she is pro-choice, but she put some stuff on the record that really, really needed to be there. She came through in a pinch, and to me that counts for A LOT.
“”Gil Gutknecht served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota.””
I consider the source. Minnesota is not known as a bastion of conservative thought.
Senator Graham very effectively threw that in the Demon’s faces in his devastating speech before the Committee. That speech ensured Kavanaugh’s passage out of it.
“...as well as RBGs grim glower”
That wasn’t a “grim glower”, it was a,”I think I’m gonna fart” grimace.
I thought it highly telling when Marshall’s cousin, Thomas Jefferson, said you can never concede Marshall one thing or you will lose the debate.
Trump is a genius! Choosing Kavanaugh for THIS pick was a stroke of genius.
Look what happened to “the easiest to confirm” pick.
Sorry Brett, you were chosen to take the full onslaught from the demoncrats because no matter whom it, this pick was going to face a bloodbath.
Hey, CONGRATULATIONS, you survived! You have gallantly paved the way for the next nominee ... Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 46.
The demonrats have shot their wad, as it were, with Kavanaugh. They FAILED, they destroyed their credibility (whatever little they had left).
What can they do with Judge Amy Coney Barrett (a real woman)? What would they DARE try NOW?
I can’t wait! I LOVE WINNING!
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