Running the Tables or Running with Scissors?

10/20/2008 | I Art Laughing

[I Art Laughing]

In a discussion with a coworker toady we began discussing the "fairness doctrine" which got me ruminating about an incident I remember being taught in High School, that is the FDR Supreme Court stacking attempt (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/opinion/26smith.html). There are actually several connections and parallels between FDR and a possible Obama presidency and these two ideas.

First, the ideas. The "fairness doctrine" and Supreme Court stacking were both power grabs by the executive/legislative branches on the media/judicial branches of "government" (I use the term government with media here lightly.) Both of these moves are poor-faith balance of power changers and need to be seen as approximately equal in seriousness. The media is supposed to provide a safe avenue for dissent and a free exchange of ideas that may influence policy formation. What happens when dissent is gagged? The Supreme Court may have something to say about the abrogation of First Amendment rights and present a check to a power drunk government....if they don't get stacked with activist justices by a liberal Congress and Executive.

What would actually prevent an Obama presidency from increasing the Supreme Court to a 15 Justice bench? FDR wanted to do it and the only thing that stopped him was a divided Senate (No Constitutional Amendment required!). Given his desire to see "change" and this latest growing chant from the left about "elections meaning things" and hints about an abrogation of Free Speech one has to wonder how far they might go. FDR came to power at the start of the Great Depression and was given previously unprecedented powers to help avert the crisis. He did all kinds of "neat" things like confiscate gold (1933) threatening jail and fines for people who did not turn their gold in for FRN's. Would one expect more or less from the "change" candidate who is held out by many (including Powell) to be a transformational personality. Myself, I would expect more. Given an Obama presidency I'm expecting the final act of sovereignty, currency, and civil rights destruction. Let's hope, pray, donate, volunteer, and vote to keep this from happening.

[I Art Laughing]

McCain/Palin 08'

Dyslexic Democrats say: EJECT OBAMA 08!

[Dilbert San Diego]

Interesting point about the courts and the Supreme Court membership. The Congress could increase the size of the Supreme Court at any time, just as FDR wanted to do. With Obama and beefed up majorities in Congress after the November elections, see if they try that.

Let’s hope and pray that we don’t have a President Obama. But, if we do, let’s also hope and pray that there are 40+ Republican Senators to sustain a filibuster on unwise legislation such as packing the courts.

[Question Liberal Authority]

There are actually several connections and parallels between FDR and a possible Obama presidency

Like the fact that it lasted 16 years and the nation never recovered from its aftermath. Or the fact that Roosevelt rounded up American citizens and put them in concentration camps, on the pretext that they might be disloyal to the government.

[I Art Laughing]

Good point about the Japanese internment camps, then their is the whole series of moves with him cozying up with Stalin at Yalta and the Patton “slow down”. The return of FDR is a liberals wet dream.